Rep. Norma Hernandez

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall create a student teaching stipend program to reduce financial barriers into the teaching profession and increase the quality of the student teaching experience in order to better prepare teaching candidates for the classroom and increase teacher retention. Provides that to participate in the stipend program, an eligible student must be placed as a student teacher. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July 1. Provides that all eligible students shall be enrolled in the stipend program. Provides that subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible student a stipend of up to $10,000 for one academic semester, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Sets forth provisions concerning funding if the amount appropriated for the program is insufficient to fund all eligible students. Provides that subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible cooperating teacher a stipend of up to $1,500 per academic semester, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Provides that a cooperating teacher may receive professional development hours for completing cooperating teacher training that counts toward the cooperating teacher's license renewal or Gateways credential. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student or an eligible teacher from participating in the program or receiving a stipend from the program. Provides that, subject to available appropriations, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the State Board of Education shall report about and evaluate the program to the Governor and General Assembly on or before June 30, 2028 and each June 30 thereafter. Provides for rulemaking.

Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Pilot Program Act. Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Fund as a special fund in the State treasury and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Provides that the Fund shall be used by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to encourage and facilitate the employment of construction workforces located in underrepresented populations. Provides that applicants that are applying for a new utility-scale offshore wind project with the Illinois Power Agency shall file with the Department, as part of the applicant's application, an equity and inclusion plan. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning the procurement of renewable energy credits, provides that in addition to the amount of renewable energy credits to be procured from wind projects, the Illinois Power Agency shall procure at least 700,000 renewable energy credits, delivered annually for at least 20 years, from one new utility-scale offshore wind project. In provisions concerning the development of a long-term renewable resources procurement plan, provides that the total of renewable energy resources procured under the procurement plan shall be reduced for all retail customers based on the amount necessary to limit the annual estimated average net increase due to the costs of these resources included in the amounts paid by eligible retail customers in connection with electric service to no more than 4.25% of the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers during the year ending May 31, 2009, and to no more than 4.5% of that amount as of the billing month following the expected date that a new utility-scale offshore wind project commences commercial operations and is expected to begin delivering power to the PJM Interconnection, LLC transmission grid. Provides that the Agency shall conduct at least one new utility-scale offshore wind procurement within 360 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Defines terms. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Repeals a provision excluding certain minors accused of committing specified crimes from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Effective immediately.

Creates the Protect Health Data Privacy Act. Provides that a regulated entity shall disclose and maintain a health data privacy policy that clearly and conspicuously discloses specified information. Sets forth provisions concerning health data privacy policies. Provides that a regulated entity shall not collect, share, or store health data, except in specified circumstances. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to sell or offer to sell health data concerning a consumer without first obtaining valid authorization from the consumer. Provides that a valid authorization to sell consumer health data must contain specified information; a copy of the signed valid authorization must be provided to the consumer; and the seller and purchaser of health data must retain a copy of all valid authorizations for sale of health data for 6 years after the date of its signature or the date when it was last in effect, whichever is later. Sets forth provisions concerning the consent required for collection, sharing, and storage of health data. Provides that a consumer has the right to withdraw consent from the collection, sharing, sale, or storage of the consumer's health data. Provides that it is unlawful for a regulated entity to engage in discriminatory practices against consumers solely because they have not provided consent to the collection, sharing, sale, or storage of their health data or have exercised any other rights provided by the provisions or guaranteed by law. Sets forth provisions concerning a consumer's right to confirm whether a regulated entity is collecting, selling, sharing, or storing any of the consumer's health data; a consumer's right to have the consumer's health data that is collected by a regulated entity deleted; prohibitions regarding geofencing; and consumer health data security. Provides that any person aggrieved by a violation of the provisions shall have a right of action in a State circuit court or as a supplemental claim in federal district court against an offending party. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce a violation of the provisions as an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Defines terms. Makes a conforming change in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Amends the Public Employee Disability Act, the Line of Duty Compensation Act, and the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Includes mental health professionals within the scope of the Acts. Defines "mental health professional" as any person employed and dispatched by a unit of local government to respond to crisis calls received on public emergency service lines instead of or in conjunction with law enforcement.

Amends the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act. Provides that all higher education institutions shall include in the comprehensive policy concerning sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, information about how the higher education institution protects individuals who report from retaliation. Provides that the higher education institutions procedure for responding to a report shall also include protecting the survivor from retaliation, including a policy and process for early dismissal of any retaliatory claim by a respondent against a survivor, including, but not limited to, claims of defamation, harassment, bullying, and any other violation of policy claims where the actions alleged by the respondent are related to the survivor's report. Makes related changes in provisions concerning student notification of rights and options, confidential advisors, complaint resolution procedures, and campus training. Amends the Citizen Participation Act. Provides that a court shall not permit any person to pursue a defamation action to silence or retaliate against, a person reporting gender-based violence, including cases where the alleged perpetrator is publicly named. Provides that the exception to motions under this Act are when the acts are not genuinely aimed at procuring favorable government action, result, or outcome or when the plaintiff presents clear and convincing evidence that the reporting of gender-based violence constituted speaking with actual malice. Makes related changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning charitable exemptions granted to limited liability companies, removes a requirement that the limited liability company must be a disregarded entity for federal and Illinois income tax purposes.

Amends the Accident and Health Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide any mental health treatment coverage without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement for any police officer, firefighter, emergency medical services personnel, or veteran. Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an insurer shall not, with regard to any motor vehicle liability insurance practice, (i) unfairly discriminate based on age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, immigration or citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, or gender expression or (ii) use any external consumer data and information sources in a way that unfairly discriminates based on age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, immigration or citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, or gender expression. Allows the Department of Insurance to examine and investigate an insurer's use of external consumer data and information sources, algorithms, or predictive models in any motor vehicle liability insurance practice. Specifies that the provisions shall not be construed to require an insurer to collect consumer's demographic data, to prohibit the use of a driver's history that has a direct relationship with risk, or to prohibit the use of or require testing of longstanding and well-established common industry practices in settling claims or traditional underwriting practices. Prohibits an insurer from canceling, refusing to renew, or increasing the premium for any policy of automobile insurance solely because an insured person has reached the age of 65 years if the insured has a valid Illinois driver's license. Defines terms.

Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2025, an employer shall not be entitled to an allowance for gratuities and shall pay each employee no less than the applicable minimum wage rate, including any minimum wage rate higher than the State minimum wage as required by local ordinance in home rule municipalities. Preempts home rule. Effective January 1, 2025.