Rep. Jackie Haas

Amends the Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Prohibits persons who fail to report to the Department of Public Health individuals who commit certain violations from being involved in direct care for clients, patients, or residents, or access to the living quarters or the financial, medical, or personal records of clients, patients, or residents unless they have been issued a waiver under the Act. Provides that reports of violations shall be made no later than 5 days after the incident constituting the violation. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits aggravated battery when the person battered, other than by the discharge of a firearm, is known to be a patient at a Department of Human Services facility and the person who commits the battery is an employee of the Department of Human Services; and a recipient at a community-integrated living arrangement, as defined in the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act, who is battered by an employee of the community-integrated living arrangement. Provides that the offense is a Class 2 felony.

Declares the week of March 12 through March 18, 2023 as Illinois Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week. Declares March 18, 2023 as Illinois Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Day. Encourages municipalities, media organizations, and residents to participate in Illinois Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week and Day. Recognizes those living with MS, their families, and the healthcare professionals and medical researchers who provide assistance to those affected by MS.

Amends the River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may certify one additional pilot River Edge Redevelopment Zone in the City of Kankakee. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the county boards of Kankakee County and Tazewell County (currently, Kane County, Kendall County, and Will County) may also, by ordinance, impose a judicial facilities fee to be used for the building of new judicial facilities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board Act. Provides that, by December 31, 2024, the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board must publish a report to identify strategies to address transportation access barriers that current secondary and community college students encounter when trying to access career development experiences and apprenticeship opportunities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the county clerk of a county where a decedent last resided shall (rather than may) issue certifications of death records from the electronic reporting system for death registrations and shall (rather than may) use that system to cancel the registration of any person who has died during the preceding month. Requires a county coroner, medical examiner, or physician for a county or any other individual responsible for certification of death under the Vital Records Act to promptly transmit certified records to the county clerk within 7 days after the death. Requires the county clerk and coroner to report quarterly to its affiliated county board and certify its full compliance with the provisions and accuracy of the voter rolls. Allows an individual to request a copy of the county clerk's or coroner's report and allows for relief if the county clerk fails to provide an accurate report within specified timeframes.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate-level early childhood education program and confer a bachelor of applied science degree in early childhood education and a Professional Educator License with endorsements in early childhood education and early childhood special education under certain conditions. Provides for an application for approval from the Illinois Community College Board. Sets forth college requirements and prohibitions. Provides that a candidate for educator licensure must successfully complete applicable testing requirements prior to the issuance of an educator license and any endorsements. Provides for a statewide evaluation of such programs. To prevent the duplication of services and programs, requires the board of trustees to describe how the proposed program fills a gap in the early childhood education degree programs offered by other institutions of higher education. Allows other institutions of higher education to comment on the proposed program, and offers the community college the opportunity to respond to the comments. Prohibits the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board from authorizing a community college baccalaureate-level degree program in any additional field of study prior to the publication of the statewide evaluation of community college baccalaureate programs in early childhood education. Makes other changes.

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Provides that school boards shall require that each student is assessed by a teacher or school staff member no less than 3 times per year on social emotional learning utilizing a comprehensive, evidence-based, social emotional learning system.

Amends the Drug Court Treatment Act. Provides that before a defendant is admitted into a drug court program, the court must make a finding that the crime for which the defendant is to be admitted into the drug court program had a nexus to the defendant's substance use disorder. Makes changes to offenses that exclude a defendant from admission into a drug court program.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Schedules xylazine: (N-2,6-dimethylpheny1)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3 thiazin-2-amine), including its isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers, whenever the existence of such isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible within the specific chemical designation, as a Schedule II controlled substance.