Rep. La Shawn Ford

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a standard student expulsion policy that applies to each school district in this State. Requires a district's pupil discipline policy to conform to the standard student expulsion policy. Requires a school board to furnish a copy of the district's pupil discipline policy to the parents or guardian of each pupil within 15 days after the beginning of the school year or within 15 days after starting classes for a pupil who transfers into the district during the school year and to require that each school inform its pupils of the contents of its policy (now permissive with respect to school boards other than the Chicago Board of Education).

States our belief that eliminating the first quarter cash crunch of small and mid-market businesses paying unemployment taxes by allowing for quarterly payments based upon the accrued obligation is a pro-business public policy move. Encourages all interested stakeholders in the State's unemployment insurance system to consider this shift before the next General Assembly in order to reach a consensus on the best revenue-neutral method of eliminating the current policy of imposing a first-quarter cash crunch on Illinois businesses.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Creates the Lottery Supports Schools Fund. Provides that certain lottery revenues shall be deposited into the Fund. Provides that moneys in the fund shall be distributed to school districts based on the district's percentage of lottery sales. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Provides that the circuit clerk in each county shall charge a sheriff's office technology and training fee of $5 in each civil action in order to defray the expense of the sheriff's office acquiring and maintaining technological equipment and providing training for sheriff's office personnel. Provides that this fee shall be paid at the time of the filing of the first document filed by each party in all civil cases, provided that no additional fee is required if more than one party is presented in a single document. Provides that the fees collected shall be remitted monthly by the clerk to the county treasurer, to be retained by the treasurer in a special fund designated as the Sheriff's Office Technology and Training Fund. Provides that the fund shall be audited by the county auditor, and the sheriff shall make expenditures from the fund in payment of any costs relative to the acquisition of technology hardware; software; research and development costs; training of sheriff's office personnel; and any personnel related to technology or training. Makes other changes.

Creates the People with Disabilities Act. Provides that the Act is designed to: (1) improve State services delivery to Illinois' people with disabilities; (2) increase the number of people with disabilities: who are employed throughout State government, who are promoted, and who are veterans who are hired by State government; (3) assist State agencies meet goals established by the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan; and (4) establish a People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council. Provides that "disability" has the same meaning as in the Illinois Human Rights Act (determinable physical or mental characteristic of a person). Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall: develop and implement plans to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by the State, including those at supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels; prepare a People with Disabilities State Employment Plan; annually report to the General Assembly State agency activities that implement the Plan; and assist State agencies with training programs. Provides that each State agency shall: implement programs under the Plan to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by the State, including at supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels; and report annually to the Department its activities that implement the Plan. Provides that the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council is created, consisting of 11 members each of whom shall be a subject matter expert on people with disabilities appointed by the Governor. Provides that members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses from appropriated funds. Includes other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Requires the Department of Revenue, beginning on January 1, 2012 or as soon thereafter as is practical, to offer a special instant "After-School Rescue" scratch-off game. Requires the net revenue from that game to be deposited into the After-School Rescue Fund for appropriation by the General Assembly solely to the Illinois State Board of Education for the making of grants to at-risk schools for the promotion of extracurricular and after-school programs. Authorizes the Department, after consulting with the Illinois State Board of Education, to adopt rules necessary to implement and administer the game. Defines "net revenue". Amends the State Finance Act to create the After-School Rescue Fund. Effective immediately.

Creates the State Employment Application Act. Provides that an application for State employment may not contain any question as to whether the applicant was convicted of or placed on supervision for a non-violent criminal offense but must contain a question as to whether the applicant for State employment has ever been convicted of a violent offense that is classified as a felony. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to prohibit a State agency from conducting a criminal background check of an applicant for State employment. Provides that if a federal or State law disqualifies a person convicted of certain offenses from holding a position, an application for that position may inquire as to whether the applicant has been convicted of a disqualifying offense. Provides that if an applicant is applying for a position of peace officer, an application for that position may inquire as to whether the applicant has been convicted of a disqualifying offense. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits a decision to refuse to hire on the basis that the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offense. Effective immediately.

Creates the People with Disabilities Act. Provides that the Act concerns people with disabilities as to: delivery of State services; State employment; State agencies' goals; and a People with Disabilities State Employment Plan. Provides that "disability" has the same meaning as in the Illinois Human Rights Act (determinable physical or mental characteristic of a person). Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall: develop and implement plans to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by the State; prepare a People with Disabilities State Employment Plan; annually report to the General Assembly State agency activities under the Plan; and assist State agencies with training programs. Provides that each State agency shall implement the Plan and provide a Plan report annually to the Department. Creates the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council with 11 members (each a subject matter expert on people with disabilities), appointed by the Governor, who shall serve without compensation, but be reimbursed for reasonable expenses from appropriated funds. Includes other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Adds provisions concerning the judicial registration of administrative support orders. Provides that notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall have no further duty or authority to enforce and collect interest accrued on support obligations established under the Code or under any other law, including any interest on support accrued and deemed to have been assigned to the State under previous law. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that interest on child support obligations may be collected by any means available under State law for the collection of child support judgments (rather than by any means available under federal and State laws, rules, and regulations providing for the collection of child support). Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that each school board must not make available food containing industrially produced trans fat or use food containing industrially produced trans fat in the preparation of a food item served to students from any source, including, but not limited to, school stores, school vending machines, school cafeterias, school food service establishments, and fundraising activities on school premises, whether or not school sponsored. Provides that the prohibition applies to all food and beverages sold on school grounds during the regular and extended school day, but does not apply to food provided through a United States Department of Agriculture meal program. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a procedure for monitoring compliance by school boards, and allows the State Board to establish appropriate penalties based on failure to comply.