Rep. Anne Stava

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a minor found to be guilty may be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice if the minor is at least 14 (rather than 13) years and under 20 years of age, provided that the commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be made only if the minor was found guilty of a felony offense or first degree murder. Provides that when a minor of the age of at least 14 (rather than 13) years is adjudged delinquent for the offense of first degree murder, the court shall declare the minor a ward of the court and order the minor committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice until the minor's 21st birthday, without the possibility of aftercare release, furlough, or nonemergency authorized absence for a period of 5 years from the date the minor was committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Creates the Parental Digital Choice Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as Sammy's Law. Provides that, before August 1, 2025, or within 30 days after a service becomes a large social media platform after August 1, 2025, a large social media platform provider shall create, maintain, and make available to any third-party safety software provider a set of third-party-accessible real-time application programming interfaces, including any information necessary to use the interfaces, by which a child, if the child is 13 years of age or older, or a parent or legal guardian of a child, may delegate permission to the third-party safety software provider to: (1) manage the child's online interactions, content, and account settings on the large social media platform on the same terms as the child; and (2) initiate secure transfers of user data from the large social media platform in a commonly used and machine-readable format to the third-party safety software provider. Sets forth disclosure requirements to the child and the parents or guardians of a child; requirements of third-party safety software providers; and liability of third-party safety software providers. Provides that a violation of any of the provisions of the Act is an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make a conforming change. Effective June 1, 2025.

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 Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to apply for a Home and Community-Based Services State Plan amendment and any federal waiver necessary to reimburse legally responsible family caregivers as providers of personal care or home health aide services under the Illinois Title XIX State Plan Home and Community-Based Services benefit and the home and community-based services waiver program authorized under the Social Security Act for persons who are medically fragile and technology dependent. Provides that to be eligible for reimbursement, a legally responsible family caregiver must be a certified nursing assistant or certified nurse aide and must provide services to a medically fragile relative who is receiving in-home shift nursing services coordinated by the University of Illinois at Chicago, Division of Specialized Care for Children. Provides that upon federal approval of the State Plan amendment and waiver, the Department shall adopt rules that define who qualifies for reimbursement as a legally responsible family caregiver, specify which personal care and home health aide services are eligible for reimbursement if the provider is a legally responsible family caregiver, establish oversight policies to ensure legally responsible family caregivers meet and comply with licensing and program requirements, and adopt any other policies or procedures necessary to implement the amendatory Act.

Amends the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Removes a provision that the Act shall not apply to any employee who is covered by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with an employer that provides services nationally and internationally of delivery, pickup, and transportation of parcels, documents, and freight. Provides that the definition of "employee" does not include an employee as defined in the Federal Employers' Liability Act.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a child tax credit in an amount equal to the product of a specified credit amount multiplied by the number of qualifying children of the taxpayer. Effective immediately.

Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that, for the benefit of the physical and mental health of athletes, beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, all practices, games, or contests by a State high school athletic program or team that is a part of an association or other entity that has, as one of its purposes, promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among high schools and high school students within this State shall meet all specified requirements pertaining to athletic practice time limits. Provides that an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State shall enforce a penalty for a State high school athletic program or team exceeding practice maximums, which may include, but are not limited to, a loss of a practice day or other sanctions determined by the Illinois High School Association for each violation and shall be imposed as appropriate to the level, extent, and duration of the penalty. Effective immediately.

Creates the Department of Early Childhood Act. Creates the Department of Early Childhood to begin operation on July 1, 2024 and transfers to it certain rights, powers, duties, and functions currently exercised by various agencies of State Government. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026 the Department of Early Childhood shall be the lead State agency for administering and providing early childhood education and care programs and services to children and families including: home-visiting services; early intervention services; preschool services; child care services; licensing for day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes; and other early childhood education and care programs and administrative functions historically managed by the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Children and Family Services. Makes conforming changes to various Acts including the Department of Human Services Act, the Illinois Early Learning Council Act, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Early Intervention Services System Act and the Children and Family Services Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the purpose of the Medical Assistance Article.