Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia

Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Provides that the term "student" within the definition of "educational employee" or "employee" as used in the Act includes (rather than excludes) graduate students who are teaching assistants primarily performing duties that involve the delivery and support of instruction and all other graduate students. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the Electronic Registration Information Center shall provide the exclusive interstate voter registration program for the State. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall not share identification records contained in databases maintained by State agencies with any interstate voter registration program other than the Electronic Registration Information Center. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that an approved waiver from or modification to a physical education mandate may remain in effect for a period not to exceed 2 school years (rather than 5 school years like other mandate waivers) and may be renewed no more than 2 times upon application by an eligible applicant. Provides that an approved waiver from or modification to a physical education mandate may be changed within the 2-year period by the school board or regional superintendent of schools, whichever is applicable, following the procedure set forth in the Code for the initial waiver or modification request. Provides that a school board may determine the schedule or frequency of physical education courses, provided that an elementary school pupil engage in a course of physical education for a minimum of 150 minutes per week and a high school pupil engage in a course of physical education for a minimum of 225 minutes per week (rather than engaging in a course of physical education for a minimum of 3 days per 5-day week). Effective July 1, 2018.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act. Defines terms. Provides that, with exceptions, a landlord shall not require disclosure of, disclose, intimidate, harass, or evict a tenant on the basis of a person's immigration or citizenship status. Provides that an oral or written warning notice or explanation, given in good faith, regarding the applicable rental agreement, rules, regulations, lease, or law is not a violation of the Act. Provides that the Act does not enlarge or diminish a landlord's right to terminate a tenancy pursuant to existing State or local law; nor does the Act enlarge or diminish any ability of local government to regulate or enforce a prohibition against a landlord's harassment of a tenant. Provides that waiver of a right under the Act by a tenant, occupant, or person known to the landlord to be associated with a tenant or occupant is void as a matter of public policy. Provides remedies. Provides that an action for injunctive relief may be brought by a nonprofit organization. Provides that in a civil action involving a tenant's or occupant's housing rights, no inquiry shall be permitted into the tenant's or occupant's immigration or citizenship status, with exceptions. Contains a severability clause. Amends the Eviction Article of the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that it is an affirmative defense to an eviction that a landlord engaged in conduct prohibited under the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act. Amends the Mobile Home Landlord and Tenant Rights Act. Provides that an eviction order may not be entered against a tenant as a reprisal for a tenant's efforts to secure remedies under the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Leon Lederman.

Creates the Hunger-Free Students' Bill of Rights Act. Provides that every school in this State shall provide a federally reimbursable lunch to a student of that school who requests the lunch, regardless of whether the student has the ability to pay for the lunch or owes money for earlier lunches. Provides that if a student owes money for 5 or more lunches, a school shall reach out to the parent or guardian of the student to attempt collection of the owed money and to request that the parent or guardian enroll the student in a free or reduced-price lunch program. Provides that a school may not publicly identify or stigmatize a student who cannot pay for a lunch or who owes money for lunches. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall allow an applicant to provide his or her individual taxpayer identification number as an alternative to provide a social security number when applying for a license. Provides that no applicant shall be denied a license solely based on his or her immigration status or citizenship status. Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Removes language providing that an applicant for a registered pharmacist license shall provide evidence indicating that he or she is a United States citizen or legally admitted alien.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, by January 1, 2019, the State Board of Education shall implement a program and adopt rules to allow school districts to supplement their substitute teacher recruitment for elementary and secondary schools with the use of recruiting firms. Defines "recruiting firm". Specifies program requirements. Prohibits school districts from using recruiting firms to circumvent collective bargaining agreements or laws. Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the term "teacher" or "substitute teacher" does not include and service credit may not be granted to an individual employed by an entity that provides substitute teaching services under the program and is not a school district. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to reimburse psychiatrists, federally qualified health centers as defined in the Social Security Act, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, advanced practice registered nurses certified in psychiatric and mental health nursing, and mental health professionals and clinicians authorized by Illinois law to provide mental health services to recipients via telehealth (rather than psychiatrists and federally qualified health centers). Requires the Department to reimburse any Medicaid certified eligible facility or provider organization that acts as the location of the patient at the time a telehealth service is rendered, including substance abuse centers licensed by the Department of Human Services' Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.