Rep. Dee Avelar

Creates the Digital Forgeries Act. Provides that an individual depicted in a digital forgery has a cause of action against any person who, without the consent of the depicted individual, knowingly distributes a digital forgery, creates a digital forgery with intent to distribute, or solicits the creation of a digital forgery with the intent to distribute: (1) in order to harass, extort, threaten, or cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; (2) with reckless disregard for whether such a creation, distribution, reproduction, or manipulation will cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; or (3) in order to incite violence or interfere with an official proceeding. Allows a prevailing plaintiff to be awarded damages, costs, and additional relief. Allows the court to grant injunctive relief maintaining the confidentiality of a plaintiff using a pseudonym.

Amends the Homeowners Energy Policy Statement Act. Requires any energy policy statement to explicitly include the minimum standards. Provides that a written energy policy statement may not condition approval of an application on approval by adjacent property owners. Restricts an association from inquiring into a property owner's energy usage, imposing conditions impairing the operation of a solar energy system, imposing conditions negatively impacting any component warranty, or requiring post-installation reporting. Provides that a property owner may not be denied permission to install a solar energy system based on system ownership or financing method chosen by the property owner. Allows an association's written energy policy statement to impose reasonable conditions concerning the location of on-site storage of materials and equipment during the installation process and the maintenance, repair, replacement, and ultimate removal of damaged or inoperable systems. Provides that no energy policy statement shall be valid unless recorded as required by applicable law in the office of the recorder of deeds in the county where the property is located. Requires an application for approval to be made available in hard copy form at a property owner's request or, if the association maintains a website, through the website. Provides that an application shall be processed by the appropriate approving entity of the association within 30 (rather than 75) days of the submission of the application. Provides that if an association fails to adopt a written solar energy policy statement or process an application for approval within the specified time, the property owner may proceed with the installation or use of the proposed solar energy system notwithstanding any other policy or provision in the homeowners' common interest community or condominium unit owners' association declaration. Allows a property owner to resubmit an application for approval previously denied by an association, and requires any such resubmitted application to be evaluated under the changes made by the amendatory Act. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Tenants Radon Protection Act. Provides that, before a lease is signed, a landlord shall provide each tenant in a dwelling unit with any records or reports that pertain to radon concentrations within the dwelling unit and that indicate a radon hazard exists and shall furnish each prospective tenant with a prescribed radon hazard disclosure form. Provides that, if a tenant performs a radon test, the tenant shall provide the test results to the landlord within 10 days after receiving them. Provides that nothing in the Act implies an obligation for a landlord or tenant to conduct any radon testing. Provides that a lease may be terminated under specified circumstances involving radon hazards. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Radon Awareness Act. Repeals a provision requiring landlords to give certain disclosures to tenants. Effective January 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Works Job Program Act. Provides that contractors or subcontractors may be eligible to earn bid credits for employing apprentices who have completed the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program (previously bid credits were available for public works contracted by the State). Provides that contractors and subcontractors can use bid credits toward future bids for public works projects contracted or funded by the State or an agency of the State in order to increase the likelihood that the contractor and the subcontractors are selected as the contractor for the public works project. Provides that, for contracts and grant agreements executed after the effective date of the amendatory Act, of a specified goal at least half of the labor hours of each prevailing wage classification performed by apprentices shall be performed by graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may grant a reduction or waiver upon a determination that the contractor or subcontractor has demonstrated that insufficient graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program are available to meet the requirements. Provides that contractors and subcontractors must submit a certification to the Department and the agency that is administering the contract, or the grant agreement funding the contract, demonstrating that the contractor or subcontractor has not complied with the labor hour goals and did not receive a reduction or waiver. Provides the penalties for failing to comply with the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Establishes, subject to appropriation, the Division of Certified Youth Firesetter Interventionists within the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Provides that the Division shall consist of certified youth firesetter interventionists who conduct youth firesetter interventions when local authorities cannot do so on their own or when multiple local authorities in separate jurisdictions are involved. Describes the duties of the Division. Contains other provisions.

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold closed meetings to consider evidence or testimony presented to a school board regarding denial of admission to school events or property, provided that the school board prepares and makes available for public inspection a written decision setting forth its determinative reasoning. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that the State Long Term Care Ombudsman shall be notified when a resident is involuntarily transferred or discharged from a facility. Makes corresponding changes.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Commission Article of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Removes language providing that: the Governor shall appoint a special temporary panel of commissioners comprised of 3 members; the members shall hold office until the Human Rights Commission determines that the caseload of requests for review has been reduced sufficiently to allow cases to proceed in a timely manner, or for a term of 18 months from the date of appointment by the Governor, whichever is earlier; each of the 3 members shall have only such rights and powers of a commissioner necessary to dispose of the cases assigned to the special panel; each of the 3 members appointed to the special panel shall receive the same salary as other commissioners for the duration of the panel; and the panel shall have the authority to hire and supervise a staff attorney who shall report to the panel of commissioners. Requires the Commission to appoint at the expense of the Commission a qualified interpreter (rather than a qualified sign language interpreter) whenever a hearing impaired individual or an individual who lacks proficiency in the English language is a party or witness in proceedings before the Commission (rather than at a public hearing).

Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall deliver a report to the General Assembly on how to incentivize dual language instruction in schools. Provides that the report shall also include: (i) expanding dual language programs and instruction, (ii) developing a strategic plan for scaling dual language programs, (iii) possible public-private partnerships to expand dual language programs, (iv) potential funding mechanisms and models, including how to leverage the use of existing State and federal resources and how to sustain funding for dual language programs, (v) how to build the supply of qualified teachers for dual language programs, including potential partnerships with private or nonprofit teacher preparation or development programs and college teacher preparation programs, potential alternative certification routes, exchange programs with other countries, and financial incentives, and (vi) standards for measuring student progress in dual language programs.

Creates the Packaging and Paper Products Stewardship Act. Provides that a producer responsibility organization shall be established to carry out the Act's provisions. Tasks the Environmental Protection Agency with providing administrative support under the Act. Establishes the Packaging and Paper Product Producer Responsibility Advisory Council to provide advice and recommendations in the drafting, amendment, or approval of program plans and to oversee and provide recommendations for the implementation of program plans. Requires producers, in consultation with the Advisory Committee, to adopt and publish a list of minimum types of readily recyclable materials based on available collection and processing infrastructure and recycling markets for covered materials. Tasks the Prairie Research Institute with conducting a study and preparing a statewide needs assessment to assess recycling and covered materials management needs in the State. Provides that, no later than January 1, 2026, producers shall submit a producer responsibility program plan for the Agency's approval. Requires producers to establish waste prevention and reuse programs and composting infrastructure and education programs. Permits the development and operation of an alternative collection program to collect and manage a type or types of covered materials sold, offered for sale, distributed, or served to consumers in the State that are not on the minimum recyclable materials list. Requires producers to submit annual reports to the Agency. Allows postconsumer recycled content requirements in specific products to be waived by the Agency if specified requirements are met. Contains provisions concerning a plastics recycling technologies study, outreach and education, penalties for violations, severability, and other provisions. Effective immediately.