Declares the week of May 5-11, 2024 as Youth Apprenticeship Week. Encourages business leaders, educators, families, and young people to learn more about the opportunities that youth apprenticeship programs provide and to encourage the development and expansion of youth apprenticeship programs in Illinois.
Amends the Illinois Public Demonstrations Law. Replaces all references to the principal law enforcement officer for the area with references to the sheriff of the county where the march, assembly, meeting, parade, or gathering on roadways originates. Provides that a person who blocks an exceptionally busy public right-of-way for any period of not less than 5 minutes in a manner that prevents, or would prevent, the free passage of a peace officer, a firefighter, or an emergency medical services personnel responder, irrespective of the time of day or notice provided, commits a Class 4 felony. Provides that no act of notification to law enforcement is a defense to the Class 4 felony. Provides that no act or circumstance of scheduling or time is a defense to the Class 4 felony. Provides that if permission is requested from the sheriff of the county where the march, assembly, meeting, parade, or gathering on roadways originates under, it is the responsibility of the sheriff, not the requester, to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions as necessary. Preempts the concurrent exercise of home rule. Defines "exceptionally busy public right of way". Makes findings. Effective immediately.
Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that the Secretary of State shall establish an electronic registry, to be known as the Advance Directive Registry, through which residents of the State of Illinois may deposit, with the Secretary of State, a completed Department of Public Health Uniform POLST form. Specifies that information in the Advance Directive Registry shall be made available to hospitals licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act and hospitals organized under the University of Illinois Hospital Act. Authorizes hospitals to rely on information obtained from the Advance Directive Registry as an accurate copy of the documents filed with the Advance Directive Registry. Directs the Secretary of State to adopt any rules necessary to implement the amendatory Act and to provide information on the Secretary of State's website regarding use of the Advance Directive Registry. Provides that, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct, the Secretary of State and employees of the Secretary of State are immune from any civil or criminal liability in connection with the creation and maintenance of the Advance Directive Registry. Provides that a person who knowingly submits a document to the Advance Directive Registry without authorization or assists in such submission shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act. Requires the State Employees Group Insurance Program to provide coverage for all FDA-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's Disease or another related dementia, as determined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches. Provides that diagnostic testing necessary for a physician to determine the appropriate use of treatments or medications shall be covered by the State Employees Group Insurance Program.
Amends the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Use Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Public Community College Act. With respect to the awarding of contracts by boards of trustees of community college districts, deletes the prohibition on electronic bid submissions for construction purposes.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires rules adopted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for purposes of administering the Water Revolving Fund to encourage regionalization and proactive compliance. Effective immediately.
Amends the Wildlife Code. Deletes provisions that require a meat processor to be a member of the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program in order for the meat processor to donate deer meat that the meat processor has processed. Provides that if a properly tagged deer is processed at a licensed meat processing facility and if the owner of the deer (i) fails to claim the processed deer within a reasonable time or (ii) notifies the licensed meat processing facility that the owner no longer wants the processed deer or wishes to donate the deer, then the deer meat may be given away by the licensed meat processor to another person or donated to a charitable organization or community food bank that receives wild game meat. Requires meat processors who donate deer meat to a charitable organization or community food bank that receives wild game meat to keep written records of all deer received.
Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Provides that in competitive procurements conducted by the Agency for utility-scale energy storage resources from owners of existing or retired fossil-fueled power plants, the Agency, in ranking the bids, shall apply a downward bid price adjustment to any project bid that is located or proposed to be located within a one mile radius of an existing substation that serves or has served as a point of interconnection for a fossil-fueled power plant and that meets one of 3 specific criteria. Provides that if the project meets 2 or more of the criteria, the Agency shall apply the bid price adjustment 2 times. Provides that the Agency shall develop a storage procurement plan that results in the electric utilities contracting for energy storage resources. Provides that, within 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Agency shall develop an energy storage procurement plan. Provides that an owner of the energy storage resources must have entered into a project labor agreement for the construction of the energy storage resource and certify that not less than the prevailing wage was or will be paid to employees who are engaged in construction activities. Provides that, if the owner or owners of the energy storage resources own existing or retired fossil-fueled power plants, the owner shall commit to a job training and education program to provide the requisite skills, knowledge, and training required to operate and maintain energy storage resources and create employment opportunities for graduates of the program. Provides that the Agency shall conduct an analysis every 2 years to determine whether the contracted quantity of energy storage in energy storage capacity and energy storage duration is sufficient. Provides that the Agency shall retain an independent consultant to conduct the analysis. Sets forth requirements of the independent consultant and the analysis. Provides that the Agency is authorized to collect costs for conducting the analysis from electric utilities. The electric utilities are authorized to recover the cost of the analysis. Provides that if the Agency determines that the need for energy storage capacity or energy storage duration is greater than the energy storage resources already procured, the Agency shall establish and the Commission shall approve new energy storage resources targets to meet the identified need. Effective immediately.
