Rep. John Cabello

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Knight-Silas Act. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by the discharge of a firearm, he or she: (1) knowingly causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to an individual whom the person knows to be a Department of Children and Family Services employee; and (2) is, at the time of the commission of the offense, 21 years of age or older and causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to an individual whom the person knows to be a Department of Children and Family Services employee: (i) performing his or her official duties; (ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her official duties; or (iii) battered in retaliation for performing his or her official duties. Provides that "Department of Children and Family Services employee" includes any (i) Department case worker or (ii) investigator employed by an agency or organization providing social work, case work, or investigative services under a contract with or a grant from the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that a violation is a Class 2 felony. Provides that if the battery causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to the employee, the penalty is a Class 1 felony.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that if the county jail located in the county where the committed person was residing immediately before his or her conviction for the offense for which he or she is serving sentence in the Department of Corrections has a reentry program for committed persons, the Department of Corrections shall reimburse the county for any expenses incurred in the transfer of the committed person to the sheriff of the county where the reentry program is located, including the housing of the committed person transferred to the reentry program.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that upon verified petition by the State, the court shall hold a hearing and may deny a defendant pretrial release if: (1) the defendant is charged with a felony offense (rather than specified felonies) and it is alleged that the defendant's pretrial release poses a real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community, based on the specific articulable facts of the case; (2) the defendant is charged with a felony offense (rather than specific felonies) and has a high likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution; or (3) the defendant has been convicted of 2 or more of the same felonies or misdemeanors and either: (i) it is alleged that the defendant's pretrial release poses a real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community, based on the specific articulable facts of the case; or (ii) the defendant has a high likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution. Changes the State's burden of proof in a pretrial detention hearing seeking the defendant's detention from clear and convincing evidence to a preponderance of the evidence.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that no contributory fault may be attributed to a plaintiff bringing an action for damages for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse as defined. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific section of Illinois Route 2 in Rockton as the "Chief Arthur L. Weston Memorial Highway" to honor Chief Arthur L. Weston, a police officer who died in the line of duty in 1977. The legislation requests that the Illinois Department of Transportation install signs at suitable locations to officially mark the highway with this new name. Copies of the resolution will be presented to Chief Weston's family and the Secretary of Transportation, while the bill itself serves as a commemorative measure rather than a change to traffic laws or funding.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning sexual misconduct in schools, provides that guidelines established for certain situations and all available methods for how to report staff-student boundary violations within a school and to external agencies must be posted on the website, if any, of each school district, charter school, or nonpublic school and must be included in any staff, student, or parent handbook provided by the school district, charter school, or nonpublic school. In provisions concerning an employment history review, provides that a job applicant shall provide the name, address, telephone number, and other relevant contact information of the applicant's current employer only if the applicant has direct contact with children or students at the applicant's current employer. Provides that for a substitute employee licensed by the State Board of Education and seeking employment in more than one school district, the employment history review shall be conducted by the regional office of education or intermediate service center in which the school districts are located. Provides for when this review is required and how the review remains valid, and provides for immunity for regional offices of education and intermediate service centers.

Amends the State Finance Act. Increases the percentage of moneys that are transferred from the Cannabis Regulation Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund. Provides that moneys allocated to counties under those provisions shall be directed to a fund under the control of the Sheriff. Effective immediately.

Urges all entities throughout Illinois to fly only the American flag and the State of Illinois flag.

Condemns the violent behavior of the pro-Hamas protestors and encourages university officials to take immediate action against them. Urges the General Assembly to propose legislation that would withhold public funding from institutions of higher education that negotiate with anti-Semitic groups and for Governor JB Pritzker to sign that legislation into law.

Recognizes Keith Fahrney for his courage and good Samaritanism in protecting his community of Rockford. Wishes him happiness and healing in his future.