Rep. Travis Weaver

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In a provision concerning foster placements, provides that prior to final approval for placement of a child, the Department of Children and Family Services shall request that the Illinois State Police conduct a criminal records background check of the prospective foster or adoptive parent, including fingerprint-based checks of national crime information databases. Provides that in order to carry out the criminal records background check, each prospective foster or adoptive parent shall submit a full set of fingerprints to the Illinois State Police for the purpose of obtaining a State and federal criminal records check. Provides that the fingerprints shall be checked against the fingerprint records now and hereafter, to the extent allowed by law, filed in the Illinois State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history records databases. Requires the Illinois State Police to furnish, following positive identification, all Illinois conviction information to the Department of Children and Family Services.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop a plan to phase in mandatory intact family services for at-risk families who are in need of continuing assistance and monitoring following a child abuse or neglect investigation. Provides that under the plan, if after conducting a child abuse or neglect investigation the Department determines that the family of the child who is the subject of the report qualifies for intact family services, the Department shall open an intact family services case for the child and enroll the family in the Department's Intact Family Services Program where the child and family shall be assigned to an intact family services provider contracted with the Department. Provides that the Department may adopt any rules necessary to implement the phase-in plan for mandatory intact family services.

Creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. On and after January 1, 2025, requires each employer to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day. Provides that the employee must provide notice to the employer that he or she intends to take time off on Veterans Day and must provide the employer with documentation verifying that he or she is a veteran. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran as a result of the paid day off required under the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Allows a METT Educator District License for teaching a course in manufacturing, engineering, technology, or a trade (METT) to be issued to an applicant who has at least 10,000 working hours in a trade. Provides that a METT Educator District License may be issued to qualified individuals who have not obtained a bachelor's degree or an equivalent number of hours in an educational program at an institution of higher education. Provides that a METT Educator District License is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license being issued and may be renewed. Provides that a METT Educator District License is valid only for the teaching of a course that the State Board of Education has identified as related to the work experience of the licensee. Sets forth other provisions regarding the license. Amends the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. Provides that the State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or the Department of Labor, shall expand a database to identify METT labor shortages. Provides that by July 1, 2026, school districts in identified regions shall be notified by the State Board and shall participate in a College and Career Pathway Endorsement program and offer a METT endorsement. Makes other changes.

Creates the Online Age Verification for Material Harmful to Minors Act. Requires any commercial entity that knowingly or intentionally publishes or distributes material harmful to minors on the Internet from a website that contains a substantial portion of such material to verify that any person attempting to access such material is 18 years of age or older. Provides that verification must be done through the use of (i) a commercially available database that is regularly used by businesses or governmental entities for the purpose of age and identity verification or (ii) another commercially reasonable method of age and identity verification. Provides that any commercial entity that violates the Act shall be subject to civil liability for damages resulting from a minor's access to such material harmful to a minor and reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Exempts from liability providers or users of an interactive computer service on the Internet, as defined.

Amends the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall issue a licensed esthetician a certificate as a certified medical esthetician if the licensee satisfies additional training requirements, as determined by the Department. Provides that a certified medical esthetician may perform all services that an esthetician may perform as an unlicensed assistant to a physician, including microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, microneedling, and radio frequency treatment, without the supervision of a physician. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to implement and administer the provisions. Makes corresponding changes.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that the photograph of each minor for whom the Department of Children and Family Services is responsible under the Abused, Dependent, or Neglected Minors Article of the Act shall be transmitted to the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the minor resides for placement in the court file. Provides that the photograph shall be taken within 6 months before transmission and shall be accessible by the judge who is to decide the placement, custody, or other disposition concerning the minor.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits endangering the life or health of a child when he or she knowingly permits a child to possess an imitation firearm that has had a federally required marking altered, changed, removed, or obliterated. Provides that a violation is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines "imitation firearm".

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that, if a minor is charged with the commission of a delinquent act and if the court has made a probable cause determination, then the court must conduct a hearing and must order the minor to take certain actions, but authorizes (and does not require) the court to order the minor to take other actions. (Now, if a minor is charged with the commission of a delinquent act, a court is authorized (but not required) to conduct a hearing and is authorized (but not required) to order the minor to take certain actions.)

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue special registration plates to an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) chief. Provides that the fee for the plates shall be the same as the fee prescribed for standard plates for first division vehicles. Provides for the issuance of permanent license plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire protection district. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicles with emergency flashing lights if EMS chief special registration plates are affixed to the vehicle. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicle with sirens.