Rep. Sue Scherer

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. With regard to a proposed school closure, requires the chief executive officer to publish on the school district's website a full financial report on the closure that includes an analysis of the closure's costs and benefits to the district. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following change. Provides that the chief executive officer must post the full financial report on a school closure on the school district's website 8 months after he or she publishes notice of the proposed school closure (rather than at the time he or she publishes notice of the proposed school closure). Effective immediately.

Amends the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Act. Makes changes to the definitions of "cohort", "eligible school", and "hard-to-staff school", and defines "dual credit course". Provides that Grown Your Own Illinois (rather than the Board of Higher Education) shall administer the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Initiative as a grant competition to fund consortia that will carry out Grow Your Own Teacher preparation programs. In provisions concerning selection of grantees, provides that the Board of Higher Education shall, subject to appropriation, allocate funds to Grow Your Own Illinois for the purpose of administering the program and awarding grants under the Act (rather than requiring the Board of Higher Education to award grants under the Act). Removes the language providing that the consortium shall consider whether a candidate has experienced an interruption in his or her college education when recruiting potential candidates for the program. Provides that, subject to the requirements under the Dual Credit Quality Act, an institution of higher education may offer a high school student a dual credit course under the program. Provides that the Board of Higher Education may not adopt rules regarding candidate eligibility that are more restrictive than those in the Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (IL Board of Higher Education) This bill will not have a fiscal impact on the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the powers and duties of the State Board of Education. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 1A-4 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 2310/2310-220 was 20 ILCS 2310/55.73 110 ILCS 935/Act title 110 ILCS 935/1 from Ch. 144, par. 1451 110 ILCS 935/2 from Ch. 144, par. 1452 110 ILCS 935/3.03 from Ch. 144, par. 1453.03 110 ILCS 935/3.06 from Ch. 144, par. 1453.06 110 ILCS 935/3.07 from Ch. 144, par. 1453.07 110 ILCS 935/3.09 110 ILCS 935/3.10 new 110 ILCS 935/4.01 from Ch. 144, par. 1454.01 110 ILCS 935/4.02 from Ch. 144, par. 1454.02 110 ILCS 935/4.07 from Ch. 144, par. 1454.07 110 ILCS 935/4.10 from Ch. 144, par. 1454.10 110 ILCS 935/4.11 from Ch. 144, par. 1454.11 110 ILCS 935/5 from Ch. 144, par. 1455 110 ILCS 935/6 from Ch. 144, par. 1456 110 ILCS 935/9 from Ch. 144, par. 1459 110 ILCS 935/7 rep. 110 ILCS 970/1-20 from Ch. 144, par. 2781-20 110 ILCS 980/3 from Ch. 144, par. 2703 305 ILCS 5/12-4.24a from Ch. 23, par. 12-4.24a Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Family Practice Residency Act. Changes the title of the Act to the Underserved Physician Workforce Act. Provides that the Act applies to primary care physicians, general surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, or obstetricians (rather than primary care physicians and other eligible primary care providers). Defines "primary care physician". Makes conforming and other changes, including amending the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, Nurses in Advancement Law, Private Medical Scholarship Agreement Act, and Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wrongful Tree Cutting Act. Changes the definition of "stumpage". Defines "protected land" and "qualified professional forester or ecological restoration professional". Provides that any party found to have intentionally cut or knowingly caused to be cut any standing timber or tree, other than a tree or woody plant referenced in the Illinois Exotic Weed Act, on protected land, and the party did not have the legal right to so cut or cause to be cut, must pay the person or entity that owns or holds a conservation right to the land 3 times stumpage value plus remediation costs. Provides that nothing in the Act limits the rights of a party to pursue causes of action under other laws, including any available common law remedies for damages. Limits the relief available under the Act. Provides that the court shall allow a plaintiff who prevails to recover the cost of expenses incurred. Makes changes in provisions concerning appraisals and findings of value and expenses. Adds provisions concerning: remediation plans; court-ordered determinations of costs; assistance by the Department of Natural Resources; and use of awards under the Act. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Provides that, on and after September 1, 2019, all teacher evaluation ratings on record as "excellent", "proficient", or "needs improvement" are considered "effective" and all teacher evaluation ratings on record as "unsatisfactory" are considered "ineffective" for the purposes of the Employment of Teachers Article. Makes other changes concerning the waiver or modification of mandates; school report cards; license suspension or revocation; contractual continued service; removal or dismissal of teachers; an optional alternative evaluative dismissal process; evaluation plans; a local appeal process for ineffective ratings; rules; the appointment and promotion of teachers in Chicago; alternative procedures for teacher evaluation, remediation, and removal in Chicago; and the Open Meetings Act. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25g 105 ILCS 5/10-17a from Ch. 122, par. 10-17a 105 ILCS 5/21B-75 105 ILCS 5/24-9.5 new 105 ILCS 5/24-11 from Ch. 122, par. 24-11 105 ILCS 5/24-12 from Ch. 122, par. 24-12 105 ILCS 5/24-16.5 105 ILCS 5/24A-4 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-4 105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5 105 ILCS 5/24A-5.5 new 105 ILCS 5/24A-7 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-7 105 ILCS 5/34-84 from Ch. 122, par. 34-84 105 ILCS 5/34-85c 115 ILCS 5/18 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/34-18 from Ch. 122, par. 34-18 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code to provide that the governing bodies of contract schools are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a homestead exemption in the amount of a reduction of $5,000 from the equalized assessed value of property of police officers and firefighters with duty-related disabilities. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 200/15-169.1 new Adds reference to: 30 ILCS 105/5.891 new 30 ILCS 105/6z-107 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund. Provides that moneys in the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund shall be used to pay rebates to residential property taxpayers in the State. Provides that the Fund may accept moneys from any lawful source. Provides that the State Comptroller shall calculate a property tax rebate amount for the applicable property tax year by dividing the total amount appropriated from the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund by the total number of homestead exemptions granted for homestead property in the State. Provides that the property tax bills of non-delinquent taxpayers who received a general homestead exemption under the Property Tax Code shall be reduced by the property tax rebate amount. Effective immediately.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that within 10 days after completing an investigation of alleged physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect, if the report is unfounded or indicated, the Child Protective Service Unit shall send a copy of its final finding report to the Director of Public Health and the Director of Healthcare and Family Services. Requires the Director of Public Health and the Director of Healthcare and Family Services to ensure that the report remains confidential. In a provision that grants the Department of Public Health and other investigative bodies access to records concerning child abuse and neglect reports, removes language that requires the Director of Children and Family Services to approve such access. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 325 ILCS 5/8.7 new Adds reference to: 325 ILCS 5/4.4c new 325 ILCS 5/7.4 from Ch. 23, par. 2057.4 325 ILCS 5/7.8 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that whenever the Department of Children and Family Services receives, by means of its statewide toll-free telephone number established for the purpose of reporting suspected child abuse or neglect or by any other means or from any mandated reporter, a report of suspected abuse or neglect of a child and the child is alleged to have been abused or neglected while receiving care in a hospital, including a freestanding psychiatric hospital licensed by the Department of Public Health, the Department of Children and Family Services shall: (i) notify the Directors of Public Health and Healthcare and Family Services of the report; and (ii) send a copy of the final finding to the Directors of Public Health and Healthcare and Family Services. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall receive information from unfounded reports involving children alleged to have been abused or neglected while hospitalized, including while hospitalized in freestanding psychiatric hospitals licensed by the Department of Public Health, as necessary for the Department of Public Health to conduct its licensing investigation. In a provision that grants the Department of Public Health and other investigative bodies access to records concerning child abuse and neglect reports, removes language that requires the Director of Children and Family Services to approve such access.

Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act to require the instruction on mental health and illness to evaluate the multiple dimensions of health by reviewing the relationship between physical and mental health so as to enhance student understanding, attitudes, and behaviors that promote health, well-being, and human dignity.

Urges lawmakers to slow the process of legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois, so that lawmakers, stakeholders, and experts alike have the chance to consider the societal impact of legalization and examine all the data from other states that have passed similar legislation.

Creates the Illinois Coal Ash Task Force to bring legislators, coal company representatives, environmental experts, and the public to together to study the effects of coal ash on the Vermilion River and the rest of the State.