Amends the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act of 2012. In provisions regarding institution and program approval criteria, provides that a part of the criteria for approval is fair and equitable reimbursement in the case of an unfair or deceptive practice finding. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. In provisions concerning the monetary award program, sets forth provisions concerning an institution that received monetary award program funds at a time the institution was using unfair or deceptive practices, including refunding State funds to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and awarding grants to students who attended that institution. Amends the State Finance Act to create the MAP Refund Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Provides that it is unlawful for an employer with 15 or more employees to fail to include the pay scale for a position in any job posting. Provides that if an employer with 15 or more employees engages a third party to announce, post, publish, or otherwise make known a job posting, the employer shall provide the pay scale to the third party and the third party shall include the pay scale in the job posting. Defines "pay scale". Makes conforming changes to provisions concerning violations of the Act and fines and penalties. Effective immediately.
Amends the Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act. Provides that a hospital subject to the Act shall disregard household income received through participation in a guaranteed income program reported by an uninsured patient who applies for financial assistance. Defines "guaranteed income program" to mean a publicly or privately funded program that provides one-time or recurring unconditional cash transfers or payments, or gifts to individuals or households, for a defined number of months or years for the purposes of reducing poverty, promoting economic mobility, or increasing the financial stability of Illinois residents. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for purposes of determining eligibility and the amount of assistance under the Code, the Department of Human Services and local governmental units shall exclude from consideration any financial assistance, including cash transfers or gifts, that is provided to a person through a guaranteed income program (rather than the Department of Human Services and local governmental units shall exclude from consideration, for a period of no more than 60 months, any financial assistance, including wages, cash transfers, or gifts, that is provided to a person who is enrolled in a program or research project that is not funded with general revenue funds and that is intended to investigate the impacts of policies or programs designed to reduce poverty, promote social mobility, or increase financial stability for Illinois residents if there is an explicit plan to collect data and evaluate the program or initiative that is developed prior to participants in the study being enrolled in the program and if a research team has been identified to oversee the evaluation). Effective immediately.
Amends the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. Replaces all instances of "child-placing agency" or "child placing agency" with "child welfare agency". In provisions concerning the Department of Children and Family Services' State Central Registry of child welfare agencies willing to take legal custody of relinquished newborn infants, provides that within 3 business days after accepting a referral from the Department, the child welfare agency shall file a petition for custody and request that the agency be given the authority to place the infant in an adoptive home, foster home, child care facility, or other facility appropriate for the needs of the infant. Prohibits filing or appearance fees for the petitioner. Provides that any issued custody order shall grant the child welfare agency the authority to make medical and health-related decisions for the infant. Provides that any infant who receives emergency or medical care under the Act shall be deemed presumptively eligible for medicaid assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that any health care provider or child welfare agency that provides medical services to an infant under the Act shall send all bills related to those medical services directly to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for reimbursement. Makes conforming changes to the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to submit for federal approval any waiver application or State Plan amendment as may be necessary to implement the presumptive eligibility provisions of the amendatory Act. Further amends the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act by requiring a fire station or emergency medical facility that accepts a relinquished infant to inform the infant's parent of the name and location of the hospital to which the infant was transported if the parent returns to reclaim the infant within 30 days (rather than 72 hours) after relinquishing the infant. Amends the Immunization Data Registry Act, the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015, and the Adoption Act by replacing instances of "child-placing agency" or "child placing agency" with "child welfare agency".
Creates the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as Zachary's Parent Protection Act. Provides that an employee of a large employer that employs 250 or more full-time employees is entitled to use a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide. Provides that an employee of a small employer that employs at least 50 but fewer than 250 full-time employees is entitled to use a maximum of 6 weeks of unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide. Provides that leave may be taken in a single continuous period or intermittently in increments of no less than 4 hours, but leave must be completed within one year after the employee notifies the employer of the loss. Permits an employer to require reasonable advance notice of the employee's intention to leave and reasonable documentation. Provides that an employee who takes leave under the Act is entitled to be restored to the position of employment held by the employee when the leave commenced or to be restored to an equivalent position. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to entitle any restored employee the accrual of any seniority or employment benefits during any period of leave. Provides that the Act does not extend the maximum period of leave to which an employee is entitled under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or under any other paid or unpaid leave provided under federal, State or local law, a collective bargaining agreement, or an employment benefits program or plan. Prohibits an employer from taking any adverse action against an employee who exercises his or her rights under the Act. Requires the Department of Labor to enforce the Act. Provides that a person who uses leave under either the Child Bereavement Leave Act or the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act may not take leave under the other Act, and amends the Child Bereavement Leave Act accordingly.
Amends the Department of Innovation and Technology Act. Provides that the Department of Innovation and Technology shall establish the Generative AI and Natural Language Processing Task Force investigate and provide a report on generative artificial intelligence software and natural language processing software. Sets forth the members to serve on the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall hold at least 5 meetings, and specifies the format and the location of those minimum amount of meetings. Provides for additional responsibilities of the Task Force. Provides that the Department of Innovation and Technology shall provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall provide a report to the Governor and the General Assembly covering the Task Force's investigation into generative artificial intelligence software and natural language processing software and the Task Force's additional responsibilities.
Amends the School Code. Provides that each school district must create, implement, and maintain an age-appropriate policy on race-related harassment and discrimination. In provisions concerning bullying prevention, provides that the required policy on bullying shall also include age-appropriate information about the definitions of harassment and sexual harassment, the procedures for reporting harassment, and the protections and relief available under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that harassment by an elementary, secondary, or higher education representative or the failure of an institution of elementary, secondary, or higher education to take remedial action or appropriate disciplinary action against a student or an elementary, secondary, or higher education representative employed by the institution (if the institution knows that the student or representative committed or engaged in harassment) is a civil rights violation. Provides that each institution of elementary, secondary, or higher education shall establish, implement, and maintain a continuing race-related discrimination and harassment program. Sets forth requirements concerning policies and procedures, a model training program, and reporting. Makes other changes. Effective August 1, 2024.
Creates the Freelance Worker Protection Act. Provides that freelance workers must be compensated by hiring parties for their services in a timely manner. Provides that whenever a hiring party retains the services of a freelance worker, the contract between the hiring party and the freelance worker shall be reduced to writing. Provides that no hiring party shall threaten, intimidate, discipline, harass, deny a work opportunity to, or discriminate against a freelance worker, or take any other action that penalizes a freelance worker for, or is reasonably likely to deter a freelance worker from, exercising or attempting to exercise any right guaranteed under the Act. Contains provisions concerning complaints to the Director of Labor; the powers and duties of the Director; civil actions brought by freelance workers; civil actions brought by the State; the scope of freelance worker contracts; a public awareness campaign; and surveys, information collection, and reporting requirements. Effective immediately.
Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Provides that an applicant may use an examination alternative to allow the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to ascertain the qualifications and fitness of candidates for a license to engage in the independent practice of clinical social work. Provides that the examination alternative shall consist of at least 2 years of supervised professional experience subsequent to obtaining the degree as established by rule. Provides that the examination alternative supervised professional experience shall be in addition to any other supervised clinical professional experience required for licensure. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, an applicant acquiring the examination alternative supervised professional experience must be a licensed social worker or licensed in this State for the practice of school social work prior to acquiring the supervised professional experience. Provides that the Department shall require that a qualified licensed clinical social work supervisor to complete at least 6 hours of continuing education training. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act. Provides that a person who engages in the practice of telemedicine without a license issued under the Act shall be subject to the penalties provided in provisions concerning unlicensed practice. Provides that for purposes of the Act, telemedicine means the performance of acupuncture provided via technology or telecommunication methods. Provides that the standard of care shall be the same whether a patient is seen in person, through telehealth, or another method of electronically enabled health care. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall, by rule, determine the appropriate acupuncture services allowed via telemedicine in consultation with the Board of Acupuncture. Provides that whenever the Department has reason to believe that a person has violated the provisions concerning telemedicine, the Department may issue a rule to show cause why an order to cease and desist should not be entered against that person. Provides that an out-of-state person providing a service allowed under the provisions to a patient residing in the State through the practice of telemedicine submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the Department and the courts of the State. Amends the Telehealth Act. Changes the definition of "health care professional" to include acupuncturists. Effective immediately.