Sen. Robert Peters

Appropriates $285,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Humanities Council to be used to expand the Odyssey Project’s Spanish-language version of their program, Proyecto Odisea, and to strengthen student participation in that program and to provide travel and elder or child care stipends to first-year students participating in the program. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Provides that if the respondent to an order of protection issued is required to surrender any firearms, the order of protection shall also include an order to surrender firearms. Requires the respondent to surrender any firearms under an order to surrender on the day the respondent is served with the order of protection. Requires the law enforcement agency receiving any surrendered firearms to provide a statement of receipt of any firearm to the respondent and the court. Provides that the failure to surrender any firearm within 24 hours to the individual or law enforcement agency under an order to surrender firearms shall constitute contempt of court for the violation of the terms of the order of protection. Requires the Supreme Court to adopt a form for an order to surrender firearms and update any existing forms for an order of protection to reflect the changes made by the amendatory Act. Provides that if any Firearm Owner's Identification Card of the respondent is surrendered, the period of surrender shall be for the duration of the order of protection. Provides that if any Firearm Owner's Identification Card of the respondent is revoked, the period of surrender shall be for the duration of the order of protection or 2 years, whichever is longer. Restricts a respondent who has surrendered a firearm from purchasing, possessing, or having access to a firearm for the period of surrender. Provides that, upon expiration of the period of surrender, any surrendered firearm may only be returned to a respondent if a judicial officer has signed an order to release firearms stating that the order of protection is no longer in effect and the period of surrender has expired. Makes conforming changes in the Act, the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act, and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963.

Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Provides that an employer or employment agency shall disclose in each public and internal posting for each job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity the wage or salary, or the wage or salary range, and a general description of the benefits and other compensation to be offered for the job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity. Provides that an employer shall announce, post, or otherwise make known all opportunities for promotion to all current employees on the same calendar day and prior to making a promotion decision. Provides that an employer shall provide an employee the current wage or salary range and a general description of the benefits and other compensation for the position in which the employee is employed upon hire, promotion, or transfer and at least annually thereafter and upon the employee's request. Provides that the Department of Labor may initiate its own investigations and file its own complaints in response to a violation of the Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 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 and signed by both parties. 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 enforcement; civil enforcement; public policy and intent; public awareness; reports; coordination; and rulemaking by the Department of Labor. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Establishes procedures for determining whether a child is fit to stand trial. Provides that the procedures apply to a child under the age of 21, regardless of whether the person is subject to the Act or prosecuted under the criminal laws of the State. Provides that unfitness may result from the presence of any condition or confluence of conditions, including, but not limited to, mental illness, substance use disorder, developmental disability, chronological immaturity, relative immaturity, or child traumatic stress. Provides that a diagnosis is not required for a finding of unfitness. Provides that a child is unfit when the child either: (1) lacks sufficient present ability to consult with the child's attorney with a reasonable degree of rational understanding, as evidenced by lacking the ability to disclose to the attorney facts pertinent to the proceedings at issue and to assist in the child's defense; or (2) lacks a rational or a factual understanding of the proceedings against the child, as evidenced by certain specified factors. Provides that the issue of the child's fitness to stand trial, to plead, or to be sentenced may be raised by the child's attorney, the State, or the court at any time before a plea is entered or before, during, or after trial. Provides that in making determinations on the issue of a child's fitness, the following burdens of proof and presumptions shall apply: (1) when the court finds a bona fide doubt as to the fitness of a child, the State bears the burden of proving that the child is fit by clear and convincing evidence; and (2) a child who is receiving medication shall not be presumed to be fit or unfit to stand trial solely by virtue of the receipt of that medication. Provides that the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission shall develop and recommend mechanisms to collect and analyze data, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, geography, age, and socioeconomic status, resulting from the implementation of these provisions. Provides that the report and recommendations shall be submitted to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2024. Contains a severability provision. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the master record file of the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice of each person committed to the respective Department shall contain ethnic and racial background data and the person's last known complete street address prior to incarceration or legal residence collected in accordance with the No Representation Without Population Act. Provides that the clerk of the court shall transmit to the department, agency, or institution to which the defendant is committed the last known complete street address prior to incarceration or legal residence, the person's race, whether the person is of Hispanic or Latino origin, and whether the person is 18 years of age or older. Amends the No Representation Without Population Act. Provides that on or before May 1 of each year in which the federal decennial census is taken but in which the United States Bureau of the Census allocates incarcerated persons as residents of correctional facilities, the Department of Corrections shall deliver to the State Board of Elections the last known address of the person prior to incarceration or other legal residence, if known. Provides that if the address or residence is unknown, the Department shall use, if available, addresses collected for purposes of parole, mandatory supervised release, or aftercare release programs.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Deletes from the definition of "delinquent minor" that the minor violated or attempted to violate any federal law and that a minor may meet the definition of "delinquent minor" regardless of where the act occurred. Makes conforming changes in Sections concerning venue and exclusive jurisdiction.

Amends the Guardianship and Advocacy Act. Provides that the guardianship training program shall include content regarding Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Requires a public guardian to complete a one-hour course on Alzheimer's disease and dementia within 6 months of appointment and annually thereafter.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice under the Act to knowingly mail or send a postcard or letter to a recipient in the State if the postcard or letter does not disclose or disclaim any and all affiliations or lack thereof. Provides that all disclosures and disclaimers appearing on a postcard or letter must be conspicuously located at the top of the postcard or letter, be easily readable in clear and unambiguous language, and be printed in at least 14-point bold-face font in a black-outlined box. Prohibits mail that requests that the recipient contact the sender by mail, telephone, email, website, or other prescribed means without specified disclosure requirements. Makes other changes.

Creates the Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force Act. Creates the Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall develop a statewide plan to connect existing local projects and new projects to create a cohesive statewide history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois while creating new educational and tourism opportunities for the State. Establishes the membership of the Task Force. Provides that the members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force. Provides that all members of the Task Force shall be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of the Act. Provides that the Task Force shall review available research, existing infrastructure and projects, best practices, and effective interventions to formulate recommendations. Provides that the Task Force shall prepare a report detailing the Task Force's findings and recommendations and needed resources. Provides that the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before July 1, 2024. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved, and the Act is repealed, on January 1, 2025.