Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency, an officer employed by a law enforcement agency, or a person contracted by a law enforcement agency may not conduct a background check of speakers at meetings of public bodies, including police disciplinary boards, except to provide security for the premises in which the meeting is to occur and for the protection of public officials and other persons who attend the meeting. Provides that information obtained in violation of this provision may not be used for purposes, other than those permitted purposes, and may not be admitted as evidence in any criminal or civil proceeding or as evidence in an administrative hearing. Provides that a person who violates this provision is guilty of official misconduct under the Criminal Code of 2012. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to make conforming changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 5 ILCS 120/2.07 new 720 ILCS 5/33-3 Adds reference to: New Act Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Empowering Public Participation Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency or an officer employed by a law enforcement agency may not knowingly and intentionally conduct a background check of a person for the sole reason of that person speaking at an open meeting of a public body, including police disciplinary boards. Provides exemptions whenever an agency or officer develops a reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct or a reasonable suspicion of a threat to security for the premises in which the meeting is to occur or for the protection of public officials and other persons attending the meeting. Provides that a violation of the prohibition is a Class C misdemeanor. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Provides that the provision prohibiting a law enforcement agency or an officer employed by a law enforcement agency from knowingly and intentionally conducting a background check of a person for the sole reason of that person speaking at an open meeting of a public body does not apply whenever the person speaking at an open meeting of the public body is also under consideration for appointment to a government position by that public body. Provides that the Act creates no claims for damages or other relief for violations of the Act.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Re-Entering Citizens Civics Education Act. Expands the program to persons committed to a Department of Juvenile Justice facility. Provides that the workshop held at the Department of Juvenile Justice shall consist of 270 minutes of instruction. Provides that the civil education program in the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be taught by 2 co-facilitators. Provides that one of the co-facilitators shall be a member of an established nonpartisan civil organization and the other a committed person at the Department of Juvenile Justice who is specifically trained in voting rights education and who has been trained by an established nonpartisan civil organization. Effective January 1, 2022.
Amends the Right to Privacy in the School Setting Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 75/1 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25o 105 ILCS 5/10-22.25b from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.25b 105 ILCS 5/27A-5 105 ILCS 5/34-2.3 from Ch. 122, par. 34-2.3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Provides that a non-public elementary or secondary school registering with the State Board of Education must provide assurances that the school will not prohibit hairstyles historically associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture. Provides that a non-public elementary or secondary school that has obtained or seeks to obtain recognition status from the State Board may not prohibit hairstyles historically associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture. Provides that a school uniform or dress code policy adopted by a school board or local school council shall not include or apply to hairstyles, including hairstyles historically associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture. Sets forth a penalty for noncompliance with the school uniform or dress code policy provisions. Requires the State Board to make available, on its Internet website, resource materials developed in consultation with stakeholders regarding hairstyles. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code to require a charter school to comply with the school uniform or dress code policy provisions. Effective January 1, 2022. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Jett Hawkins Law.
Amends the School Code. Provides that all public schools shall provide daily time for supervised, unstructured, child-directed play for all students in kindergarten through grade 8. Specifies further requirements concerning play time. Provides that play time shall not count as a course of physical education. Provides that play time shall be considered clock hours for purposes of the Code. Provides for the inclusion of students with disabilities in play time. Provides that public schools shall prohibit the withholding of play time as a disciplinary or punitive action, except when a student's participation in play time poses an immediate threat to the safety of the student or others. Effective July 1, 2021. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the engrossed bill, and makes the following changes. Provides that play time shall be for all students in kindergarten through grade 5 (rather than for all students in kindergarten through grade 8). Requires play time to be for at least 30 minutes (rather than 60 minutes) on any school day that is 5 clock hours or longer in length. Provides that, for any school day less than 5 clock hours, play time shall be at least one-tenth (rather than one-fifth) of a day of attendance. Removes the requirement that, to the extent appropriate, students with disabilities shall participate in play with students who do not have a disability; provides instead that play time must comply with a student's applicable individualized education program (IEP) or federal Section 504 plan. Effective July 1, 2021. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (State Board of Education) As amended by HA 1, SB 654 will have no fiscal impact annually to the State Board of Education. The amendment will have an unknown fiscal impact on school districts. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (State Board of Education) As amended by HA 1, SB 654 will have no fiscal impact annually to the State Board of Education. The amendment will have an unknown fiscal impact on school districts.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions about delinquent property, provides that a county may take steps necessary (currently, shall take all steps necessary) to acquire title to the property and may manage and operate the property, including, but not limited to, mowing of grass, removal of nuisance greenery, removal of garbage, waste, debris or other materials, or the demolition, repair, or remediation of unsafe structures. Provides costs to be distributed to taxing districts, including operation and maintenance costs and all costs associated with county staff and overhead used to perform the duties of the trustees. Reduces the maximum penalty bids for the annual tax sale from 18% to 12%. In provisions about redemption of property, limits the assessments of penalties from every 6 months to 12 months. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Counties Code and Illinois Municipal Code. Modifies the requirements to have a circuit court declare property abandoned. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that, regarding a petition requesting property to be declared abandoned, service may be had by publication in a newspaper that is in circulation in the county in which the action is pending on persons named as defendants having an interest of record in the property. House Committee Amendment No. 1 In the Property Tax Code: reduces the maximum penalty bids for the annual tax sale from 12% to 9%; and, in provisions about redemption of property, removes changes relating to assessment of penalties.
Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that Juneteenth National Freedom Day shall be observed on June 19 of each year as a holiday throughout the State (currently, not a holiday and is observed on the third Saturday of June of each year). Provides that when June 19 falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be held and considered the holiday. Amends the Election Code, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, and the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act to include Juneteenth National Freedom Day as a holiday. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Central Management Services) Senate Bill 1965 will not require additional resources. Salaries will be paid, whether on holiday or at work. What is lost is productivity. If that equates to the cost of salaries, then CMS Bureau of Personnel's estimate is $11.3M statewide.
Amends the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 110 ILCS 118/1 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, in order to obtain a license under the Article, a student teacher candidate may not be required to videotape himself or herself or his or her students in a classroom setting. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of School Code. With regard to licensure candidates being required to pass a teacher performance assessment, provides that a candidate may not be required to submit test materials by video submission. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. With respect to school districts with more than 275,000 inhabitants, requires a school to provide written notification to (i) the parent or guardian of any student who commits an act or acts of misconduct and (ii) the parent or guardian of any student who is the victim of that act of misconduct. Requires a copy of any statement made by the student who committed the act of misconduct to be provided to the student's or guardian within 24 hours after the statement has been made. Sets forth the information that must be included in the disciplinary report. Requires that a copy of the disciplinary report be provided to the parent or guardian of the disciplined student. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 10-20.73 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.75 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Requires a school to provide written notification to the parent or guardian of a student who commits an act of misconduct involving offensive touching, a physical altercation, or the use of violence. Provides that if a student makes a written statement to a school employee relating to an act of misconduct, the school shall provide the written statement to the student's parent or guardian, upon request. Provides that if the parent or guardian of a student involved in an act or acts of misconduct requests a synopsis of any statement made by the parent's or guardian's child, the school shall provide any existing records responsive to that request. Provides that a school shall make reasonable attempts to provide a copy of any disciplinary report resulting from an investigation into a student's act of misconduct to the student's parent or guardian within 2 school days after the completion of the report. Sets forth the information that must be included in the disciplinary report. Effective July 1, 2021. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.75 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the engrossed bill, but removes the provisions amending the School Boards Article of the School Code. Effective July 1, 2021.
Creates the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is authorized to institute the water and sewer assistance program. Provides that any person who is a resident of the State of Illinois and whose household income is not greater than an amount determined annually by the Department may apply for assistance. Provides that in determining the amounts of assistance to be provided to or on behalf of a qualified applicant, the Department shall ensure that the highest amounts of assistance go to households with the greatest need for financial assistance in relation to household income by considering specified factors. Provides that each water or sewer provider shall assess each of its customer accounts a monthly Water and Sewer Assistance Charge to be deposited into the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that specified water or sewer utilities shall be allowed to offer a financial assistance program designed for bill payment assistance for low-income customers in accordance with the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act. Provides that the costs of a financial assistance program offered by a water or sewer utility shall be reimbursed from the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that, in its use of federal funds under the Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not cause a disproportionate share of those federal funds to benefit customers of water or sewer providers that do not assess the Water and Sewer Assistance Charge. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: In provisions creating the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act, provides that in setting the annual eligibility level to receive financial assistance under the Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not set a limit higher than the eligibility limit for assistance under the Energy Assistance Act (rather than 150% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Provides that the process to allow a water or sewer provider to discontinue imposing assessments shall include review by the Illinois Commerce Commission of any water or sewer provider subject to the Public Utilities Act. Removes provisions concerning program eligibility for residents of rental properties. In provisions amending the Public Utilities Act, provides that the Commission shall render its decision within 90 days (rather than 60 days) after receiving a petition from a water or sewer utility to offer a financial assistance program. Removes language requiring the Commission to annually review and reconcile any amounts collected through tariffs to recover the costs of the financial assistance program. Makes corresponding changes.
Amends the Deposit of State Moneys Act. Provides requirements and makes changes concerning financial institutions and depositories throughout the Act. Provides that the Act shall govern the deposit of State moneys for all public funds under the custody or control of the State Treasurer. Repeals specified provisions. Amends the Public Funds Investment Act and the Public Funds Deposit Act. Provides that those Acts do not apply to the Illinois State Treasurer, whose investment of State funds shall be governed by the Deposit of State Moneys Act. Defines terms. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 15 ILCS 520/11.1 rep. Modifies the definition of "financial institution" to include a bank, a savings and loan association, a savings bank, a credit union, a minority depository institution as designated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or a community development financial institution certified by the United States Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, which is operating in the State of Illinois. Restores a repealed provision of the Deposit of State Moneys Act. Makes conforming changes.