Sen. Napoleon Harris

Creates the Graduate and Retain Our Workforce Act. Establishes the GROW Illinois Program, in which public institutions of higher education award incentive loans to applicants. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission may, each year, administer applications for assistance under the GROW Illinois Program. Sets forth qualifications for recipients, degrees, and jobs. Provides for loan repayment and rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (GROW) Illinois Fund as a special fund in the State treasury.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Deletes language limiting the liability of a renter for damage to a vehicle to $2,000 for a vehicle with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $50,000 or less, and $40,000 for a vehicle with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price greater than $50,000.

Amends the Child Labor Law. Provides that upon reaching the age of majority, any individual who was a minor engaged in the work of vlogging may request the permanent deletion of any video segment including the likeness, name, or photograph of the individual from any online platform that provided compensation to the individual's parent or parents in exchange for that video content. Provides that a vlogger who features a minor child in a specified amount of the volgger's content shared on an online platform must set aside a specified amount of gross earnings on the video content in a trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the minor upon reaching the age of majority. Provides for the requirements of the trust account. Defines terms.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act must provide coverage for medically necessary hearing instruments and related services for all individuals (rather than all individuals under the age of 18) when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument to augment communication. Makes conforming changes, including repealing provisions concerning optional coverage or optional reimbursement for hearing instruments and related services. Effective January 1, 2025.

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.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "automated license plates reader" (ALPR). Establishes that an ALPR user shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information, except to another local law enforcement agency, a local law enforcement agency of the State, the federal government, or a state other than Illinois, and only to the extent necessary to locate a vehicle or person reasonably suspected of being involved in the commission of a crime as defined by State or federal laws. Provides that an ALPR user shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information to any state that has enacted laws that deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose or obtain an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or when the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman for the purposes of investigation or enforcement of that law. Provides that an ALPR user shall only share information obtained through the use of an ALPR with the federal government or a state other than Illinois if the entity requesting the information first discloses to the State entity a criminal predicate necessitating a lawful purpose and that the criminal predicate would be a violation of the laws of the State. Provides that ALPR information shall be retained for a period of only 30 days, after which it must be destroyed, unless particularized information is the subject of a criminal investigation. Provides that ALPR information shall be held confidentially to the fullest extent permitted by law, and an ALPR user shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information for any commercial purpose and shall not disclose ALPR information to any entity for the purposes of public disclosure. Makes a conforming change in the Freedom of Information Act.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Changes references from "Public Pension Division of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation" to "Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance", and changes references from "Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation" to "Director of Insurance". Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Changes fee amounts for failure of an industrial insured or surplus line producer to file a tax return or report. Removes provisions added by Public Act 94-677, which has been held unconstitutional. In provisions concerning coverage for medically necessary treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions, removes language that provides that a request for expedited external review must be initiated within 24 hours following the adverse determination notification by the insurer, and failure to request an expedited external review within 24 hours shall preclude a covered person or a covered person's authorized representative from requesting an expedited external review. Makes other changes. Amends the Small Employer Health Insurance Rating Act. Provides that the provisions shall not apply to any health benefit plan for a small employer that is delivered, issued, renewed, or continued in the State on or after January 1, 2022, unless specified federal law is repealed. Amends the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Provides that health maintenance organizations shall be subject to specified provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code mandating coverage for certain services. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Changes the definition of "health care plan" to include specified not-for-profit voluntary health services plans. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that no person, other than a pesticide applicator under the direct supervision of a supervisory pesticide applicator, may apply a pesticide within any school building or on the grounds of any school. Exempts emergency application of a pesticide meeting specified requirements from the provisions.

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.

Amends the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act. In provisions requiring non-exempt local governments to approve an affordable housing plan, provides that, in addition to other requirements, the affordable housing plan must consist of a description of any housing market conditions, infrastructure limitations, local government ordinances, local policies or practices that do not affirmatively further fair housing as defined in the federal Fair Housing Act, and other local factors that constrain the local government's ability to create and preserve affordable housing. Requires the plan to also include potential strategies to eliminate or mitigate the specified constraints. Provides that the plan must set forth certain benchmark goals for new affordable housing developments or redevelopments; as well as proposed timelines, within the first 24 months after the date upon which the affordable housing plan was adopted, for actions to implement the components of the affordable housing plan. Provides that no later than 36 months after adopting or updating an affordable housing plan, the local government shall submit a report to the Illinois Housing Development Authority summarizing actions taken to implement the current plan. Contains provisions concerning the review of affordable housing plans by the State Housing Appeals Board (Board); membership on the Board; and other matters.