Sen. Elgie Sims

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Defines "reportable misconduct" as specified sexual and violent misconduct. Requires health professionals and health institutions to report reportable misconduct to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Sets forth provisions concerning time lines for reporting, contents of the report, and confidentiality. Permits the Department to adopt rules to implement, administer, and enforce the reporting requirements, including, but not limited to, rules that define terms and are necessary and appropriate to interpret and implement provisions concerning health professionals and health institutions. Provides that a law enforcement agency shall make a report to the Department within 30 days after opening an investigation into, making an arrest of, or bringing charges of a felony or Class A misdemeanor violation against a person who is licensed or registered by the Department. Provides that the State's Attorney shall report to the Department within 5 days after the conviction for a felony or Class A misdemeanor of a person who is licensed or registered by the Department. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Adds reporting requirements for specified serious incidents or events. Creates the Sexual Assault Survivors Fund. Makes changes in provisions concerning the posting of information; reports to the Department; penalties for failure to comply with the Act; and patient protection from abuse. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Amends the Illinois Adverse Health Care Events Reporting Law of 2005. Makes changes in provisions concerning the establishment of a reporting system. Amends various Acts pertaining to health professionals and health institutions. Adds the failure to report reportable misconduct to the causes that allow the Department to take disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the Department with regard to a license. Makes conforming and other changes.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that the court shall require a minor to participate in restorative justice programs, such as social service programs for high-risk youth, cognitive behavioral therapy, including family engagement and mentoring, and comply with referral recommendations if the minor: (1) has previously been placed on probation for an offense that involves the possession or discharge of a firearm not causing any injury; and (2) is convicted of a subsequent offense involving the possession or discharge of a firearm not causing any injury.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that every automobile insurance policy issued, renewed, or delivered in Illinois that includes first-party coverage for physical damage shall contain a provision granting either the insured or the insurer the right to invoke appraisal in the event of a dispute over (i) the actual cash value or amount of a loss, including repairable or total loss amounts; or (ii) the value of a settlement offer made to a third-party claimant. Sets forth provisions concerning the selection of appraisers; appointment of an umpire in the event of a disagreement between appraisers; issuance of the award following the appraisal; the binding effect of an agreement between appraisers or one appraiser and the umpire; cost allocation and consumer protections; the right of appraisal for third-party claimants; and enforcement and penalties. Creates the Automotive Appraisal Standards Advisory Board to provide guidance on rulemaking, enforcement priorities, and best practices. Sets forth membership provisions and provides that the Board shall meet no less than quarterly and may issue nonbinding recommendations to the Department of Insurance regarding updates to rules and emerging trends impacting fair claim resolution. Requires the Department to publish meeting summaries and any formal recommendations on its public website. Provides that the Department may adopt rules necessary to implement and enforce provisions concerning the right to appraisal. Effective 90 days after becoming law.

Amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983. Provides that, subject to any contrary provision in the articles of incorporation of a corporation, a director, officer, key employee, or other fiduciary of the corporation shall not take advantage of a corporate opportunity unless the person first tenders the opportunity to the corporation and the corporation rejects the opportunity. Provides that, if the rejection is by a disinterested board of directors or by disinterested shareholder action, the director, officer, key employee, or other fiduciary of the corporation may then take advantage of the opportunity. Effective immediately.

Amends the Accountable Care Organization Clinical Laboratory Testing Advisory Board Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to publish on its website links to resources, self-assessments, and best practices for educators and local policymakers to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce. Provides that, by January 1, 2028, each school district must adopt policies and procedures that incorporate the following elements: (1) a commitment to support mental health in the workplace; (2) the establishment of a district-wide workforce mental health committee; (3) regular assessment of district-level and school-level implementation of the policies and procedures that includes input from the workforce; and (4) the provision of appropriate resources and training to schools and staff for continuous improvement. Provides for amending and reviewing policies and procedures.

Amends the Recyclable Metal Purchase Registration Law. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for any person to possess, purchase, attempt to purchase, sell, or attempt to sell, or for any recyclable metal dealer to purchase or attempt to purchase, telecommunications wire in any amount unless the seller is an authorized agent, a representative or employee of a licensed contractor of a public utility, a provider of telecommunications services, as described in the Public Utilities Act, or a provider of broadband service, interconnected VoIP services, or wireless services, as described in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Recyclable Metal Theft Task Force shall review the effectiveness of its efforts in deterring and investigating the problem of recyclable metal theft specific to telecommunications wires, burned wire, and any other equipment used to provide (i) telecommunications services, as described in the Public Utilities Act, or (ii) broadband service, interconnected VoIP services, or wireless services, as described in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Task Force shall consider and develop long-term solutions, both legislative and enforcement-driven, for the rising problem of theft of these wires and equipment in this State. Provides that the Task Force shall be composed of one representative of a wireless telecommunications carrier. Provides that the Task Force shall, by October 31 of each year, report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor. Changes the definition of the term "recyclable metal". Defines the terms "burned wire" and "telecommunications wire".

Amends the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act to make a change concerning the topics of the base survey. Amends the Board of Education Act to remove the requirement that each student member of the Board of Higher Education shall serve beginning on July 1. Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities. Provides that the academic major report provided by a university's governing board shall include, among other information, the average monthly student loan payment over a period of 10 (rather than 20) years based on the estimated cost of a student's education and the percentage of graduate jobs in which a graduate who holds a degree in a particular major or program of study remains continuously employed with the same employer in the State for 3 consecutive fiscal quarters (rather than the average job placement rate within 12 months after graduation for a graduate who holds a degree in a particular major or program of study). Effective immediately.

Amends the Attorney General Act. Provides that, prior to initiating an action, the Attorney General shall conduct an investigation and, in addition to other powers, may: (1) issue subpoenas for documents; (2) require written answers under oath to written interrogatories; (3) inspect the premises of an employer and inspect and make copies of employment-related records kept at the premises; and (4) conduct interviews with workers at an employer's premises during normal business or working hours. Sets forth additional provisions concerning investigations; interviews; subpoenas; obstruction; and search warrants.

Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. In provisions concerning the qualifications for a clinical social worker license, provides that a person shall be qualified to be a licensed clinical social worker if that person, among other things, (i) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that, subsequent to securing a master's degree in social work from an approved program and obtaining a social worker license or temporarily practicing pending the issuance of a social worker license if the license was ultimately issued (rather than subsequent to only securing a master's degree), the applicant has successfully completed at least 3,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised clinical professional experience; or (ii) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department that such applicant has received a doctor's degree in social work from an approved program and has, subsequent to receiving the degree, completed at least 2,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised clinical professional experience after obtaining a social worker license or during temporary practice pending the issuance of a social worker license if the license was ultimately issued (rather than subsequent to only securing a master's degree). Provides that any hours of supervised clinical professional experience completed before the effective date of the amendatory Act may be counted toward the required hours for qualification for a clinical social worker license if the hours were completed subsequent to securing an applicable graduate degree and the completed hours would have qualified towards licensure under the law in effect at the time the hours were earned. In provisions concerning qualifications for a social worker license, provides that a person shall be qualified to be a licensed social worker if that person, among other things, has a degree in social work from an undergraduate program approved by the Department and has successfully completed at least 3,000 hours (rather than 3 years) of supervised professional experience subsequent to obtaining the degree within a period of no more than 4 years. Provides that the Department may grant a waiver for or an extension of the 4-year time period if an applicant demonstrates that there is good cause to grant the waiver or extension. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2027.