Sen. Elgie Sims

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, when a revision is made by the county assessor and that revision is not made on complaint of the property owner, the county assessor shall continue to accept appeals from the taxpayer for a period of not less than 35 business days from the later of the date the assessment notice is mailed or is published on the assessor's website.

Amends the Information Technology Accessibility Act. Provides that the Department of Innovation and Technology (currently, the Department of Human Services) shall review certain accessibility standards. Removes a specific reference to the Department of Central Management Services. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Court of Claims for its FY23 ordinary and contingent expenses.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the minimum standards for child care licensing include regulations to allow for staffing flexibility of qualified early childhood assistants to enable the early childhood assistants to supervise a classroom outside of the core developmental hours of the day, which shall not exceed more than 3 consecutive hours.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the month of September of each year is designated as Alopecia Awareness Month to be observed throughout the State to bring awareness to the disease of alopecia.

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 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 Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall coordinate with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Health, and members of the University of Illinois' INHS Medical Entomology Program to establish the Lyme Disease Innovation Program no later than one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that the Department shall contract with a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to raise awareness of tick-borne diseases with the public and the medical community to operate the Program. Provides that the Program's purpose is to raise awareness with the public and to assist persons at risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases with education and awareness materials and campaigns while developing evidence-based approaches that are cost-effective. Includes provisions relating to the Program's objectives. Provides that the Program shall be funded by the Lyme Disease Awareness Fund. Amends the Recreational Trails of Illinois Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall issue to an off-highway vehicle owner an Off-Highway Vehicle Usage Stamp, and the Stamp shall be $10 or $5 depending on the size of the vehicle's engine capacity. Provides that the proceeds from the Stamp must be deposited into the Lyme Disease Awareness Fund. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

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 Residential Real Property Disclosure Act. Provides that "seller" does not include a beneficiary who has both (i) never occupied the residential real property and (ii) never had management responsibility for the residential real property. Effective immediately.