Sen. Omar Aquino

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle on any highway of this State when his or her driver's license, permit, or privilege to drive is revoked or suspended due to an unpaid civil penalty shall be guilty of a petty offense (rather than a Class A misdemeanor). Provides that a local law enforcement officer shall issue the person a $50 citation for the violation.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Changes the classification of Hydrocodone from a Schedule II controlled substance to a Schedule I controlled substance. Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 to make a conforming change.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Adds to the definition of "school action". Provides that, beginning on July 1, 2019, the facility performance standards published by the district must include the performance standards of safety measures in the district. Requires the data, information, and analysis published on the district's Internet website regarding the 10-year educational facility master plan to include a brief description of specific plans for special education programs, early childhood education programs, career and technical education programs, and any other programs that are space sensitive to avoid space irregularities, a description of a communications and community involvement plan for each community in the City of Chicago, historical and projected enrollment of each school, and other items. Requires the chief executive officer to publish a procedure for conducting an annual capital improvement hearing that shall discuss the district's annual capital budget. Adds to the requirements of the capital improvement plan published annually by the chief executive officer. Provides that beginning on June 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, the district shall conduct a regional capital budget hearing that describes planned projects for the year and reviews the 5-year capital budget and the educational facility master plan. Adds to the requirements of a school transition plan. Makes other changes.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish and maintain the Growing Future Educators Program to train high school graduates who at one time have been identified as English learners and who are enrolled in an approved educator preparation program, among other qualifications, to become secondary language educators. Provides that each school district that chooses to participate in the Program shall partner with one public, regionally accredited institution of higher education in this State that offers a pre-approved educator preparation program and each qualified high school graduate participating in the program through the district must be enrolled at that institution in its educator preparation program. Provides that for each semester that a qualified high school graduate is participating in the program, the State Board shall issue the person a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations and the person must be employed as a part-time employee by the participating district as a paraprofessional working under the supervision of a district employee with a Professional Educator License. Sets forth provisions concerning funding, submitting program data, reporting to the General Assembly, and rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to adopt and implement a policy on how to recognize mental health issues and how to properly address them. Provides that, as part of this policy, a school board shall require in-service training of licensed school personnel and administrators to include, at least once every 2 years, training on the current best practices regarding the identification of and recommended courses of action for mental health issues. Effective July 1, 2018.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning the child care assistance program, provides that a family's eligibility for child care services shall be redetermined no sooner than 12 months following the initial determination or most recent redetermination. Provides that during the 12-month periods, the family shall remain eligible for child care services regardless of (i) a change in family income, unless family income exceeds 85% of State median income, or (ii) a temporary change in the ongoing status of the parents as working or attending a job training or educational program. Effective October 1, 2018.

Amends the Department of State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Department of State Police, for State Police officers, and the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, for local law enforcement officers, shall adopt rules to require law enforcement officers to receive victim sensitivity training concerning the investigation of incidents of sexual assault and sexual abuse, including the interviewing of victims, when the victim of the sexual assault or sexual abuse is under 13 years of age for all probationary, full-time, and part-time law enforcement officers. Provides that the training shall be at least 40 hours and the officer shall receive and successfully complete the training every 5 years.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Advisory Committee, shall adopt rules allowing licensed prescribers or pharmacists who have registered to access the Prescription Monitoring Program to authorize a licensed or non-licensed designee (rather than any designee) employed in that licensed prescriber's office or licensed pharmacist's pharmacy and who has received training in the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to consult the Prescription Monitoring Program on their behalf. Requires the Clinical Director of the Prescription Monitoring Program to select 6 members (rather than 5 members), 3 physicians, 2 pharmacists, and one dentist, of the Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Committee to serve as members of the peer review subcommittee. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that families with children under the age of 5 who have an open intact family services case with the Department of Children and Family Services shall be eligible for child care assistance under the Department of Humans Services' child care assistance program. Provides that eligible families shall remain eligible for child care assistance 6 months after the child's intact family services case is closed, regardless of whether the child's parents or other relatives as defined by rule are working or participating in employment or education or training programs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Creates the Broadband Advisory Council Article in the Act. Creates the Broadband Advisory Council to explore ways to expand broadband access throughout the State, including unserved and underserved areas. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Development shall provide administrative, personnel, and technical support. Provides for the voting and nonvoting membership of the Council. Provides for the powers and duties of the Council. Provides that the Council shall report to the General Assembly annually concerning actions the Council took during the previous year.