Sen. Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas

Makes an appropriation of $717,765,720 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for early childhood education. Makes various appropriations from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for early intervention, for grants and administration expenses associated with the Maternal and Child Home Visiting Program, for grants and administrative expenses associated with the Healthy Families Program, and for grants and administrative expenses associated with child care services, including prior year costs. Effective July 1, 2023.

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. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the limit on salary for all purposes under the Code for Tier 2 firemen shall annually be increased by the annual unadjusted percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index-u (instead of the lesser of 3% or one-half the annual unadjusted percentage increase in the consumer price index-u) for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, including all previous adjustments. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Authorizes the extension of mutually agreed deadlines for the submittal of enforcement-related items. Allows notices, responses, and other items to be submitted or served on a person complained against or the Environmental Protection Agency not only by certified mail but also by personal service or a third-party commercial carrier that requires the receipt of that document to be acknowledged with the recipient's signature. Provides that whenever a third-party commercial carrier requiring the recipient's signature is used, the date recorded by the third-party commercial carrier that the third-party commercial carrier received the item for delivery shall be deemed the date the item was submitted, and the date recorded by the third-party commercial carrier that the recipient signed for the item shall be deemed the date the item was received by the recipient. Requires records authenticated by a third-party commercial carrier to be considered competent evidence that an item was submitted or received if the item is sent by a third-party commercial carrier requiring the recipient's signature. Effective immediately.

Amends the Student Debt Assistance Act. Provides that an institution of higher education shall provide an official transcript of a current or former student to the current or former student under specified conditions (instead of providing that an institution of higher education must provide an official transcript of a current or former student to a current or potential employer, even if the current or former student owes a debt). Provides that an institution of higher education may adopt a more lenient policy on providing an official transcript to a current or former student who owes a debt. Provides that beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, each institution of higher education shall adopt a policy that outlines the process by which a current or former student may obtain a transcript or diploma that has been withheld from the student because the student owes a debt. Provides for minimum requirements for the policy. Provides that the institution of higher education does not need to institute a new policy if the institution's current policy meets the minimum requirements. Provides that on or before July 1, 2024 and on or before each July 1 thereafter, each institution of higher education shall report to the Board of Higher Education information regarding financial-based transcript and registration holds. Provides that complaints from current or former students who have had an unofficial or official transcript withheld may be filed with the Attorney General's student loan ombudsperson. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Community Self-Revitalization Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Native American Employment Plan Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice under the Act to knowingly mail or send a postcard or letter to a recipient in the State if the postcard or letter does not disclose or disclaim any and all affiliations or lack thereof. Provides that all disclosures and disclaimers appearing on a postcard or letter must be conspicuously located at the top of the postcard or letter, be easily readable in clear and unambiguous language, and be printed in at least 14-point bold-face font in a black-outlined box. Prohibits mail that requests that the recipient contact the sender by mail, telephone, email, website, or other prescribed means without specified disclosure requirements. Makes other changes.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education, beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year and continuing for not less than 2 years, to make available to public institutions of higher education a model program of study, for credit, that incorporates the training and experience necessary to serve as a direct support professional. Requires the Board, by July 1, 2024, to submit recommendations developed in consultation with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, organizations representing community-based providers serving children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and elementary and secondary education practitioners, including, but not limited to, teachers, administrators, special education directors, and regional superintendents of schools, to the Department of Human Services for the training that would be required in order to complete the model program of study.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. In provisions relating to bullying prevention and the definition of "policy on bullying", provides that bullying shall also include bullying based on physical appearance, socioeconomic status, academic status, pregnancy, parenting status, homelessness. Provides that a bullying prevention policy must include procedures for informing parents or guardians of all students involved in the alleged incident of bullying within 24 hours after the school's administration is made aware of the incident (instead of procedures for promptly informing parents or guardians of all students involved in the alleged incident of bullying). Provides that the bullying prevention policy shall also require all individual instances of bullying, as well as all threats, suggestions, or instances of self-harm to be reported to the parents or legal guardians of those involved under the guidelines provided. Provides that the State Board of Education shall develop a template for a model bullying prevention policy. Provides that schools shall develop the bullying prevention policy for the school based on the model provided by the State Board of Education. Provides that school districts shall collect, maintain, and submit to the State Board of Education non-identifiable data regarding allegations and instances of bullying within the school district. Provides that upon the request of a parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in a school district within the State, the State Board of Education must provide non-identifiable data of the number of bullying allegations and incidents in a given year at the school district to the requesting parent or legal guardian. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Makes other changes.