Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction for an amount equal to the amount included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income that is attributable to student loan repayment assistance received by the taxpayer during the taxable year from a qualified community foundation if the taxpayer is a qualified worker. Effective immediately.
Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Act to restore protections for wetlands and small streams that were formerly protected from pollution and destruction by the Clean Water Act. Includes provisions concerning: exemptions; wetlands delineation, classification, notification, permits and veto; general permits; appeal of final decisions made by the Department of Natural Resources and judicial review; investigation and enforcement; and county authority. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Advisory Committee and establishes duties and rules for the Committee. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Fund. Provides for permit review fees. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning the child care assistance program, provides that beginning in State Fiscal Year 2024, the specified income threshold shall be no less than 250% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Provides that beginning in State Fiscal Year 2025, the income threshold shall annually increase by 25% if the percentage of enrolled families with income at the then-current income threshold, for the applicable family size, reaches 45% of all families eligible for child care assistance. Provides that the annual 25% increase in income eligibility shall continue each State fiscal year until the income threshold reaches 400% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Effective July 1, 2023.
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship program. Provides that any money appropriated to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for scholarship awards for a particular academic year that remains unused at the end of that academic year shall be deposited into the Student Teaching Fund. Requires the Commission to establish and administer a student teaching stipend program in which the Commission receives and considers applications for a stipend from scholarship recipients who are student teaching. Subject to appropriation from the Student Teaching Fund, provides that the Commission shall select stipend recipients from among applicants who are in financial need. Provides that the amount and payment of any stipend shall be determined by the Commission, and provides for rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Student Teaching Fund as a special fund in the State treasury.
Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government that has submitted a distressed location project as defined by Department of Natural Resources rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement projects on distressed location projects. Provides that no less than 10% of the amount appropriated under the Act in any fiscal year shall be made available as grants to distressed communities.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for certain qualified individual taxpayers who rent a dwelling in Illinois for use as their principal place of residence. Provides that the credit shall be equal to 5% of the documented rental costs paid by such taxpayer during the taxable year on that dwelling. Effective immediately.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the issuance of a Montessori educator license to qualified individuals to teach using the Montessori method in public school programs that use the Montessori method as the primary method of instruction. Sets forth the requirements that an individual must satisfy to be issued a Montessori educator license, which include requiring the applicant to have (i) graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a bachelor's degree, (ii) a Montessori certificate or credential issued by an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, by the American Montessori Society, or by the Association Montessori Internationale, and (iii) successfully completed required testing. Makes related changes to provisions concerning educator testing and fees.
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship program. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer a student teaching stipend program. Subject to appropriation, requires the Commission to receive and consider applications for additional funds from recipients of scholarships who are student teaching. Provides that the Commission shall select stipend recipients from among applicants who are in financial need. Provides that certain recipients may receive an additional payment for other expenses during the year in which the recipient is engaged in student teaching. Provides for rulemaking.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purpose of calculating the long-time occupant homestead exemption, the adjusted homestead value shall be calculated by increasing the base homestead value by (i) 5% (currently, 10%) for qualified taxpayers with a household income of more than $75,000 but not exceeding $100,000 or (ii) 3% (currently, 7%) for qualified taxpayers with a household income of $75,000 or less. Effective immediately.
Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Second Chance State Education Act. Contains declarations and findings. Creates the Second Chance Seat in Every Class Act. Provides that each institution of higher education shall reserve at least one enrollment in each class for a returning resident (a person who is a resident of and domiciled in Illinois, has graduated from high school or the equivalent, has been convicted of a felony by a court sitting in the State of Illinois, was sentenced to incarceration pursuant to that conviction, and is not currently incarcerated) and at least one enrollment in each online class for an incarcerated individual. Provides for computer equipment, Internet connections, books, and supplies for enrolled incarcerated individuals. Creates the Incarcerated Individuals and Returning Residents Educational Supply Fund as a fund of the Department of Returning Resident Affairs. Provides that moneys in the Fund shall be used exclusively to pay for costs that incarcerated individuals and returning residents incur for books or other supplies needed to take classes under the Act. Provides that any concession or similar agreement between a public institution of higher education and the operator of a bookstore or similar operation at that public institution of higher education shall include a provision requiring the operator of the bookstore or similar operation to pay 1% of its gross revenues from the operation of that bookstore or similar operation to the Fund. Creates the Second Chance State College Admissions Act. Provides that no institution of higher education shall consider criminal history information when making any decision about an applicant or student, inquire about or consider criminal history information at any time during the admission decision-making process, or place an applicant or student on probationary or similar status based upon criminal history information, with specified exceptions. Contains provisions concerning compliance, administration, enforcement, education, licensing, employment barriers, severability, and other matters. Effective immediately.
