Sen. Cristina Castro

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall include in their evidence-based curriculum standards for cases of sexual assault and sexual abuse specific techniques on interviewing minors. Provides that the evidence-based curriculum standards for cases of sexual assault and sexual abuse specific shall be required for probationary police officers and all law enforcement officers (rather than only for law enforcement officers who conduct sexual assault and sexual abuse investigations).

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a public sale of an unclaimed vehicle may proceed if a certified notification has been sent to the registered owner, lienholder, or other legally entitled persons and no response has been received by the law enforcement agency or towing service. Provides that a commercial vehicle relocator or other private towing service seeking to impose storage fees for a vehicle in its possession or foreclose on a vehicle in its possession may only do so 14 days after notice consistent with the Section is provided to the lienholder. Provides that, upon being given notice, a lienholder shall either take possession of the vehicle or execute a written waiver of lien.

Amends the Local Government Professional Services Selection Act. Removes an option allowing a political subdivision not to evaluate firms submitting letters of interest for projects requiring architectural, engineering, or land surveying services if the political subdivision has a satisfactory relationship for services with one or more firms.

Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Provides that an approved community-based organization that is a legal services provider may not use Foreclosure Prevention funds to provide legal representation or advice in a civil proceeding or court-sponsored mediation services. In the definition of "approved community-based organization", provides that a governmental agency is not an approved community-based organization (rather than "approved community-based organization" does not include a not-for-profit corporation or other entity or person that provides legal representation or advice in a civil proceeding or court-sponsored mediation services, or a governmental agency). Includes, in the definition of "approved foreclosure prevention outreach program", a program developed by an approved community-based organization that includes telephone contact with residents and a program to provide education about the options of a tenant living in a property undergoing foreclosure. Effective immediately.

Amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983. Requires a publicly held domestic or foreign corporation whose principal executive offices are located in Illinois to have: (i) no later than July 31, 2020, a minimum of one female director on its board; and (ii) no later than December 31, 2022, a minimum of 3 female directors if its number of directors is 6 or more, a minimum of 2 female directors if its number of directors is 5, or a minimum of one female director if its number of directors is 4 or fewer. Permits a corporation to increase the number of directors on its board to comply with the requirement. Requires the Secretary of State to publish reports on its Internet website that documents: (1) the number of domestic and foreign corporations whose principal executive offices are located in Illinois and who have at least one female director; and (2) the number of publicly held corporations that moved their United States headquarters to Illinois from another state or out of Illinois into another state during the preceding calendar year and other specified information. Permits the Secretary of State to adopt rules to administer the provisions and impose fines as specified. Provides that the provisions apply to a foreign corporation that is a publicly held corporation to the exclusion of the law of the jurisdiction in which the foreign corporation is incorporated. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that all entities providing prescription drug coverage shall permit and apply a prorated daily cost-sharing rate to prescriptions that are dispensed by a pharmacy for less than a 30-day supply if the prescriber or pharmacist indicates the fill or refill could be in the best interest of the patient or is for the purpose of synchronizing the patient's chronic medications. Provides that no entity providing prescription drug coverage shall deny coverage for the dispensing of any drug prescribed for the treatment of a chronic illness that is made in accordance with a plan among the insured, the prescriber, and a pharmacist to synchronize the refilling of multiple prescriptions for the insured. Provides that no entity providing prescription drug coverage shall use payment structures incorporating prorated dispensing fees determined by calculation of the days' supply of medication dispensed. Provides that dispensing fees shall be determined exclusively on the total number of prescriptions dispensed. Establishes criteria for an entity conducting audits (either on-site or remotely) of pharmacy records. Provides that the Department of Insurance and Director of Insurance shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of the Act and impose financial penalties. Effective January 1, 2020.

Declares March 27, 2019 as Elderly Women of Wisdom Day in Illinois to honor all women residing in skilled nursing facilities for their lifelong service to their families and communities.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit in an amount equal to 20% of the gross wages paid by the taxpayer to a qualified youth in care in the course of that youth's sustained employment during the taxable year. Provides that the credit may not exceed $5,000. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provisions. Defines "qualified youth in care". Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Creates a new Article concerning audits. Requires that each election authority (i) conduct an election day audit of a random sample of 10% of votes cast and (ii) provide by contract or employment for the performance by one or more independent auditors of post-election parallel tabulations and audits. Provides for the scope of the audits and the resulting reports. Requires that optical scan technology and direct recording electronic voting systems meet certain federal and independent testing standards. Creates a voluntary tax checkoff for the Fund. With respect to early voting, requires that an election authority using only direct recording electronic voting systems have paper ballots available for voters wishing to use them. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Election Integrity Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Illinois Election Integrity Act.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act to provide that in the case of sexual assault or sexual abuse by a school district employee or volunteer, nothing in the Act prohibits a school district from disclosing the disciplinary records of that person. Amends the School Code to require a school board to report all credible cases of sexual assault or sexual abuse by a licensed educator to the State Board of Education, to establish a hearing procedure for student victims, and to ensure that a licensed educator under investigation by the State Superintendent of Education is reassigned to non-classroom duty. Provides that, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, the State Board of Education must monitor all fingerprint-based criminal history records checks and any other database checks conducted by a school district or regional superintendent for applicants for employment with a school district. Makes changes concerning educator licensure and allegations of physical or sexual abuse. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to create the criminal offense of sexual conduct or sexual relations with a student by an authority figure. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 to require an arresting enforcement agency to share its reports pertaining to the arrest of a licensed educator with the superintendent of any school district that employs the educator (or, in the case of the arrest of a superintendent, with the school board of any school district that employs the superintendent). Amends the Personnel Record Review Act to provide that the Act does not prohibit a school district from divulging internal investigative findings and discipline to another school district. Effective immediately.