Sen. Cristina Castro

Amends the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act. Provides that an investment option may be a conservative fund rather than a conservative principal protection fund. Provides that the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Board may establish deadlines for payment of payroll deductions to the Fund. Provides for audits on a fiscal year basis rather than a calendar year basis and report by the following January rather than July. Requires the Treasurer to prepare annual reports on benefits provided by the Program and post the report on the Program website. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that each election authority shall collaborate with the county jail within the jurisdiction of the election authority to facilitate voting by mail for voters eligible to vote in the county who are confined or detained in the county jail. Provides that in a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more, the election authority in the county shall establish a temporary branch polling place in the county jail. Contains additional provisions concerning the temporary branch polling place in the county jail. Amends the Counties Code. Provides that each election authority shall collaborate with the county jail within the jurisdiction of the election authority to facilitate voter registration for voters eligible to vote in that county who are confined or detained in the county jail. Provides that a county jail shall provide a voter registration application to any person in custody at the jail who requests an application and is eligible to vote. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that upon release of a person who is eligible to vote, the Department of Corrections shall provide the person with a specified form that informs him or her that his or her voting rights have been restored. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections and Counties Code. Provides that upon discharge from a county jail or release from the Department of Corrections, a person shall be provided with a voter registration form. Provides that the Department, each county jail, and each county probation office shall provide an individual in its custody with specified information on voting rights. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2020.

Creates the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act. Defines terms. Provides that, with exceptions, a landlord shall not require disclosure of, disclose, intimidate, harass, or evict a tenant on the basis of a person's immigration or citizenship status. Provides that an oral or written warning notice or explanation, given in good faith, regarding the applicable rental agreement, rules, regulations, lease, or law is not a violation of the Act. Provides that the Act does not enlarge or diminish a landlord's right to terminate a tenancy pursuant to existing State or local law; nor does the Act enlarge or diminish any ability of local government to regulate or enforce a prohibition against a landlord's harassment of a tenant. Provides that waiver of a right under the Act by a tenant, occupant, or person known to the landlord to be associated with a tenant or occupant is void as a matter of public policy. Provides remedies. Provides that an action for injunctive relief may be brought by a nonprofit organization. Provides that in a civil action involving a tenant's or occupant's housing rights, no inquiry shall be permitted into the tenant's or occupant's immigration or citizenship status, with exceptions. Contains a severability clause. Amends the Eviction Article of the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that it is an affirmative defense to an eviction that a landlord engaged in conduct prohibited under the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act. Amends the Mobile Home Landlord and Tenant Rights Act. Provides that an eviction order may not be entered against a tenant as a reprisal for a tenant's efforts to secure remedies under the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Modifies the definition of "water or sewer utility" to remove language specifying water or sewer service provided to 7,500 or fewer customer connections as provided by certain entities. Provides that appraisals of the fair market value of the water or sewer utility that is being acquired shall be performed by 3 appraisers approved (rather than selected) by the Illinois Commerce Commission's Executive Director or designee (rather than the water department manager) and engaged by either the water or sewer utility being acquired or by the large public utility. Allows appraisers to engage one disinterested engineer who is licensed in this State who may be the same engineer that is engaged by other appraisers. Provides that in the Commission's order that approves the large public utility's acquisition of the water or sewer utility, the Commission shall issue its decision establishing, among other requirements, the rates to be charged to customers in the water or sewer utility. Provides that a large public utility may (rather than shall) recommend the district or tariff group of which the water or sewer utility shall become a part of after the acquisition, or may recommend a lesser rate for the water or sewer utility. Provides that from the date of acquisition until the date that new rates are effective in an acquiring large public utility's next rate case, the customers of the acquired water or sewer utility shall pay the approved then-existing rates of the district or tariff group as ordered by the Commission, or some lesser rates as recommended by the large public utility and approved by the Commission. Provides that in an acquiring large public utility's 2 rate cases following an acquisition, the public utility may file a rate tariff for an acquired water or sewer utility that establishes lesser rates than the district or tariff group into which the water or sewer utility is combined. Extends the repeal date of the valuation of water and sewer utilities Section from June 1, 2018 to June 1, 2028. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Joseph Nugara.

Mourns the death of Myra Becker of Elgin.

Mourns the death of Donald H. Schmidt of Bloomingdale.

Mourns the death of Heather Mills-Rogers.

Amends the Union of Contiguous Municipalities Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Adds "consolidation" to the title of the Division. Provides that any 2 or more incorporated contiguous municipalities may be united into one incorporated city or village (rather than only cities) upon the presentation of a petition, signed by the lesser of 10% of the total number of electors of each municipality voting in the last election or 250 electors, to the election authority for the county in which the municipalities are situated or, if the municipalities are situated in 2 or more counties, in the county where the largest population of the subject municipalities resides. Removes provisions limiting union to municipalities wholly or substantially situation in a single county. Removes provisions requiring union by annexation by another city. Modifies the referendum question to approve the union. Provides that a union is not considered the creation or formation of a new political subdivision for purposes of the Election Code and makes other references to the Election Code. Provides that any elected official, member, employee, or contractor of a city or village subject to a petition to unite shall be expressly prohibited from using any governmental or public resources in opposing or supporting the petition. Provides that if the majority of the votes cast in any of the contiguous municipalities (rather than each municipality) in the petition is in favor of the proposition, then those contiguous municipalities are united. Makes other changes.

Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. In provisions concerning transition of services, provides that the health care plan shall not modify an enrollee's coverage of a drug during the plan year if the drug has been previously approved for coverage by the plan for a medical condition, the plan's prescribing provider continues to prescribe the drug for the medical condition, and the patient continues to be an enrollee of the health care plan. Provides specific prohibited modifications of drug coverage in the health plan. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit a health care plan from requiring a pharmacist to effect generic substitutions of prescription drugs. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit the addition of prescription drugs to a health care plan's list of covered drugs during the coverage year. Provides that the provisions do not apply to a health care plan as defined in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 or medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.