Sen. Karina Villa

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 2464) makes a minor technical correction to the short title of the Department of Early Childhood Act by removing an extra "the" in its citation. It does not change any substantive policies, programs, or services related to early childhood care. The change only affects how the law is formally referenced in legal documents. As a procedural adjustment, it has no direct impact on families, providers, or state programs.

Amends the School Code. Creates the Out-of-School Time (OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out of school time programs. Sets forth membership, co-chairperson's and meetings. Provides that the OST Advisory Council shall: (1) provide information on the status of funding provided for OST programs in each fiscal year; (2) provide recommendations on legislative and administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before and after school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of OST programs; (3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth; (4) provide information regarding challenges faced by OST programs that impede the provision of the best possible services; (5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services; (6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs; and (7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST and areas of growth for the future. Effective July 1, 2025.

Declares March 9 through March 15, 2026 as Civic Learning Week in the State of Illinois. Extends deep appreciation to the students, volunteers, and professionals who prioritize the enterprise of civic learning within the communities of Illinois.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that any person may file a petition to vacate a conviction or sentence, regardless of criminal custody status or citizenship or immigration status, as defined in the Illinois TRUST Act, if the person asserts that: (1) the conviction or sentence is legally invalid due to prejudicial error damaging the petitioner's ability to meaningfully understand, defend against, or knowingly accept the actual or potential adverse immigration consequences of a conviction or sentence; or (2) newly discovered evidence of actual innocence exists that requires vacation of the conviction or sentence as a matter of law or in the interests of justice. Provides that such a petition shall be deemed timely filed at any time notwithstanding any other provision of law. Provides that the time limitations for petitions filed in the trial court under the Post-Conviction Hearing Article of the Code do not apply to a petition filed under this provision. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a provision granting relief from a final order or judgment entered based on a plea of guilty or nolo contendere and that has potential consequences under federal immigration law applies to orders or judgments entered before, on, or after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act. Provides that the term "community-based organization" includes a high-school based program. Provides that funding from the Illinois Works Fund shall be categorized based on Illinois Department of Transportation regions. Adds a member to the Illinois Works Review panel who shall be a representative of a community-based organization that addresses high school-based workforce programs. Makes other changes.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Arab American history, including the history of Arab Americans in the State and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of Arab Americans from the 19th century onward. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials, including those established by the Public Broadcasting Service, that may be used as guidelines for the development of the unit of instruction. Provides that each school board shall determine the minimum amount of instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the curricular requirements during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit. Provides that a school may meet the requirements through an online program or course. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Creates emergency rulemaking procedures for the student teaching stipend program. Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Authorizes a person to establish optional credit for periods of service as a student teacher under a specified provision of the Board of Higher Education Act. In provisions requiring an additional employer contribution for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude any stipends paid to an eligible cooperating teacher under the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Creates the student teaching stipend program. Defines terms. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of Higher Education of all eligible students and eligible cooperating teachers who qualify for the stipend program. Creates requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating teacher who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report in collaboration with the State Board of Education evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances subject to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person who is serving a term of mandatory supervised release shall receive one day of additional supervision credit for each day of his or her mandatory supervised release term. Provides that each day of supervision credit shall reduce by one day the person's period of mandatory supervised release. Provides that if prior to expiration or termination of the term of mandatory supervised release, a person violates a condition set by the Prisoner Review Board or a condition of mandatory supervised release to govern that term, the Board may extend the term of mandatory supervised release by revoking supervision credit earned.

Creates the Global Hospital Budget Authority Act. Defines terms. Established the Global Hospital Budget Authority as a Division of the Department of Public Health. Provides that the powers and duties of the Authority shall be vested in and exercised by the Global Hospital Budget Board, which shall have the sole power to employ staff, including an executive director, legal counsel, consultants, or any other staff deemed necessary by the Board to effectuate the purposes of the Act. Provides that individuals employed by the Board shall not be employees of the State for any purpose, including for purposes of compensation, pension benefits, or retirement. Sets forth provisions concerning membership requirements; powers and duties of the Board; roles of participating payers; roles of participant hospitals; data collection and retention; confidentiality of data, contracts, and agreements; and the Global Hospital Budget Fund. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that, in reviewing and issuing permits and licenses, the Department shall accept, as factors that satisfy staffing and service-line presence requirements, one or a combination of the following alternative mechanisms if the Department finds that patient safety and continuity of care are maintained: (i) on-site staffing by appropriately licensed clinicians; (ii) written and operative affiliation agreements meeting standards adopted by the Department that provide timely specialty coverage; (iii) documented telemedicine coverage that meets certain standards; or (iv) a waiver issued under certain provisions for a rural or critical access hospital. In provisions concerning requirements for the employment of physicians, provides that employing entities may employ physicians to practice medicine in all of its branches if employment, privileging, and oversight requirements are met. Amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning definitions; certificates of exemption for change of ownership of a health care facility; applications for permit for discontinuation of a health care facility or category of service; and the powers and duties of State Board. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, shall provide coverage for medically necessary prescribed vitamins. Amends the State Employee Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage under those provisions.