Creates the Let America Read Act. Provides that the State Board of Education with oversight over the instructional materials used in public schools shall create a grievance procedure for challenges to instructional materials. Provides that a school district shall designate a Review Committee to review all challenges to instructional materials. Provides that for each formal challenge, the Review Committee shall review the instructional material with the use of clear, objective review criteria created by the State Board. Requires the school district to create a Formal Grievance Procedure for Instructional Materials Form. Provides that upon receipt of a formal complaint, the Review Committee shall hold a minimum of 2 public meetings during a school year to review complaints, welcome input from the public, and generate recommendations to the final decision maker. Provides that the challenged instructional material shall remain accessible in the classroom pending a final determination. Provides that if the challenged instructional material faces a successful objection, then the removal of the instructional material takes effect the school year after the year in which the complaint was filed. Provides that if an instructional material is formally challenged and a final determination is reached, the instructional material shall not be challenged and reviewed by the Review Committee for 3 school years. Grants rulemaking authority to the State Board. Makes a conforming change in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, when determining whether certain local siting review criteria have been met, the county board of the county or the governing body of the municipality, as applicable, shall consider, among other things, vehicle emissions and the potential cumulative impacts created by the addition of the facility to the existing pollution sources, the disparate impacts created by the addition of the facility to existing pollution sources, and the potential disparate impacts on nearby communities. Requires the local siting decisions of the Pollution Control Board to include a written statement describing whether the procedures were conducted by the county board or governing body in a manner that is accessible to the public, including individuals with disabilities and individuals who are not native speakers of English.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, a supportive living dementia care setting shall not limit resident access to the sink, microwave, and refrigerator located within the respective resident's room. Provides that social and recreational programming shall be provided no less than daily at a time and location separate from a meal service. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, a newly constructed supportive living dementia care setting shall provide no less than 300 square feet for a single occupancy apartment or no less than 450 square feet for a double occupancy apartment. Provides that the square footage requirement may include the closets and bathroom. Requires each apartment to include a sink, microwave, and refrigerator within the unit. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, a newly constructed supportive living dementia care setting shall provide a common area completely separate from the dining area.
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Makes it a violation of the Real Estate Transactions Article of the Act to unlawfully discriminate using credit score and history, including insufficient credit history. Limits these provisions to landlord and tenant agreements only.
Amends the School Code. Prohibits a child from being denied a free public education through secondary school while in the State based on the child's or associated person's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status. Prohibits a school from excluding a child, or associated person, from participation in or denying a child, or associated person, the benefits of any program or activity on the grounds of that child's, or associated person's, actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status. Provides that a school must not use criteria, measures, or methods of administration that have the effect of excluding from participation or denying the benefits of any program or activity because of a child's, or associated person's, actual or perceived immigration status. Prohibits a school from threatening to disclose information regarding or relating to the actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status of a child, or associated person, or actually disclosing information based on perceived or unverified citizenship or immigration status, to any other person, entity, or any immigration or law enforcement agency. Provides that a school must not allow an immigration agent to enter a school site or school district facility for any purpose without providing valid identification, a written statement of purpose, and a valid judicial warrant, and, to the extent possible, receiving approval from the superintendent of the school district or the principal of the charter school, and their legal counsel. Provides that a school district or school must not detain any individual solely on the basis of any formal or informal request, or immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant from an immigration agent. Requires a school district or school to adopt a policy for complying with the amendatory Act. Allows any party aggrieved by a violation of the provisions to bring a civil lawsuit no later than 2 years after the violation occurred. Provides that if the court finds that a violation has occurred, the court may award to the plaintiff 3 times actual damages or $17,000, whichever is greater. Makes other changes.
Declares March 25, 2025 as Equal Pay Day in the State of Illinois. Encourages the citizens of this State to learn about the pay gap that women experience in society and to learn about these various dates that bring attention to the pay gap that specific groups experience.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision concerning participation in the Fund by a person who holds an elective office, provides that a person who holds an elective office and has not elected to participate in the Fund with respect to that office shall not be disqualified from receiving service credit for service in that elected office as long as the member participated in a non-elected position with the employer for which the member is now an elected official; the employer has continued to make member contributions for that period of service; and there is no gap in service credit between the 2 positions. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
Amends the Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Act. Provides that requests for grant assistance shall include, but not be limited to, those activities that will implement or enhance: (1) current Illinois Forest Action Plans objectives; (2) local Forestry Program management objectives as determined by an urban and community forestry management plan; (3) build tree canopy capacity in underserved and disadvantaged areas of communities or counties; or (4) improve urban and community forest canopy in Illinois communities and counties. Makes changes in provisions duties of the Department of Natural Resources; the concerning grants. amounts. Defines terms.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that if any annuitant must be considered a participating employee because there was not a separation from service and the participating municipality or participating instrumentality that employs or re-employs that annuitant knowingly fails to notify the Board to suspend the annuity, the Board may review the totality of circumstances regarding the annuitant not having a separation of service and assign proportionate responsibility for reimbursement of the total of any annuity payments made to the annuitant after the date the annuity should have been suspended, as determined by the Board, between the participating municipality or participating instrumentality and the annuitant, less any amount actually repaid by the annuitant. Provides that in no case shall the total amount repaid by the annuitant plus any amount reimbursed by the employer to the Fund be more than the total of all annuity payments made to the annuitant after the date the annuity should have been suspended. Removes language providing that the provisions shall not apply if the annuitant returned to work for the employer for less than 12 months. Adds similar provisions to a provision concerning separation from service and entitlement to a retirement annuity. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Increases, except for persons who first retired prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act, the amount of the death benefit from $3,000 to $8,000. Makes conforming changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective January 1, 2026.