Sen. Karina Villa

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that all records containing resident, participant, and complainant information collected by the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program are confidential and shall not be disclosed outside of the program without a lawful subpoena or the permission of the State Ombudsman. Permits the State Ombudsman, at his or her discretion, to disclose resident or participant information if it is in the best interest of the resident or participant. Requires the Department on Aging to establish procedures for the disclosure of program records by the State Ombudsman. Provides that the procedures shall prohibit disclosure of a resident's identity in case records unless the resident gives consent.

Creates the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture to develop and administer a Local Food Infrastructure Grant Program to enhance local food processing, aggregation, and distribution within the State through the award of annual grants. Specifies that eligible grant applicants include certain entities that store, process, package, aggregate, or distribute farm products raised in Illinois. Provides that grant awards shall be between $1,000 and $150,000. Describes match requirements for grant recipients. Describes allowable expenses. Requires the Department to create an independent Steering Committee to guide the implementation and evaluation of the grant program. Describes the Steering Committee's composition and responsibilities. Establishes various grant application requirements. Requires the Director of Agriculture to report certain information to the Governor and General Assembly each year. Limits the liability of program administrators. Contains provisions concerning termination of a grant agreement under the Act. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the County Department of Corrections Law. In provisions about pregnant prisoners, modifies the definitions of "post-partum" and "correctional institution", including that "correctional institution" includes institutions in all counties (rather than only in counties more than 3,000,000 inhabitants). Modifies and removes provisions relating to security restraints on a prisoner who is pregnant or in postpartum recovery. Adds provisions relating to annual reports by sheriffs documenting the number of pregnant prisoners in custody each year and the number of people who deliver or miscarry while in custody, relating to county department of corrections providing informational materials concerning the laws pertaining to pregnant prisoners to any pregnant or postpartum prisoner, and relating to supplemental nutrition for prisoners who are pregnant or lactating. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections and the County Jail Act making similar changes. In the Unified Code of Corrections, also adds language relating to restraints of committed persons who are pregnant. Amends the Health Care Violence Prevention Act. In provisions relating to pregnant prisoners, removes a limitation on the provisions to pregnant prisoners in the custody of the Cook County. Provides that restraint of a pregnant prisoner shall comply with specified provisions of the Counties Code, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the County Jail Act (rather than only the Counties Code provisions).

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that, in anticipation of the successful completion of a diversion program, a petitioner may file a petition for expungement at least 61 days before the anticipated dismissal of the case. Provides that, if a petition is filed, and upon the successful completion of the diversion program and dismissal of the case, the court shall review the petition and shall grant expungement if the petitioner meets all requirements. Amends the Drug Court Treatment Act, the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act, and the Mental Health Court Treatment Act to make conforming changes.

Creates the Language Equity and Access Act. Requires the Governor's Office of New Americans, in partnership with the Department of Human Services, to: prepare a Language Needs Assessment Report that identifies the languages spoken throughout the State; assist State agencies in the creation of language access plans; provide oversight and central coordination to State agencies in the implementation of language access requirements under this Act; ensure that each State agency develops an internal complaint and review process specific to the provision of language assistance services in addressing complaints in a timely manner; and perform other duties. Requires the Office and Department to work with State agencies to compile available United States Census data on language used across the State to inform the Language Needs Assessment Report. Provides that the report shall be updated every 10 years in conjunction with the decennial federal census. Requires each State agency to prepare and submit a language access plan to the Governor's Office of New Americans.

Creates the Worker Freedom of Speech Act. Provides that an employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee may not discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize, threaten to discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize, or take any adverse employment action against an employee: (1) because the employee declines to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting or declines to receive or listen to communications from the employer or the agent, representative, or designee of the employer if the meeting or communication is to communicate the opinion of the employer about religious or political matters; (2) as a means of inducing an employee to attend or participate in meetings or receive or listen to communications; or (3) because the employee, or a person acting on behalf of the employee, makes a good faith report, orally or in writing, of a violation or a suspected violation of the Act. Provides for a private right of action to enforce the provisions of the Act. Sets forth the duties and powers of the Department of Labor under the Act. Provides that, within 30 days after the effective date of the Act, an employer shall post and keep posted a notice of employee rights under the Act where employee notices are customarily placed. Provides for exceptions under the Act.

Creates the Child Labor Law of 2024. Reinserts provisions of the Child Labor Law. Sets forth additional provisions concerning definitions; exemptions; employer requirements; restrictions on employment of minors; employment certificates; civil penalties; and criminal penalties. Repeals the Child Labor Law. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2025, except provisions concerning minors featured in vlogs and trust funds are effective July 1, 2024.

Creates the Mobilizing Our Neighborhoods to Adopt Resilient Conservation Habitats (MONARCH) Act. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to provide financial and technical assistance for the planting of native and pollinator-friendly plants. Provides that the Department may prioritize grants based on the presence of certain species. Requires the Department to publish information on its website and design a yard sign. Provides that homeowners associations and common interest communities may not prohibit the planting of a pollinator habitat. Authorizes collaboration. Authorizes the Department to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules requiring the nursing assistant certification exam to be offered in both English and Spanish. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Provides that a license to practice under the Act shall not be denied an applicant because of the applicant's real or perceived immigration status. Provides that every application for an original license under the Act shall include the applicant's Social Security Number or individual taxpayer identification number. Provides that the Social Work Examining and Disciplinary Board may grant additional examination time to an applicant for whom English is the applicant's second language. Provides that to qualify for consideration, the applicant must submit a request for additional time stating that English is the applicant's second language, and provide additional information. Sets forth what additional information may be provided. Provides that if approved, the applicant shall be allotted extra time when taking the required board-administered examination. Provides that the allowance of the extra time for a required national examination is subject to availability from the exam-administering entity. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may not revoke, suspend, summarily suspend, place on prohibition, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against a license or permit issued under the Act based solely upon an immigration violation by the licensed clinical social worker. Provides that the Department may not revoke, suspend, summarily suspend, place on prohibition, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against the license or permit issued under the Act to practice as a licensed clinical social worker based upon the licensed clinical social worker's license being revoked or suspended, or the licensed clinical social worker being otherwise disciplined by any other state, if that revocation, suspension, or other form of discipline was based solely upon an immigration violation by the licensed clinical social worker. Amends the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act and Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act to make similar changes.