Sen. Julie Morrison

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person who is convicted of obscene depiction of a purported child is ineligible to receive a school bus driver permit. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that "child pornography" includes the depiction of a part of an actual child under 18 who by manipulation, creation, or modification, appears to be engaged in sexual activity. Creates the offenses of obscene depiction of a purported child and non-consensual dissemination of sexually explicit digitized depictions. Defines offenses and provides criminal penalties for violations. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides for the forfeiture to the State: (1) of any profits or proceeds and any property the person has acquired or maintained in violation of those offenses; (2) any interest in, securities of, claim against, or property or contractual right of any kind affording a source of influence over any enterprise that the person has established, operated, controlled, or conducted in violation of those offenses; and (3) any computer that contains an obscene depiction of a purported child. Amends the Bill of Rights for Children. Provides that under certain conditions, the parent or legal guardian of a child who is the victim of obscene depiction of a purported child may make a victim's impact statement on the impact which the defendant's criminal conduct or the juvenile's delinquent conduct has had upon the child. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment, or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for specified violations of the offense of obscene depiction of a purported child. Provides for enhanced penalties for specified violations of obscene depiction of a purported child. Provides that the court shall impose a consecutive sentence when the defendant is convicted of specified violations of the offense of obscene depiction of a purported child. Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act to provide that a person convicted of obscene depiction of a purported child must register as a sex offender.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a gas utility may cease providing service if the Illinois Commerce Commission determines that adequate substitute service is available at a reasonable cost to support the existing end uses of the affected utility customers. Provides for cost-effective energy efficiency measures for natural gas utilities that supersede existing provisions concerning natural gas energy efficiency programs and take effect beginning January 1, 2025. Provides that gas main and gas service extension policies shall be based on the principle that the full incremental cost associated with new development and growth shall be borne by the customers that cause those incremental costs. Provides that, no later than 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Commission shall initiate a docketed rulemaking reviewing each gas public utility tariff that provides for gas main and gas service extensions without additional charge to new customers in excess of the default extensions as specified in administrative rule. Adds the Clean Building Heating Law Article to the Act, with provisions concerning emissions standards for heating in buildings, as well as related and other provisions. Adds the 2050 Heat Decarbonization Standard Article to the Act, with provisions concerning options for compliance, measures for customer emission reduction, customer emission reductions, tradable clean heat credits, banking of emission reductions, equity in emission reductions, enforcement, the 2050 Heat Decarbonization Pathways Study, gas infrastructure planning, a study on gas utility financial incentive reform, and reporting requirements. Adds the Statewide Navigator Program Law Article to the Act, with provisions concerning creation of a statewide navigator program, as well as related and other provisions. Amends the Energy Transition Act to add electrification industries to clean energy jobs. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that first full week of March each year is designated as Soil Health Week to be observed throughout the State as a week to celebrate and raise awareness regarding the importance of soil health to Illinois agriculture and Illinois farmers.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act. Makes changes concerning the powers and duties of the Illinois State Museum. Repeals a provision which specifies that the Board of the Illinois State Museum is the governing board for the State Museum. Replaces the Board of the Illinois State Museum with an advisory board. Describes the duties of the advisory board. Repeals a provision which states that the Department of Natural Resources may set, by administrative rule, an entrance fee for visitors to the Illinois State Museum. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2025, rates for psychiatric evaluations performed by community mental health centers and substance use disorder treatment providers and practitioners as set forth on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services' Practitioner Fee Schedule shall be increased to $237.57. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2025, rates for medication monitoring performed by community mental health centers and substance use disorder treatment providers and practitioners as set forth on the Department's Practitioner Fee Schedule shall be increased to $140.77 per quarter hour. Provides that no existing or future reimbursement rates or add-ons shall be reduced or changed to address these rate increases. Provides that no later than October 1, 2024, the Department shall submit any necessary application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver or State Plan amendment to implement the requirements of the amendatory Act. Provides that beginning in State Fiscal Year 2025, and every State fiscal year thereafter, reimbursement rates for those community-based mental health and substance use disorder services shall be adjusted upward by an amount equal to the Consumer Price Index-U from the previous year, not to exceed 5% in any State fiscal year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall create a student teaching stipend program to alleviate the financial burden of student teaching and to encourage students to pursue teaching careers to alleviate this State's teacher shortage. Provides that to participate in the stipend program, an eligible student must be placed as a student teacher no later than June 1, 2025 or no later than June 1 each year thereafter. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July 1, 2025 and no later than July 1 each year thereafter and all eligible students shall be participants in the stipend program. Provides that no later than August 1, 2025 and no later than August 1 each year thereafter, subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible student a stipend of up to $10,000 per semester for up to 2 consecutive semesters, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Provides that the educator preparation program shall distribute stipend funds using the standard methods for allocating State-based financial aid or as wages for employment to each eligible student in monthly installments. Sets forth additional provisions concerning the distribution of funds. Provides for rulemaking.

Amends the Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the General Assembly finds it necessary to take measures to increase the amount of cash assistance provided to qualifying Illinoisans under the Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD) program to reach a standard compatible with health and well-being. Provides that the amount of AABD aid granted to a person shall be determined by the Department of Human Services in such a manner as to produce assistance payments that bring the person's total monthly income from countable sources, as determined by the Department, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, if applicable, and AABD aid to an amount that is: (i) no less than 85% of the federal poverty level in effect for the month aid is paid, beginning July 1, 2024; (ii) no less than 90% of the federal poverty level in effect for the month aid is paid, beginning July 1, 2025; (iii) no less than 95% of the federal poverty level for the month aid is paid, beginning July 1, 2026; and (iv) no less than 100% of the federal poverty level in effect for the month aid is paid, beginning on and after July 1, 2027. Provides that the amendatory Act shall not result in any reduction in the amount of aid payable to a person determined eligible for aid prior to July 1, 2024. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $20,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security for deposit into the IEMA State Projects Fund for grants and operational expenses associated with the administration of Illinois’ Not-For-Profit Security Grant Program. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Removes a provision permitting the Department of Children and Family Services to fund outside agencies that contract with the Department to operate child abuse prevention shelters and service programs if the shelters certify a 20% financial match for operating expenses.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning the conviction of certain offenses as grounds for disqualification for licensure or suspension or revocation of a license, includes the sex offense of abuse by an educator or authority figure under the definition of "sex or other offense". Amends the Sex Offenses Article of Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits abuse by an educator or authority figure if that person holds a position of trust, authority, or supervision in relation to a student in a school, the student is at least 18 years of age, the person is at least 4 years older than the student, and the person either (1) commits an act of sexual conduct with the student or (2) commits an act of sexual penetration with the student. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual conduct is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual penetration is a Class 4 felony for the first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that consent of the victim is not a defense to abuse by an educator or authority figure.