Sen. Julie Morrison

Amends the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program Act. Provides that a community-based human services agency may contract with, receive funding from, or be grant-funded by a State agency (instead of may contract with or be grant-funded by a State agency). Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, in awarding grants under the Act, may grant preference to applicants based on need or income levels. Removes the provision limiting the grant to an applicant for a cumulative maximum of 4 years. In provisions regarding the eligibility of an applicant, provides that the applicant shall have been a full-time employee for at least 24 consecutive months as a human services professional and the community-based human services agency shall currently have or have had a contract with, receive funding from, or be grant-funded by a State agency for the purpose of providing human services during the applicant's 24 consecutive month tenure (instead of shall have worked for at least 24 consecutive months as a full-time employee as a human services professional in a community-based human services agency that currently has or did have a contract with a State agency to provide human services during the duration of applicant's 24 consecutive month tenure). Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Provides that any person may report information about the suspicious death of an eligible adult to an agency designated to receive such reports or to the Department on Aging. Provides that if a mandated reporter has reason to believe that the death of an eligible adult is the result of abuse or neglect, the matter shall be reported to the agency designated to receive such reports or to the Department for subsequent referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency and coroner or medical examiner. Prohibits employers from discriminating against any employee who makes a good faith oral or written report concerning information about the suspicious death of an eligible adult. Contains provisions concerning the required testimony of a mandated reporter at an administrative hearing concerning the suspicious death of an eligible adult; the referral of evidence to the appropriate law enforcement agency; access to records concerning reports of suspicious deaths due to abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation; and other matters. Makes changes to the definitions of "abuse", "abuser", and "mandated reporter". Defines "investment advisor". Effective January 1, 2024.

Designates Interstate 74 east of US 45 in Champaign-Urbana to the Indiana border as the "Senator Scott M. Bennett Memorial Highway".

Declares July 2 through July 8, 2023 as Gun Violence Memorial and Prevention Week. Mourns the lives lost at the hands of gunfire in the City of Highland Park on July 4, 2022 and all those around the State of Illinois who have been lost to gun violence and recognizes the surviving families that live with the trauma of their losses. Remembers the lives of Katherine Goldstein, Irina McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Straus, Jacquelyn Sundheim, Nicholas Toledo-Zaragoza, Eduardo Uvaldo, and Aréanah Preston. Remembers all gun violence victims in the City of Chicago and all gun violence victim everywhere across the State. Honors the City of Highland Park, the City of Chicago, and their law enforcement, first responders, and community leaders for their service to the people of Illinois. Urges leaders to continue to do everything in their power to ensure communities across the State do not experience the trauma of gun violence, so that these horrific tragedies shall not be in vain.

Urges all institutions and facilities of the Department of Corrections to provide every committed person with access to bathing facilities once per day. Urges, in the case of a lockdown, access to bathing facilities to be restricted for the first two days and, if the lockdown continues for more than two days, a committed person should be provided access to bathing facilities no less than once every two days for the duration of the lockdown.

Recognizes the dire need for statewide expansion of 211 Illinois services to prevent Illinois individuals and families who are experiencing poverty and/or financial hardship from requiring child welfare system involvement. Recognizes the importance of supportive funding for services that promote child and family well-being and prevent children from entering the child welfare system. Urges state agencies serving children and families to utilize data generated by the 211 Illinois online dashboard to identify gaps in services and to develop resources and services to fill the identified gaps. Recognizes state funding is necessary to adequately support the expansion and maintenance of 211 Illinois statewide and the community-based organizations that ultimately provide the supportive services. Urges support for prioritizing funding efforts dedicated to preventing the need for child welfare related services in counties that have been identified as experiencing gaps in offered services based on data collected from 211 Illinois.

Urges the Illinois Department of Transportation and the High Speed Railroad Commission to move expeditiously in preparing a Statewide Integrated Network Plan, including the identification of desired service points and key transfer stations, the construction of a theoretical rail and bus schedule with timed transfers, the creation of a ridership and revenue model for the desired network, the estimation of needed infrastructure investments, and the development of a phased implementation plan.

Urges the Administration of President Biden to publish and certify without delay the Equal Rights Amendment as the Twenty-Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Urges Congress to pass a joint resolution affirming the Equal Rights Amendment as the Twenty-Eighth Amendment. Calls on other states to join in this action by passing the same or similar resolutions.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the State shall not expend or invest any public funds in any organization, nonprofit organization, religious organization, or any other entity that performs conversion therapy. Provides that any public funds owed by the State to an organization performing conversion therapy shall be withheld from such organization, and any contract between the State and that organization shall be void.

Declares March 14, 2023 as "Equal Pay Day". 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.