Sen. Mattie Hunter

Mourns the death of Michael Brett Carmouche.

Commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act enacted by the United States Congress and reiterates support for a closer economic and trade partnership between the United States and Taiwan.

Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that a home care consumer in the Department of Human Services' Home Services Program has the right and discretion to: (1) select and hire a personal assistant or other individual provider of his or her choice; and (2) determine the number of hours per week his or her personal assistant or other individual provider may work. Provides that, subject to the Department's authority to approve the total monthly hours in a home care consumer's service plan, no limitation shall be imposed on the number of hours per week a personal assistant or other individual provider may work unless the following conditions are satisfied: (A) as an exception to any limit imposed by the Department, a personal assistant or other individual provider may work and be paid for all hours worked up to at least 66 hours per week if the personal assistant or other individual provider works for a home care consumer who: (i) receives services under a court-ordered service plan; (ii) has a Determination of Need score of 70 or above; or (iii) has an exceptional care rate; (B) the Department shall establish an exceptions and appeals process that permits a home care consumer to request an exception to any limit imposed by the Department up to a maximum of no less than 66 hours per week; and (C) if the home care consumer would face a serious risk of institutionalization, the Department shall work with the home care consumer to ensure that appropriate care in the community will be provided, whether through authorized overtime or another solution. Provides that nothing shall limit the Department's authority under any other statute to disqualify an individual from providing services in the Department's Home Services Program for reasons other than the number of weekly hours worked by the individual.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that whenever a grant or a contract liability exceeding $100,000 (currently, $20,000) is incurred by any State agency, a copy of the contract, purchase order, grant, or lease shall be filed with the Comptroller within 30 calendar days thereafter.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Deletes language providing that "employee" does not include members of the immediate personal staffs of elected public officials.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. With regard to local school council members, provides that an individual is ineligible for election or appointment to a local school council if he or she appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Provides that if the general superintendent, upon a check, determines at any time that a local school council member or member-elect appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, the general superintendent must notify the local school council member or member-elect of such determination and the local school council member or member-elect must be removed from the local school council by the school board, subject to a hearing, convened pursuant to board rule, prior to removal. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a local school council member must comply with all applicable board rules and policies regarding employees or volunteers if he or she engages in school activities beyond the scope of his or her official duty as a council member. Removes provisions regarding ineligibility for election or appointment of a local school council member based on a criminal conviction.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that the rates and minimum mandated wage increases for homemaker services shall be, at a minimum, as of January 1, 2019, a rate of $19.96 per hour, for a minimum wage of $12 per hour, and as of July 1, 2019, a rate of $21.64 per hour for a minimum wage of $13 per hour. Provides that rates in future State fiscal years shall be no lower than the rates in effect on July 1, 2019. Provides that in-home service provider agencies shall be required to certify to the Department on Aging that they are in compliance with the mandated wage increase for direct service workers. Provides that fringe benefits, including, but not limited to, any paid time off, payment for training, health insurance, travel, or transportation payment, shall not be reduced in relation to these rate increases. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation authorized under specified provisions. Provides that any existing rule, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation is void. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides for a scoring methodology for competitive sealed proposals under the Act. Provides that no vendor shall be eligible for renewal of a contract when that vendor has failed to demonstrate a good faith effort towards meeting the goals established in the utilization plan, or that vendor is not otherwise excused from compliance under the Business Enterprise Program Act. Provides for annual diversity training and a report on such training. Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that when a State agency or public institution of higher education issues requests for proposals or solicitations that fall within a service or product offering that has a history of disparate awards to a class of business owners that are underrepresented in contract awards, it shall be the aspirational goal to use service or product providers owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities for not less than 20% of the total dollar amount of that State contract. Provides that each State agency and institution of higher education shall include in its report on its utilization of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities a plan to increase the diversity of the vendors engaged in contracts with the State agency or public institution of higher education, with a particular focus on the most underrepresented in contract awards. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Architectural, Engineering, and Land Surveying Qualifications Based Selection Act. In a Section concerning small contracts under the Act, provides that specified provisions do not apply to architectural, engineering, and land surveying contracts with an estimated basic professional services fee of less than $100,000 (currently, $25,000).