Sen. Adriane Johnson

Maddy summaryThis bill designates July 2024 as Parks and Recreation Month to highlight the importance of public parks and recreational activities. The resolution serves as a formal declaration rather than creating new laws or funding requirements. It directly affects state officials and local communities by encouraging awareness and celebration of these resources during the specified month.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that, for community-based providers serving persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities, subject to federal approval of any relevant Waiver Amendment, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2025 shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide a $3 per hour wage rate increase for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings, with at least $1.50 of those funds to be provided as a direct increase to base wages and the remaining $1.50 to be used flexibly for base wage increases. Provides that the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2025 shall include an increase sufficient to provide wages for all residential non-executive direct care staff, excluding direct support personnel, at the federal Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage as defined by rule by the Department of Human Services. Provides that for facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the ID/DD Community Care Act as ID/DD facilities and under the MC/DD Act as MC/DD facilities, subject to federal approval of a State Plan Amendment, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2025, shall include a $3 per hour wage rate increase for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings, with at least $1.50 of those funds to be provided as a direct increase to all aide base wages and the remaining $1.50 to be used flexibly for base wage increases to the rate methodology for aides. Provides that for residential services delivered on or after January 1, 2025, the rates shall include an increase sufficient to provide wages for all residential non-executive direct care staff, excluding aides, at the federal Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage as determined by the Department. Requires the Department to adopt rules, including emergency rules, to implement the amendatory Act.

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 Whistleblower Act. Changes the definitions of "employer" and "employee". Defines "adverse employment action", "public body", "retaliatory action", and "supervisor". Provides that an employer may not take retaliatory action against an employee who discloses or threatens to disclose information about an activity, policy, or practice of the employer that the employee has a good faith belief that such activity, policy, or practice violates a State or federal law, rule, or regulation or poses a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. Includes additional relief, damages, and penalties for violation of the Act. Allows the Attorney General to initiate or intervene in a civil action to obtain appropriate relief if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person or entity is engaged in a practice prohibited by the Act. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to claims arising or complaints filed on or after January 1, 2025. Effective January 1, 2025.

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.

Creates the Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Station Act. Requires the Department of Transportation to ensure that charging stations in the State are sufficiently accessible to allow independent use by drivers with disabilities, including people who have limited or no hand dexterity, limb differences, or upper extremity amputations and use adaptive driving controls. Requires chargers designed to serve people who use mobility devices to be located on an accessible route. Provides that the Department shall adopt the technical requirements for accessible routes established under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the federal Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA), including walking surfaces, curb ramps, and ramps. Establishes that a charging space with mobility features must provide a vehicle space with a minimum width of at least 11 feet and a minimum length of at least 20 feet. Requires chargers to provide a clear floor or ground space. Requires clear floor or ground spaces to meet ADA requirements for ground and floor surfaces, including criteria for firmness, stability, and slip resistance. Provides that a reasonable number of chargers, as determined by the Department, shall comply with ADA operable parts requirements, including technical requirements for clear floor or ground space, reach ranges, and operation. Provides that a connector must allow operation with one hand and no tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist, and with no more than 5 pounds of force. Provides that all chargers operated or maintained by any entity within the State must comply with the technical requirements for hardware under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Grants rulemaking authority. Defines terms.

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 Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, a person or entity shall not manufacture, sell, deliver, distribute, hold, or offer for sale a food product for human consumption that contains brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, or red dye 3. Provides that a person or entity that violates the prohibition shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation and not to exceed $10,000 for each subsequent violation. Makes a conforming change.

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Deletes language regarding the amount a court shall award to a person for time unjustly served in prison when the person imprisoned received a pardon on the ground of innocence of the crime for which he or she was imprisoned or he or she received a certificate of innocence. Provides instead that the court shall award $50,000 per year during which the person was wrongfully imprisoned and shall prorate that amount for a fraction of a year that the person was wrongfully imprisoned, including the number of years the person was awaiting trial. Provides that the court shall award attorney's fees in an amount not to exceed 25% of the award granted. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to all claims pending or filed on or after the effective date. Effective immediately.