Sen. Adriane Johnson

Amends the Illinois State Collection Act of 1986. Provides that except in the case of fraud, if a State agency fails to provide a debtor with written notice and a demand for payment of any debt, accounts, or claims owed to the State agency with 5 years of when the State agency's right to collect the debt first accrued, then the State agency is barred from attempting to collect such debt, accounts, or claims owed to it by the debtor. Amends the Personal Actions Part of the Limitations Article of the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that except in the case of fraud or where facts material to the State agency's right to collect the debt were not known nor could reasonably have been known by the State agency's official charged with the responsibility to discover and collect the debt, an action by a State agency may not be conducted more than 5 years after the State agency's right to collect the debt first accrued.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, removes the provision that requires the teacher performance assessment to be approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. Provides instead that each teacher preparation program in this State may use any evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness that aligns to current State teaching standards. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Developmental Disability and Mental Disability Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish the Long-Term Stabilization Support Program consisting of at least 8 homes across the State and the Short-Term Stabilization Support Program consisting of at least 10 homes across the State. Provides for the requirements of each program. Provides that the Department shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly and Governor that outlines the progress and effectiveness of the programs beginning December 31, 2025. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to develop and implement the programs. Provides for the repeal of the Article on January 1, 2028.

Amends the State Finance Act. Adds uses for which the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund may be used, and adds amounts that will be transferred from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund until 2033 (rather than ending in 2023). Provides that the Partners for Conservation Fund is eligible to receive grants, gifts, and awards from any public or private entity for the purpose of expanding financial and technical assistance in order to advance nutrient loss reduction efforts within priority watersheds. Amends the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act. Defines terms. Creates the Illinois Healthy Soils and Watersheds Initiative to improve the health of soils and the function of watersheds through efforts that support the implementation of the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, reduce nutrient loss, improve soil and water quality, protect drinking water, increase the resilience of ecosystems to extreme weather events, protect and improve agricultural productivity, and support aquatic and wildlife habitat. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall adopt and revise guidelines to assist soil and water conservation districts in determining local goals and needs for implementing soil health and watershed conservation projects consistent with the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Provides that, after the Department has adopted its guidelines, each soil and water conservation district shall develop its own goals and needs assessment to guide implementation of the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Includes provisions about compliance and standards cost sharing, Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy alignment for State-owned, State-managed, and State-leased agricultural lands, and Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy reports. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that no person, other than a pesticide applicator under the direct supervision of a supervisory pesticide applicator, may apply a pesticide within any school building or on the grounds of any school. Exempts emergency application of a pesticide meeting specified requirements from the provisions.

Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. Makes changes to the probationary periods pertaining to attaining contractual continued service. For the first probationary period, requires the teacher to be employed for 3 (rather than 4) consecutive school terms of service in which the teacher receives overall annual evaluation ratings of at least "Proficient" in the second and third school terms (rather than overall annual evaluation ratings of at least "Proficient" in the last school term and at least "Proficient" in either the second or third school term). For the second probationary period, requires the teacher to serve for 2 (rather than 3) consecutive school terms of service in which the teacher receives 2 (rather than 3) overall annual evaluations of "Excellent". Effective July 1, 2023.

Creates the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as Zachary's Parent Protection Act. Provides that an employee of a large employer that employs 250 or more full-time employees is entitled to use a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide. Provides that an employee of a small employer that employs at least 50 but fewer than 250 full-time employees is entitled to use a maximum of 6 weeks of unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide. Provides that leave may be taken in a single continuous period or intermittently in increments of no less than 4 hours, but leave must be completed within one year after the employee notifies the employer of the loss. Permits an employer to require reasonable advance notice of the employee's intention to leave and reasonable documentation. Provides that an employee who takes leave under the Act is entitled to be restored to the position of employment held by the employee when the leave commenced or to be restored to an equivalent position. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to entitle any restored employee the accrual of any seniority or employment benefits during any period of leave. Provides that the Act does not extend the maximum period of leave to which an employee is entitled under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or under any other paid or unpaid leave provided under federal, State or local law, a collective bargaining agreement, or an employment benefits program or plan. Prohibits an employer from taking any adverse action against an employee who exercises his or her rights under the Act. Requires the Department of Labor to enforce the Act. Provides that a person who uses leave under either the Child Bereavement Leave Act or the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act may not take leave under the other Act, and amends the Child Bereavement Leave Act accordingly.

Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Provides that the Illinois Housing Development Authority (Authority) may develop a program that provides incentives for the development of affordable housing projects that incorporate urban and suburban gardening programs. Provides that under the program, the University of Illinois shall be consulted regarding best practices in urban gardening and farming, including vertical gardening, aquaponics, and community gardening. Provides that an affordable housing project that incorporates an urban or suburban gardening program must provide any land, buildings, or tools necessary to develop and maintain the garden or farm. Provides that under the program, the Authority shall also coordinate and collaborate with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create distribution networks that link urban and suburban gardens with local businesses in order to facilitate the sale and distribution of locally-grown agricultural products and food stuffs to consumers residing within the local community. Provides that the Authority and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may adopt any rules necessary to implement the program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the operator of the ambulance or rescue vehicle shall have documented, specified, training in the operation of an ambulance or rescue vehicle prior to operating that vehicle. In municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or under, requires the siren and lamp or lamps on an ambulance or a rescue vehicle to be in operation at all times when pedestrians and other drivers are present (instead of when it is reasonably necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach thereof) during a trip or journey when the ambulance or rescue vehicle is either responding to a bona fide emergency call or specifically directed by a licensed physician to disregard traffic laws in operating the ambulance during and for the purpose of the specific trip or journey that is involved. Provides an ambulance or rescue vehicle shall be operated in complete conformance with other motor vehicle laws and regulations when the speed of the ambulance or rescue vehicle exceeds 25 miles per hour (instead of 40 miles per hour).