Sen. Mike Halpin

Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Provides that an applicant may use an examination alternative to allow the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to ascertain the qualifications and fitness of candidates for a license to engage in the independent practice of clinical social work. Provides that the examination alternative shall consist of at least 2 years of supervised professional experience subsequent to obtaining the degree as established by rule. Provides that the examination alternative supervised professional experience shall be in addition to any other supervised clinical professional experience required for licensure. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, an applicant acquiring the examination alternative supervised professional experience must be a licensed social worker or licensed in this State for the practice of school social work prior to acquiring the supervised professional experience. Provides that the Department shall require that a qualified licensed clinical social work supervisor to complete at least 6 hours of continuing education training. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that a person who has been convicted of a felony is qualified to act as an executor if: (i) the testator names that person as an executor and expressly acknowledges in the will that the testator is aware that the person has been convicted of a felony; and (ii) the person is otherwise qualified to act as an executor.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, the Stalking No Contact Order Act, and the Civil No Contact Order Act. Allows a petition for a stalking no contact order or civil no contact order to be filed: by a member of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving within the State who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order; or by the Staff Judge Advocate of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving within the State on behalf of a named victim who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order only after receiving consent from the victim, and requires the petition to include a statement that the victim has consented to the Staff Judge Advocate filing the petition. Provides that nothing in the Civil No Contact Order Act precludes any Illinois court from enforcing a valid protective order issued by a military tribunal. Provides that a violation of a civil no contact order, when issued by a military tribunal, shall be enforced by a criminal court when the respondent commits the crime of violation of a civil no contact order. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. In a provision concerning expedited licensure for service members and spouses, provides that a department shall waive any application, examination, or licensure fee for a service member or the service member's spouse. Removes references to fees.

Amends the Vital Records Act. Requires death certificates to include (1) a "Yes" or "No" designation of whether the deceased was a veteran, (2) if the deceased was a veteran, a "Yes" or "No" designation of whether the deceased was receiving a compensatory pension or benefit at the time of his or her death for an illness or injury that may have contributed to his or her death, and (3) if the deceased is designated as having received a compensatory pension or benefit, a "Yes" or "No" designation of whether the illness or injury was a contributing cause or factor in the deceased's death.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides legislative findings. Provides that a primary goal of the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center is to develop a strategic plan for nursing workforce in the State by selecting priorities to be addressed, including: (1) for license renewals beginning in 2024 and each renewal thereafter, to develop and require the completion of a supply survey of all licensed nurses at initial licensure and each license renewal thereafter; and (2) no later than 2026, to develop a nurse demand and employer survey to be collected biennially.

Creates the Digital Forgeries Act. Provides that an individual depicted in a digital forgery has a cause of action against any person who, without the consent of the depicted individual, knowingly distributes a digital forgery, creates a digital forgery with intent to distribute, or solicits the creation of a digital forgery with the intent to distribute: (1) in order to harass, extort, threaten, or cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; (2) with reckless disregard for whether such a creation, distribution, reproduction, or manipulation will cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; or (3) in order to incite violence or interfere with an official proceeding. Allows a prevailing plaintiff to be awarded damages, costs, and additional relief. Allows the court to grant injunctive relief maintaining the confidentiality of a plaintiff using a pseudonym.

Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Establishes, subject to appropriation, the Division of Certified Youth Firesetter Interventionists within the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Provides that the Division shall consist of certified youth firesetter interventionists who conduct youth firesetter interventions when local authorities cannot do so on their own or when multiple local authorities in separate jurisdictions are involved. Describes the duties of the Division. Contains other provisions.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device, including using an electronic communication device to participate in any video conferencing application or to access any social media site. Excludes the exemptions that permit a driver to use an electronic communication device in hands-free or voice-operated mode or by pressing a single button to activate or terminate a voice communication when a person is using the electronic communication device to watch or stream video, participate in any video conferencing application, or access any social media site.

Amends provisions of the Lyme Disease Prevention and Protection Act concerning the Lyme Disease Task Force. Provides that one veterinarian appointed to the Task Force by the Director of Public Health must be a practicing Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Adds one medical entomologist appointed by the Director of Public Health to the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to meet not less than 4 (rather than 2) times each year.