Sen. Mike Halpin

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Opiate Antagonist Bulk Purchase Fund. Provides that the Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that the Fund shall be used by the Department of Public Health for bulk purchasing of opiate antagonists. Provides that the Fund may receive gifts, grants, bequests, donations, and moneys from any other source, public or private. Grants the Department of Public Health rulemaking powers. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Allows a school district to utilize a remote learning day in lieu of an emergency day provided for in the school calendar or because a school was selected as a polling place. Provides that the number of remote learning days used in a school year may not exceed 5 days and the district superintendent must approve a remote learning plan for the district before the district may utilize a remote learning day. Sets forth what the plan must address, the term of approval, and how the plan must be posted. Sets forth district requirements. Allows statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings to be administered via remote learning, allows for electronic communication for instruction and interaction between educators and students, and provides for rulemaking. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that the provisions of the Act apply to the construction or demolition of public works performed by an employee of a public body engaged in the construction or demolition of public works on behalf of another public body. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Lodging Services Human Trafficking Recognition Training Act. Provides that the State, school districts, and units of local government may not expend funds at a lodging establishment unless the lodging establishment has been certified by the Department of Human Services as providing human trafficking recognition training to its employees. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish a certification program.

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 Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall compile, on an annual basis, a list of the most in-demand jobs in this State, along with the starting salary, the median salary, and the typical education level for those jobs. Provides that the Board shall make the list available to the public on its Internet website. Effective July 1, 2023.

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.

Creates the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act. Establishes the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program within the Department of Human Services to help expand the availability of nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for Illinois' emergency food system. Provides that the program shall (1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to Illinois' emergency food system, and (2) provide grants to improve capacity of the emergency food system to allow for the proper transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural products to underserved areas. Provides that the program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Provides that foods shall be surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be safe for consumption. Provides that the program is subject to appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available funds to acquisition and distribution of food. Requires the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to engage a not-for-profit entity from Illinois' emergency food system to administer the program. Requires the administering entity to have statewide reach and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the Department. Contains provisions concerning the duties of the administering entity. Creates the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council to provide support to the program through facilitating relationship-building and partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and the emergency food system and other matters. Provides that the program may distribute food to those food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store, and distribute foods through the emergency food system and with the capacity to serve significant geographic areas within Illinois. Provides that the program shall distribute capacity-building grants for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments necessary to support the objectives of the program. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Adds language to provide that if a resident of a community college district wants to attend the community college maintained by the district of his or her residence, but the student wants to enroll in a program that is not offered by that community college and the community college does not have a contractual agreement for such a program, then the student may attend any recognized public community college in any other district and shall pay tuition and fees at the rate of the sending college. Sets forth provisions concerning financial assistance, a program directory, programmatic differences, application, enrollment, and completion of coursework, records and transcripts, the provision of services, athletic and other eligibility, and State grants. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Modifies procedures relating to forfeited properties, including that the procedures relate to forfeiture of tax liens and certificates, rather than forfeiture of property, and that the tax liens and certificates are forfeited to the county rather than the State. Modifies when a court must declare a sale to be a sale in error and how refunds of costs and taxes are to be refunded (removing interest on costs and taxes paid). Provides that, if a sale is declared to be a sale in error, the tax certificate shall be forfeited to the county as trustee. Provides that vacant nonfarm property and property containing a residential structure with at least 7 units sold under the Code may be redeemed at any time before the expiration of one year (rather than 6 months) from the date of the sale (removing restrictions on the delinquency or forfeiture status of the property). Modifies other provisions relating to the redemption of property, including the extension of the period of redemption. Modifies a provision relating to special assessments withdrawn (removing forfeiture language) and repeals other provisions about special assessments withdrawn or forfeited. Modifies provisions relating to notice of sale and redemption rights. Modifies various provisions concerning tax deeds. Repeals a provision concerning the denial of deeds. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.