Sen. Kimberly Lightford

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SR 102) honoring Andrew Cornelious Sr., a resident of Maywood, Illinois, who passed away on January 24, 2025. The resolution formally mourns his death and extends condolences to his family, acknowledging his lifelong community service, work at General Motors, founding of Cousins Lawn Care Services, and involvement with Second Baptist Church. As a memorial resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on any legislation or constituents. It was adopted by the Illinois Senate on February 20, 2025.

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the two Houses shall convene in Joint Session on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the hour of 12:00 o'clock noon for the purpose of hearing his Excellency Governor JB Pritzker present to the General Assembly his Budget Message for the Fiscal Year 2026, as required by Chapter 15, Section 20/50-5 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes.

Affirms the importance and targeted value of the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship in increasing diversity in the teacher workforce. Celebrates the support that the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship has offered to aspiring teachers to date and the scholarship's role in growing the diversity of teacher preparation in Illinois. Urges the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to continue to administer the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship in order to support aspiring teachers of color to enter the teaching profession. Urges the State of Illinois and its entities to continue to support efforts grounded in research and data that increase the diversity of the educator workforce in order to improve outcomes for all students in this State.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural bill (Senate Resolution 4) that adopts the standard rules governing Senate operations for Illinois' 104th General Assembly. It primarily affects all Illinois State Senators, committee members, and Senate leadership by establishing the procedural framework for legislative business. The resolution incorporates nearly identical definitions and rules from the previous (103rd) Assembly, including terms like "Chair," "Committee," "Majority," and "Minority Leader" to guide Senate procedures. It does not create new policy or impact citizens, as it solely sets internal rules for how the Senate conducts its work.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that a "disruption event" includes any planned or unplanned work on or damage to a fire hydrant. Changes the term "health care facility list" to "disruption notification list". Requires a public water distribution entity to also notify all affected fire departments and all affected dispatch centers on the public water supply's disruption notification list not less than 14 days before any known, planned, or anticipated disruption event or that are served by the public water supply and affected by any unplanned disruption event in the public water supply's water distribution system. Requires a fire department and a dispatch center to designate an email address to receive electronic notifications from the public water distribution entity concerning planned or unplanned disruption events.

Creates the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Nelson Mandela Act. Provides that, except as otherwise provided in the Act, the use of isolated confinement in correctional facilities in the State shall be restricted as follows: (1) a committed person may not be placed in isolated confinement for more than 10 consecutive days; (2) a committed person may not be placed in isolated confinement for more than 10 days in any 180-day period; and (3) while out of cell, committed persons may have access to activities, including, but not limited to: job assignments, educational classes, vocational classes, meals, recreation, yard or gymnasium, day room, bathing facilities, medical appointments, visits, and group therapy. Provides that a committed person in protective custody may opt out of that status by providing informed, voluntary, written refusal of that status. Provides that nothing in the Act is intended to restrict any rights or privileges a committed person may have under any other statute, rule, or regulation. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall post on the Department's official website quarterly reports on the use of isolated confinement. Provides that these reports shall not include personally identifiable information regarding any committed person. Defines terms. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors the life of Reverend Dr. Wilson Daniels, a retired pastor of the United Baptist Church in Chicago who passed away in November 2024. The bill formally expresses the state's condolences to his family and friends while acknowledging his decades of community service, which included establishing food pantries, housing programs, and educational scholarships. It also directs that a copy of the resolution be given to the Daniels family as a gesture of sympathy. This document is a commemorative measure and does not create new laws or alter existing policies.

Amends the Massage Licensing Act. Provides that, immediately after a person licensed under the Act has been charged with the offense of prostitution, rape, or sexual misconduct or with any crime that subjects the licensee to compliance with the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration Act, then the prosecuting attorney shall provide notice to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the licensee's name, address, practice address, and license number and a copy of the criminal charges filed. Provides that, within 5 business days after receiving notice from the prosecuting attorney, the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation shall issue an administrative order that the licensee shall practice only with a chaperone who is a licensed health care worker present during all patient encounters pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings. Provides that the chaperone shall provide written notice to all of the licensee's patients before treatment explaining the Department's order to use a chaperone and each patient shall sign an acknowledgment that he or she received the notice. Provides that, within 5 business days after receipt of the administrative order, the licensee shall provide to the Department a written plan of compliance with the administrative order that is acceptable to the Department. Provides that failure to comply with the administrative order, failure to file a compliance plan, or failure to follow the compliance plan shall subject the licensed massage therapist to temporary suspension of his or her license until the completion of the criminal proceedings. Provides that, if the licensee is not convicted of the charge or if any conviction is later overturned by a reviewing court, the administrative order shall be vacated and removed from the licensee's record. Provides that the Department may adopt rules to implement the provisions. Effective immediately.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Kinship in Demand (KIND) Act. Provides that the KIND Act creates the statutory vision and authority for the Department of Children and Family Services to execute a kin-first approach to service delivery and directs the juvenile courts to provide necessary oversight of the Department's obligations to maintain family connections and promote equitable opportunities for youth and families to thrive with relational permanence. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Contains provisions concerning Department rules on relative, kinship, and licensed foster care; grants to subsidized guardians of hard-to-place children; a requirement on the Department to make reasonable efforts to place a child with a relative; documentation of the Department's reasons for failing to secure a relative placement; foster care maintenance payments for relatives who qualify for certification as a kinship caregiver home; subsidized guardianship support services for children and their guardians; certification and background checks on relative caregivers; annual reports regarding relative and kinship care placements; performance audits; and other matters. Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Requires the Department to adopt standards for certifying kinship caregiver family homes that are different from licensing standards used for non-relative foster family homes. Contains provisions concerning background screenings of prospective kinship caregivers; a requirement that the Department assist relatives and prospective kinship caregivers with completing the steps required for approval as a kinship caregiver home; orientation activities for prospective kinship caregivers; Guardianship Assistance Program payments and services for relative caregivers; and other matters. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Makes changes to provisions concerning "best interest" determinations; emergency placement of a minor with a willing relative pending a temporary custody hearing; court assessments on the Department's effort to place a minor with a relative; court ordered family-finding efforts; required notification to a minor's located relatives that the minor has been removed from the custody of the minor's parents; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2025, a person convicted of a felony, or otherwise under sentence in a correctional institution, shall have his or her right to vote restored and shall be eligible to vote not later than 14 days following his or her conviction. Provides that a person who is serving a sentence in a correctional institution starting prior to January 1, 2025 shall have his or her right to vote restored not later than January 14, 2025. Provides that a person may not be denied the right to vote because of a past criminal conviction. Provides that each local election authority shall coordinate with the correctional institution, Illinois Department of Corrections, and other correctional agencies incarcerating eligible voters to facilitate voting by mail for those voters eligible to vote in that election jurisdiction who are incarcerated in the correctional institution. Provides that the Attorney General, any individual aggrieved by a violation of these provisions, any entity whose membership includes individuals aggrieved by a violation of these provisions, any entity whose mission would be frustrated by a violation of these provisions, or any entity that would expend resources in order to fulfill its mission as a result of a violation of these provisions may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction. Provides that the Act is intended to benefit and protect the rights of individual voters and to provide a remedy for infringing on the rights granted under this Act. Amends the Re-Entering Citizens Civics Education Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Reintegration and Civic Empowerment Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall conduct the civics peer education program each of the 3 sessions not less than twice a month at each correctional institution totaling not less than 6 sessions per month at each correctional institution. Provides that the civics peer education program and workshops must be made available to all committed persons regardless of the date they were first committed or the length of their sentence. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2025.