Sen. Kimberly Lightford

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision relating to expungement of conviction records, a petitioner may petition the circuit court to expunge records of a conviction or plea of guilty for possession of not more than 10 grams of any substance containing cannabis or possession of drug paraphernalia seized in relation to possession of not more than 10 grams of any substance containing cannabis before July 29, 2016, (the effective date of Public Act 99-697) if 3 years or more have passed since the petitioner has completed his or her sentence.

Creates the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Act. Requires the Department of Employment Security to establish and administer a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program that provides family and medical leave insurance benefits to enable eligible employees to take paid family or medical leave for their own illness or to care for a newborn child, a newly adopted or newly placed foster child, or a family member with a serious health condition. Provides for the collection of payroll premiums beginning one year after the effective date of the Act and for benefits under the Act to be available one year after the commencement of premium collection. Sets forth eligibility requirements for benefits, including that the employee must have worked for the same employer for 12 weeks or more and worked 240 or more hours. Provides that the work requirements must be met annually. Defines "employer" as a person, partnership, corporation, association, labor placement agency, or other business entity that pays wages and any other employer subject to the Unemployment Insurance Act except the State and its political subdivisions and instrumentalities. Contains provisions concerning disqualification from benefits; premium payments; the amount and duration of benefits; the recovery of erroneous payments; hearings; defaulted premium payments; elective coverage; employment protection; coordination of family leave; and other matters. Provides phase-in periods for collection of moneys and claims for benefits under the Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account Fund. Effective January 1, 2020.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act to provide that in the case of sexual assault or sexual abuse by a school district employee or volunteer, nothing in the Act prohibits a school district from disclosing the disciplinary records of that person. Amends the School Code to require a school board to report all credible cases of sexual assault or sexual abuse by a licensed educator to the State Board of Education, to establish a hearing procedure for student victims, and to ensure that a licensed educator under investigation by the State Superintendent of Education is reassigned to non-classroom duty. Provides that, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, the State Board of Education must monitor all fingerprint-based criminal history records checks and any other database checks conducted by a school district or regional superintendent for applicants for employment with a school district. Makes changes concerning educator licensure and allegations of physical or sexual abuse. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to create the criminal offense of sexual conduct or sexual relations with a student by an authority figure. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 to require an arresting enforcement agency to share its reports pertaining to the arrest of a licensed educator with the superintendent of any school district that employs the educator (or, in the case of the arrest of a superintendent, with the school board of any school district that employs the superintendent). Amends the Personnel Record Review Act to provide that the Act does not prohibit a school district from divulging internal investigative findings and discipline to another school district. Effective immediately.

Urges healthcare providers to verify a patient or resident's military status and to provide training to staff on the best practices for providing healthcare to veterans.

Declares the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Day at the Capitol on March 27, 2019.

Amends the Illinois Youthbuild Act. In language providing that the Secretary of Human Services shall make grants to applicants for the purpose of carrying out approved Youthbuild programs, deletes language providing that the grantmaking is subject to appropriation. Effective July 1, 2019.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Auditor General to perform a performance and financial audit of the State's managed care medical assistance program. Provides that any safety-net hospital that received grant funding in State Fiscal Year 2019 shall not be obligated to pay any assessment amount, including penalties, that is past due and payable to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services until the Auditor General determines through the required audits that the average denial rate for MCO payments to safety-net hospitals is below 10%.

Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Prohibits an employer from: (i) screening job applicants based on their wage or salary history, (ii) requiring that an applicant's prior wages satisfy minimum or maximum criteria, and (iii) requesting or requiring as a condition of being interviewed or as a condition of continuing to be considered for an offer of employment that an applicant disclose prior wages or salary. Prohibits an employer from seeking the salary, including benefits or other compensation or salary history, of a job applicant from any current or former employer, with some exceptions. Limits defenses. Provides for penalties and injunctive relief. Effective 60 days after becoming law.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Youth Training and Education in the Building Trades Program to award grants to community-based organizations for the purpose of establishing training programs for youth with an interest in the building trades. Provides that under the training programs, each youth shall receive: (1) formal training and education in the fundamentals and core competencies in the youth's chosen trade; and (2) hands-on experience in the building trades by participating in community improvement projects involving the rehabilitation of vacant and abandoned residential property. Requires selected organizations to use the grant money to establish an entrepreneurship program to provide eligible youth with the capital and business management skills necessary to launch their own businesses. Contains provisions concerning residential property that is eligible for acquisition under the Program; the selection criteria for community-based organizations; and the Youth Training and Education in the Building Trades Fund. Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to establish a Training Youth in the Building Trades Program that is substantially similar to the Youth Training and Education in the Building Trades Program. Contains provisions concerning residential property that is eligible for acquisition under the Program; the selection criteria for community-based organizations; and the Training Youth in the Building Trades Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Youth Training and Education in the Building Trades Fund and the Training Youth in the Building Trades Fund. Effective January 1, 2020.

Amends the Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall make resources available for future and existing community gardens and farms located within urban areas of the State that seek to screen or test the soil for contaminants that could pose a hazard to human health.