Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Provides that a school building's emergency and crisis response plan, protocol, and procedures shall include a plan for local law enforcement to rapidly enter a school building in the event of an emergency.
Amends the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, each institution shall create a 4-year uniform admission system pilot program to admit community college transfer students for each semester of the pilot program. Exempts a university that already has a uniform admission policy for transfer students equal to or less restrictive than that prescribed in the amendatory Act. Sets forth minimum requirements for guaranteeing admission. Provides that institutions may establish or implement less restrictive uniform admission transfer policies.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program, provides that in addition to other monetary assistance and incentives, if adequate funds are available, retention bonuses of $4,000 per year for 2 consecutive years shall be awarded to National Board certified teachers employed in hard-to-staff schools. This bonus shall be distributed to the respective school district or directly to the qualified educators. Provides that the State Board of Education's annual budget shall set out a separate line item for the appropriation of this bonus.
Creates the Firefighter Training Leave of Absence Act. Defines terms. Provides that a State employee shall be granted leave from his or her State employment for firefighter training as follows: (1) on one occasion, for up to 200 hours, to participate in training necessary to obtain Basic Operations Firefighter certification from the State Fire Marshal while attending a State Fire Marshal-approved fire academy; and (2) special or advanced training annually, not to exceed 80 hours, after obtaining Basic Operations Firefighter certification from the State Fire Marshal for courses that will lead to additional certification by the State Fire Marshal. Provides that, during leaves for basic, special, or advanced training, the State employee shall continue to receive his or her regular compensation as a State employee, but, if the State employee receives compensation for basic, special, or advanced training, the State employee shall receive his or her regular compensation as a State employee minus the amount of his or her compensation for basic, special, or advanced training. Provides that a State employee who wishes to obtain a leave of absence under this Act shall request in advance for the leave of absence and may take the leave of absence only after obtaining approval from the State employee's agency.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Resources shall partner with the State Board of Education to provide technical assistance for the provision of mental health care during school days with the goal of increasing the availability and accessibility of mental health resources for students. Provides that the Department shall report to the General Assembly on the implementation of the technical assistance provision no later than July 1, 2025. Provides for rulemaking by the Department and the State Board of Education.
Amends the Security Deposit Return Act. Removes language that requires a lessor of residential real property who is restricted from withholding any part of a security deposit from a lessee without furnishing an itemized statement to the lessee to be a lessor of a residential real property containing 5 or more units.
Amends the State Treasurer Act. Provides that any entity may make contributions to an ABLE account. Makes changes concerning privacy of ABLE account information. Provides that the ABLE Account Program may also be referred to as the Senator Scott Bennett ABLE Program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act. Provides that a soil and water conservation district may request that the Department of Transportation install a sign related to the district on an existing or new Department sign post or pole in a public right-of-way. Provides that the Department must manufacture and install the sign and that the district must reimburse the Department only for the reasonable cost of manufacturing the sign.
Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish a competitive grant program to support the development or enhancement of computer science programs in the K-12 schools. Provides that eligible entities are regional offices of education, intermediate service centers, State higher education institutions, schools designated as laboratory schools, and school districts. Provides that approved entities shall be responsible for ensuring appropriate facilities are available and educators are appropriately trained on the use of any technologies or devices acquired for the purposes of the grant. Sets forth requirements to use the grant, renewal provisions, and rulemaking.
Amends the State Comptroller Act. Deletes a provision that requires the Comptroller's list of State employees to describe the counties in which employees reside. Provides that an itemized voucher for under $5 that is presented to the Comptroller for payment may be paid through electronic funds transfer. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that, when any special fund in the State Treasury has been inactive for 18 months or longer, the Comptroller may (rather than shall) terminate the fund. Provides that any rule adopted by the Comptroller for the use of purchasing cards by State agencies to pay for purchases that otherwise may be paid out of the agency's petty cash fund shall impose a single transaction limit not greater than $1000 (previously $500).
