Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair) Act. Provides that "race", as used in the Employment and Elementary, Secondary, and Higher Education Articles, includes traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 775 ILCS 5/1-103 Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 140/7.5 820 ILCS 112/11 820 ILCS 112/30 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to remove an exemption from disclosure for certain information under the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Requires employers with fewer than 100 employees to certify that they are exempt from specified provisions. Provides that a business subject to the equal pay registration certificate requirement on March 23, 2021 shall apply for and obtain an equal pay registration certificate between March 24, 2022 and March 23, 2024, rather than within 3 years after March 23, 2021. Provides that a business subject to the equal pay registration certificate requirement after March 23, 2021 shall apply for the certificate within 3 years of commencing business. Requires recertification every 2 years. Requires disclosure of information by county in which the employee works, beginning date of employment, and any other information the Department deems necessary to access pay equity. Provides that the business must disclose its approach to determining the level of wages and benefits payable to employees and identify differences in approach by title of classification employee. Provides that employees may obtain title and pay data. Permits the Department of Labor to share data with the Department of Human Rights and the Attorney General. With respect to violations of the Act by employers having 100 or more employees, authorizes a penalty of up to $10,000 per employee for violation other than equal pay certificate requirements and a penalty of $10,000 for violation of the equal pay certificate requirements. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides a 30-day opportunity to correct an inadvertent failure to file an initial application or recertification. With respect to equal pay certificates, limits the application of certain provisions of the Act to businesses that are required to file an Annual Employer Information Report EEO-1 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Provides that applicants have 30, rather than 15, days to cure deficiencies in an application. Provides that certain information disclosures by employees of the Department of Labor may constitute a violation of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. House Floor Amendment No. 4 Replaces provisions regarding the disclosure of confidential information by an employee involving findings by the Executive Inspector General and determinations of guilt under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that a Department of Labor employee who willfully and knowingly divulges, except in accordance with a proper judicial order or otherwise provided by law, confidential information received by the Department of Labor from any business pursuant to this Act shall be deemed to have violated the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act and be subject to the civil and criminal penalties established under specified provisions of that Act after investigation and opportunity for hearing before the Executive Ethics Commission under that Act.

Designates the section of Illinois Route 53 that passes by Illinois State Police Headquarters District 5 in Lockport as the "Trooper Richard G. Warner Memorial Highway".

Declares March 24, 2021 as Equal Pay Day, August 3, 2021 as Black Women's Equal Pay Day, September 8, 2021 as Native American Women's Equal Pay Day, and October 21, 2021 as Latina Equal Pay Day.

Designates the section of Illinois Route 59 from Caton Farm Road to Illinois Route 126 as the "PFC Andrew Meari Memorial Highway". House Floor Amendment No. 1 Changes the language concerning PFC Meari's military service.

Urges the General Assembly and the Governor's Administration to invest our transportation and infrastructure dollars as promised under Rebuild Illinois to make good on our collective commitment to fix our roads, bridges, and schools while creating jobs and opportunities for all residents of Illinois.

Declares May 29, 2021 as College Savings Day in the State of Illinois to help raise awareness about the escalating costs of higher education and the importance of saving for college with the help of 529 college savings plans.

Proposes to amend the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that employees shall have the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing for the purpose of negotiating wages, hours, and working conditions, and to protect their economic welfare and safety at work. Provides that no law shall be passed that interferes with, negates, or diminishes the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively over their wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment and work place safety, including any law or ordinance that prohibits the execution or application of agreements between employers and labor organizations that represent employees requiring membership in an organization as a condition of employment. Provides that these provisions are controlling over home rule powers. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Creates the COVID-19 Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program Act. Contains provisions for: the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance program; accessibility and transparency; process for further prioritizing applicants for financial assistance and housing stability services; and required notifications and correspondence. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes changes concerning the sealing of court files. Provides that certain new provisions concerning sealing of court files in a residential eviction action apply until August 1, 2022. Contains provisions for: the sealing of a court file in a residential eviction action; emergency sealing of a court file in a residential eviction action during the COVID-19 emergency and economic recovery period; and a temporary COVID-19 stay of certain foreclosure proceedings and filings. Makes corresponding changes to a provision regarding demand for rent and eviction actions. Makes corresponding changes in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Changes the definition of "administering State agency" to any agency or department of the State that is eligible to receive a direct federal allocation of federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds that will disburse funds and administer all or a portion of the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Deletes the definition of "recipient" or "program recipient". Provides that any State agency administering the program shall provide rental assistance (rather than "program recipients with relief payments") in an amount based on stated need rather than on a flat or fixed amount. Provides that the administering State agency shall make any joint program application forms available. Deletes language requiring the administering State agency to make program application forms for utility providers available. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Human Services) The source for the Rental Assistance Program is federal and pending the final determination of the agency responsible for implementing the Covid-19 Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program, The Department of Human Services does not anticipate a significant fiscal impact to the department to carry out the duties required by HB 2877. Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Human Services) The source for the Rental Assistance Program is federal and pending the final determination of the agency responsible for implementing the Covid-19 Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program, The Department of Human Services does not anticipate a significant fiscal impact to the department to carry out the duties required by HB 2877 House Amendment 1. Housing Affordability Impact Note (Housing Development Authority) The Illinois Housing Development Authority does not anticipate any State fiscal impact because funding used is all federal funds. Housing Affordability Impact Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (Housing Development Authority) The Illinois Housing Development Authority does not anticipate any State fiscal impact because funding used is all federal funds.

Urges county authorities throughout the State to utilize the Silver Search program more frequently.

Encourages high schools across the State to participate in the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness program to help address key barriers to the successful transition of Illinois high school students into college and careers.