Sen. Patricia Van Pelt

Amends the Payday Loan Reform Act. Provides that lenders must verify the identity of borrowers before making a loan under the Act. Requires inspection and copying of a government-issued identification document. Allows identifications to be made by licensees under the Currency Exchange Act and other licensees approved by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on behalf of lenders under the Payday Loan Reform Act.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for State Fiscal Years 2021 through 2024, an annual assessment on inpatient and outpatient services is imposed on each hospital provider, subject to other specified provisions. Contains provisions concerning a hospital's non-Medicaid gross revenue for State Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022. Contains provisions concerning the assignment of a pool allocation percentage for certain hospitals designated as a Level II trauma center; increased capitation payments to managed care organizations; the extension of certain assessments to July 1, 2022 (rather than July 1, 2020); reimbursements for inpatient general acute care services to non-publicly owned safety net hospitals, non-publicly owned critical access hospitals, hospital providers in high-need communities, and other facilities; the allocation of funds from the transitional access hospital pool; administrative rules for data collection and payment from the health disparities pay-for-collection pool; and other matters. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall have emergency rulemaking authority to implement the provisions of the amendatory Act concerning assessments. Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Removes provisions requiring the Department of Public Health to issue a Freestanding Emergency Center license to a facility that has discontinued inpatient hospital services and meets other requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue special registration plates designated as Defense Superior Service license plates to recipients awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal by a branch of the armed forces of the United States. Provides that no registration fee shall be charged for the issuance or renewal of a Defense Superior Service plate.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2022, a store may not sell or distribute in this State a disposable food service container that is composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt rules to implement the amendatory Act's provisions.

Creates the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that when a State contract is to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, an otherwise qualified bidder who will fulfill the contract through the use of compostable foodware or recyclable foodware may be given preference over other bidders unable to do so. Prohibits the procurement and use of single-use plastic disposable foodware at State parks, natural areas, and the Illinois State Fair. Provides that the prohibition does not apply to the procurement of single-use plastic disposable straws if a State agency is servicing medically vulnerable persons. Defines terms.

Creates the Healthy Workplace Act and amends the State Finance Act. Requires employers to provide specified paid sick days to employees. Sets forth the purposes for and manner in which the sick days may be used. Contains provisions regarding employer responsibilities, unlawful employer practices, and other matters. Provides that an employee who works in the State who is absent from work for specified reasons is entitled to earn and use a minimum of 40 hours of paid sick time during a 12-month period or a pro rata number of hours of paid sick time under the provisions of the Act. Provides that it is unlawful for an employer to interfere with, restrain, deny, change work days or hours scheduled to avoid paying sick time, or discipline an employee for the exercise of, or the attempt to exercise, any right provided under or in connection with the Act, including considering the use of paid sick time as a negative factor in an employment action that involves hiring, terminating, evaluating, promoting, disciplining, or counting the paid sick time under a no-fault attendance policy. Provides that any employer that the Department of Labor or a court finds by a preponderance of the evidence to have knowingly, repeatedly, or with reckless disregard violated any provision of the Act or any rule adopted under the Act is subject to a civil money penalty to be paid to the employee not to exceed $2,500 for each separate offense. Provides that the Department of Labor shall administer the Act. Authorizes individuals to file civil actions with respect to violations. Creates the Healthy Workplace Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Authorizes the Illinois Commerce Commission to extend the time for considering a certificate of service authority request by an alternative retail electric supplier under specified circumstances. Adds to the findings the Commission must make when granting a certificate of service authority for an alternative retail electric supplier. Requires an alternative retail electric supplier and an alternative gas supplier to provide the Commission and Attorney General the rates it charged to residential customers in the prior quarter. Requires an alternative retail electric supplier's marketing materials that include a price per kilowatt-hour for competitive electricity service include a specific statement that the alternative retail electric supplier is not the same entity as the customer's electric utility delivery company and directing the customer to the Commission's website. Requires an alternative retail electric supplier to provide notices to residential customers concerning certain rate changes. Provides that complaints against an alternative retail electric supplier may be filed with the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall ensure alternative retail electric suppliers and alternative gas suppliers have proper training in place to prohibit impersonation of a utility, investigate complaints, and impose fines for each incident. Provides that the Commission may establish a program for promising expanded use of energy savings programs for residential and small commercial customers. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. In provisions concerning electric service provider selection, provides that suppliers shall maintain and preserve an electronic version of third-party verifications if automated. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning in State fiscal year 2020, the specified income threshold shall be no less than 200% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Effective July 1, 2019.

Amends the School Code. Provides that in fixing the salaries of teachers, a school board shall pay those who serve on a full-time basis a rate not less than (i) $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year, (ii) $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year, (iii) $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year, and (iv) $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year. Provides that the minimum salary rate for each school year thereafter, subject to review by the General Assembly, shall equal the minimum salary rate for the previous school year increased by a percentage equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor for the previous school year. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that, on or before January 31, 2020, the Professional Review Panel must submit a report to the General Assembly on how State funds and funds distributed under the evidence-based funding formula may aid the financial effects of the changes made by the amendatory Act. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/24-8 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/21B-20 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/27A-10 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code to allow a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to an applicant who, among other qualifications, has passed a paraprofessional competency test (instead of allowing the endorsement to be issued only if the applicant holds an associate's degree or a minimum number of higher education credits). Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the test. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the Code to require charter school employees in instructional positions to have passed a content area knowledge test. Makes changes concerning obsolete language. Effective immediately.