Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, all internships for school social workers must be paid internships. Provides that subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts to assist in the funding of these paid internships. Provides that the State Board of Education shall annually disseminate a request for applications to the grant program. Provides that higher priority shall be given to schools that demonstrate a shortage of school social workers, which is determined by the average ratio of school social workers to students in the target school district over the preceding 3 school years. Provides that the State Board of Education shall produce an annual report on the program. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to colleges or universities in the State to fund field placements for social workers. Provides that subject to appropriation, colleges and universities shall annually disseminate a request for applications to the grant program. Provides that colleges and universities, upon receiving funding, shall provide applications to students eligible for this funding. Provides that the college or university shall give priority to applicants who are a member of a racial minority. Provides that each college or university that receives funds shall provide an annual report to the Board of Higher Education and the Board of Higher Education shall publish those reports on the Board's website. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Removes the repeal date for the short-term substitute teacher training program. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning short-term substitute teacher licenses, removes the June 30, 2023 expiration date for issuing short-term substitute teacher licenses. Removes the licensing fees for short-term substitute teacher, substitute teaching, and professional teaching licenses.
Amends the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act. Creates the Youth Nonviolent Crimes Resource Program. Provides that the Criminal Justice Information Authority shall provide resources to people under the age of 18 who have committed a nonviolent crime. Provides that these resources shall include youth employment initiatives throughout the State, access to educational resources in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education, and parental mentorship training conducted by the Department of Human Services. Provides that the Authority shall develop a mentorship initiative for youth that have been convicted of a nonviolent crime. Provides that the Authority may establish a grant program for non-profit organizations. Provides that the Authority shall publish this program on its website by no later than January 1, 2024. Effective immediately.
Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government that has submitted a distressed location project as defined by Department of Natural Resources rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement projects on distressed location projects. Provides that no less than 10% of the amount appropriated under the Act in any fiscal year shall be made available as grants to distressed communities.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that, for a group policy of accident and health insurance providing coverage for more than 25 employees that provides pregnancy related benefits that is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed in this State after the effective date of the amendatory Act, if a covered individual obtains, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, a recommendation approving the covered individual to seek in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian tube transfer, or zygote intrafallopian tube transfer based on any of the following: the covered individual's medical, sexual, and reproductive history; the covered individual's age; physical findings; or diagnostic testing, then the procedure shall be covered without any other restrictions or requirements.
Creates the Music and Musicians Tax Credit and Jobs Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may award credits to qualified music companies. Creates the Music Education Scholarship Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education may award scholarships to applicants who are enrolled in or accepted for admission to an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree program in music education and who agree to meet certain teaching obligations. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates certain income tax credits for theater infrastructure projects. Amends the Live Theater Production Tax Credit Act. Renames the Act as the Live Music and Theater Production Tax Credit Act. Provides that the Act also applies to musical performances.
Creates the Safety Moratorium on Carbon Dioxide Pipelines Act. Establishes a temporary statewide moratorium on construction of carbon dioxide pipelines until certain studies at the federal and State levels are conducted. Details requirements for the State study regarding the safety of carbon dioxide pipelines, which include receiving input from first responders, analyzing pipeline ruptures or leaks in a variety of settings, and recommending setbacks and funding based on that analysis. Provides that pending applications for carbon dioxide pipelines shall be held in abeyance. Provides for expiration of the temporary moratorium after any of the following: 4 years; when new safety standards pursuant to required studies are established; or upon adoption of certain Illinois legislation, including setbacks for safe evacuation, specifications limiting eminent domain, funding for first responders, funding for required actions at carbon sequestration sites, expanded monitoring at carbon sequestration sites, specification for long-term liability in the event of a disaster, a ban on the use of captured carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery, emissions limits for air pollutants, requirements regarding greenhouse gas lifecycle analysis with prohibitions on carbon capture unless certain showings are made, a mandate that alternatives to capture be evaluated, public participation opportunities, and additional protections, including a prohibition related to protecting "sole source" aquifers designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Defines terms. Makes findings. Effective immediately.
Creates the Caregiver Repayment Program Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to develop and implement, by January 1, 2025, a Caregiver Repayment Program that shall provide payments to caregivers of children with severe medical needs who are ineligible for benefits under the State's Medical Assistance Program. Requires the Caregiver Repayment Program to provide payments in the most integrated and cost-effective way possible in order to utilize available funding to assist as many children and families as possible. Provides that payments under the program may not exceed $10,000 per family per year; and that eligibility for payments through the program must be determined solely based on medical necessity. Requires the Department to submit annual reports to the Governor and the General Assembly, beginning January 1, 2026, that includes, but is not limited to, information on: (i) the total amount of funding spent on the program, including State and federal funds; (ii) the number of children served through the program; (iii) the types of services required by children whose caregivers received funding through the program; and (iv) the income range of caregivers receiving payments through the program. Permits the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 10% of the manufacturing capital expenditures incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year or, if the taxpayer is located in a rural or economically challenged area, 15% of the manufacturing capital expenditures. Provides that the total amount of credits awarded under these provisions may not exceed $10,000,000 for any particular taxpayer in any taxable year, except that, if the capital investment is made in a rural or economically challenged area, then the maximum amount of the credit shall be $20,000,000. Effective immediately.
Appropriates $52,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for financial assistance and administrative costs associated with the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Act. Appropriates $4,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Board of Higher Education for financial assistance and for administrative costs associated with implementation of the Act. Appropriates $4,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Community College Board for financial assistance and for administrative costs associated with implementation of the Act. Effective July 1, 2024.