Sen. Scott M. Bennett

Amends the School Code. Provides that a substitute teacher may teach up to 120 (instead of 90) school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that substitute teachers may teach up to 120 school days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year through the 2022-2023 school year.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to issue a substitute teaching license to those individuals enrolled in a regionally accredited institution of higher education who have earned at least 60 credits and are enrolled in an Illinois-approved educator preparation program. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Instead of requiring an applicant for a Substitute Teaching License to hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, allows an applicant to be enrolled in an approved educator preparation program in this State and have earned at least 90 credit hours.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who is at least 18 years of age and will be using the Educator License with Stipulations exclusively for elementary education. Makes a corresponding change. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill, but allows a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to an applicant who is at least 18 years of age only until the individual reaches the age of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a paraprofessional educator endorsement.

Amends the School Code. Provides that an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may teach up to 15 (instead of 5) consecutive days per licensed teacher who is under contract. Provides that a school district may hire an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License for teacher absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who is under contract, if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon the payment by the applicant of a $50 penalty (rather than a $500 penalty). Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits from a State of Illinois retirement system shall be listed as retired (instead of shall notify the State Board of Education using the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS)). Provides that if a licensee retires during a renewal cycle, the license status must be updated using ELIS indicating that the licensee wishes to maintain the license in retired status (instead of requiring the licensee to notify the State Board of Education using ELIS that the licensee wishes to maintain the license in retired status). Provides that an individual with a license in retired status shall not be required to complete professional development activities (rather than shall not be required to complete professional development activities or pay registration fees) until returning to a position that requires educator licensure. Provides that upon returning to work in a position that requires a Professional Educator License, the license status shall immediately be updated using ELIS (instead of the licensee shall immediately pay a registration fee). Provides that a retired teacher, even if returning to a position that requires educator licensure, shall not be required to pay registration fees.

Declares May 4, 2022 as Firefighters Day in the State of Illinois to honor the fearless men and women who selflessly risk their lives to save others. Thanks current firefighters for their dedication to protecting the public and remember those who have died in the line of duty. Recognizes the families of firefighters for their endless sacrifices.

Directs the Auditor General to conduct an audit of Medicaid MCOs.

Amends the School Code to require the State Board of Education to prepare a parent resource guide to provide a centralized source of the assistance, support, advocacy, and resources available to the parent or guardian of a student who is or may be the victim of sexual abuse. Provides for up to 2 teachers institute days for child abuse prevention training and sexual harassment prevention training, and requires training for school personnel on child sexual abuse. Provides for professional development opportunities concerning the well-being of students. Adds provisions concerning sexual misconduct in schools, including requiring a school district to develop a code of conduct, an employment history review, and what a sex education class must teach. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to add certain acts to the offenses of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and grooming. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/3-11 from Ch. 122, par. 3-11 105 ILCS 5/10-19.1 from Ch. 122, par. 10-19.1 105 ILCS 5/10-23.13 105 ILCS 5/22-90 new 105 ILCS 5/27-9.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-9.1 Adds reference to: 325 ILCS 5/3 from Ch. 23, par. 2053 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code to require the State Board of Education to develop and maintain a resource guide that provides guidance for pupils, parents or guardians, and teachers about sexual abuse response and prevention resources available in their community; sets forth requirements concerning the guide. Provides for educator professional development opportunities concerning training on the physical and mental health needs of students, student safety, educator ethics, professional conduct, and other topics. To prevent sexual misconduct with students, requires each school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school to develop an employee code of professional conduct policy; sets forth requirements concerning the policy. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Changes the definition of "abused child". Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to add certain acts to the offenses of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and grooming. Varied effective date. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.182 new 720 ILCS 5/11-1.20 was 720 ILCS 5/12-13 720 ILCS 5/11-1.60 was 720 ILCS 5/12-16 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.188 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as engrossed, with the following changes. Requires the resource guide to be developed by July 1, 2023 (rather than July 1, 2022). Provides that the provisions concerning the resource guide and sexual misconduct in schools apply to a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school (rather than a school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school). Makes a change concerning dating and meeting with students. Removes the amendatory provisions related to criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse in the Criminal Code of 2012. Adds the use of written communication to the offense of grooming. Changes the effective date to provide that the provisions amending the School Code and the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act are effective immediately.

Mourns the passing of Linda May Laird Bolton.

Declares May 29, 2022 as College Savings Day in the State of Illinois to help raise awareness of the escalating costs of higher education and the importance of saving for college with the help of 529 College Savings Plans.