Sen. Christopher Belt

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that Juneteenth National Freedom Day shall be observed on June 19 of each year as a holiday throughout the State (currently, not a holiday and is observed on the third Saturday of June of each year). Provides that when June 19 falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be held and considered the holiday. Amends the Election Code, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, and the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act to include Juneteenth National Freedom Day as a holiday. Effective immediately.

Amends the Technology Development Act. Removes a provision specifying that the investment of the State Treasurer in any fund created by an Illinois venture capital firm in which the State Treasurer places money shall not exceed 10% of the total investments in the fund. Provides that distributions from a TDA II-Recipient Fund, in an amount not to exceed the commitment amount and total distributions received, may be reinvested into a specified account without being counted against the 5% cap. Provides that specified moneys in the Technology Development Fund may be provided as grants to technology businesses in order to foster, accelerate, and scale technology innovation in Illinois. Modifies the term "technology business" to expand the meaning of technology oriented or emerging activity. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall create and maintain an online database and resource page on its website. Provides that the database and resource page shall contain mental health resources specifically geared toward post-secondary social workers, counselors, parents, faculty, graduate assistants, school administrators, graduate and undergraduate students, and support personnel with the goal of connecting those people with mental health resources related to crisis services, wellness, sexual health, survivor support, gender-based violence, nutrition, stress reduction, anxiety, depression, violence prevention, suicide prevention, and substance use and encouraging information sharing among educational administrators, security personnel, resource officers, faculty, students, and all other employees of a university or college. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $4,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Family Services for grants to assist the Illinois Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates in its efforts to advocate for timely placement of children in permanent, safe, stable homes. Effective July 1, 2020.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that, subject to federal law and regulation, no provider of telephone, cellular telephone, television, Internet, energy, or water service shall impose a fee for termination or early cancellation of a service contract if the customer dies before the end of the contract. Provides that every violation is an unlawful practice punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the credit for student assistance contributions sunsets on December 30, 2025 (instead of December 30, 2020). Provides that the credit for student-assistance contributions may not exceed $1,000 (currently, $500) per contributing employee per taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Dual Credit Quality Act. Provides that an institution may not collect fees from a high school student enrolled in a dual credit course in excess of what the institution needs, per student, to administer a dual credit program. Provides that any fees collected from the high school student may not be used for any purpose other than administering the dual credit program. Effective immediately.

Amends the College Campus Press Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Prohibits an employer from: (i) screening job applicants based on their wage or salary history, (ii) requiring that an applicant's prior wages satisfy minimum or maximum criteria, and (iii) requesting or requiring as a condition of being interviewed or as a condition of continuing to be considered for an offer of employment that an applicant disclose prior wages or salary. Prohibits an employer from seeking the salary, including benefits or other compensation or salary history, of a job applicant from any current or former employer, with some exceptions. Provides for employers to establish a self-evaluation plan of the employer's pay practices. Sets forth permissible components of a self-evaluation plan. Requires the self-evaluation plan to be submitted to the Department of Labor for verification. Provides that an employer that has completed a self-evaluation plan that has been verified by the Department of Labor has an affirmative defense to liability for certain alleged violations of the Act. Provides that an employer that does not have a verified self-evaluation plan may be subject to civil penalties for violations of the Act. Limits defenses. Provides for penalties and injunctive relief.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to implement and administer a program, beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year, to award College Promise grants to Illinois residents seeking an associate degree, certificate, or diploma from an institution of higher learning. Sets forth the terms and conditions of the program. Effective immediately.