Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Act to restore protections for wetlands and small streams that were formerly protected from pollution and destruction by the Clean Water Act. Includes provisions concerning: exemptions; wetlands delineation, classification, notification, permits and veto; general permits; appeal of final decisions made by the Department of Natural Resources and judicial review; investigation and enforcement; and county authority. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Advisory Committee and establishes duties and rules for the Committee. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Fund. Provides for permit review fees. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning the child care assistance program, provides that beginning in State Fiscal Year 2024, the specified income threshold shall be no less than 250% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Provides that beginning in State Fiscal Year 2025, the income threshold shall annually increase by 25% if the percentage of enrolled families with income at the then-current income threshold, for the applicable family size, reaches 45% of all families eligible for child care assistance. Provides that the annual 25% increase in income eligibility shall continue each State fiscal year until the income threshold reaches 400% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the evidence-based funding provisions of the School Code. Provides that the Minimum Funding Level is equal to $550,000,000 (instead of $350,000,000). Effective July 1, 2023.

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.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the issuance of a Montessori educator license to qualified individuals to teach using the Montessori method in public school programs that use the Montessori method as the primary method of instruction. Sets forth the requirements that an individual must satisfy to be issued a Montessori educator license, which include requiring the applicant to have (i) graduated from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a bachelor's degree, (ii) a Montessori certificate or credential issued by an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, by the American Montessori Society, or by the Association Montessori Internationale, and (iii) successfully completed required testing. Makes related changes to provisions concerning educator testing and fees.

Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that, by December 31, 2025, the Regional Transportation Authority, the Board of the Commuter Rail Division of the Authority, the Board of the Suburban Bus Division of the Authority, and the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority shall create a program to provide free rides to persons earning under 138% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' poverty guidelines. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for qualified businesses that install solar canopies or permeable surfaces in their parking areas during the taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the authority having maintenance jurisdiction over publicly owned paved bicycle trails in the State shall erect permanent regulatory or warning signage alerting pedestrians or cyclists of highway crossings, unless the intersection where the trail crosses the highway is controlled by an official traffic control device or sign. Provides that if the authority having maintenance jurisdiction over publicly owned bicycle trails has actual knowledge of an emergency or safety hazard that creates a dangerous condition on a publicly owned paved bicycle trail, the authority shall take reasonable steps to erect temporary signage or other warning markers, including, but not limited to, cones, barricades, or drums, alerting pedestrians or cyclists of the dangerous condition. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Requires the Department on Aging to develop and implement, by January 1, 2025, a Senior Corps Program to assist Illinois residents aged 55 and older find volunteer opportunities or meaningful service employment opportunities in Illinois. Provides that in addition to assisting eligible individuals with employment and services opportunities, the program shall also include job training and opportunities for eligible individuals to develop new skills that will increase their job marketability. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026 and each January 1 thereafter, the Department shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual report which includes, but is not limited to, the following information: (1) the total number of individuals participating in the program; (2) the total number of individuals who have been placed in volunteer roles and the total number of individuals who have been placed in reemployment roles; (3) the total number of individuals who have not been successfully placed in a volunteer or employment opportunity and the reasons that individuals were not able to be placed; and (4) the types of businesses and nonprofit organizations that individuals participating in the program have been placed in. Provides that the Department may adopt any rules necessary for implementation and administration of the Senior Corps Program. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that an employer is responsible for harassment and sexual harassment of its employees by the employer's nonmanagerial and nonsupervisory employees, nonemployees, and third parties only if the employer becomes aware of the conduct and fails to take reasonable corrective measures. Changes the definition of "real estate transaction" to include any act that otherwise makes available such a transaction or alters a person's right to real property. Makes it a civil rights violation in a real estate transaction to: make unavailable or deny real property to discriminate in making available such a transaction; or use criteria or methods that have the effect of subjecting individuals to unlawful discrimination or discrimination based on familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record in a real estate transaction. Provides that an aggrieved party may take action to collect on a judicial order issued by the Circuit Court in an action initiated by the State, regardless of whether or not the aggrieved party intervened in an enforcement action of a Human Rights Commission order. Provides that, in imposing a penalty based on a real estate transaction violation, the Commission may order a respondent to pay a civil penalty per violation to vindicate the public interest, and in imposing a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest, a separate penalty may be imposed for each specific act constituting a civil rights violation and for each aggrieved party injured by the civil rights violation. Deletes language authorizing each commissioner of the Human Rights Commission to hire a staff attorney. Repeals language regarding the collection of information concerning employment discrimination in relation to persons affected by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Makes other changes.