Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Department of Transportation along with local authorities or any responsible entity of a publicly owned bicycle trail in the State shall erect permanent signage alerting pedestrians or cyclists of vehicle crossings at least 250 feet before the crossing. In the event of an emergency or safety hazard, requires the Department, local authority, or responsible entity to erect temporary signage alerting pedestrians or cyclists of damage to the trail, maintenance being performed on the trail, or other temporary hazards along the trail.

Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning kindergartens, provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, each school board must establish a kindergarten with full-day attendance (instead of allowing a school board to establish a kindergarten with half-day attendance or with full-day attendance); makes related changes. Repeals another provision concerning kindergartens on July 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person is not legally accountable for the conduct of another, unless the statute defining the offense provides otherwise, if he or she was subjected to specified and credible coercion, compulsion, or duress related to domestic abuse as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Provides that a person is not guilty of an offense (deletes other than an offense punishable by death) by reason of conduct that he or she performs under the compulsion of threat or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great bodily harm, if he or she reasonably believes death or great bodily harm will be inflicted upon him or her, or upon his or her spouse or child, if he or she does not perform that conduct. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Includes in the relief from judgment provisions if the allegations in the petition establish each of the following by a preponderance of the evidence: (1) the movant was convicted of a forcible felony; (2) the movant's participation in the offense was related to experiencing or the effects of gender-based violence; (3) no substantial evidence or incomplete evidence of gender-based violence against the movant was presented at the movant's sentencing hearing; and (4) the evidence of gender-based violence against the movant is material and noncumulative to other evidence offered at the sentencing hearing, or previous hearing filed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, and is of such a conclusive character that it would likely change the sentence imposed by the original trial court. Defines "gender-based violence".

Amends the Local Volunteer Board Member Removal Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act. Provides that the membership of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority shall include 3 individuals who report having been incarcerated in a Department of Corrections facility and 3 members of the general public (instead of 6 members of the general public). Effective immediately.

Creates the Digital Forgeries Act. Provides that an individual depicted in a digital forgery has a cause of action against any person who, without the consent of the depicted individual, knowingly distributes a digital forgery, creates a digital forgery with intent to distribute, or solicits the creation of a digital forgery with the intent to distribute: (1) in order to harass, extort, threaten, or cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; (2) with reckless disregard for whether such a creation, distribution, reproduction, or manipulation will cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; or (3) in order to incite violence or interfere with an official proceeding. Allows a prevailing plaintiff to be awarded damages, costs, and additional relief. Allows the court to grant injunctive relief maintaining the confidentiality of a plaintiff using a pseudonym.

Creates the Tenants Radon Protection Act. Provides that, before a lease is signed, a landlord shall provide each tenant in a dwelling unit with any records or reports that pertain to radon concentrations within the dwelling unit and that indicate a radon hazard exists and shall furnish each prospective tenant with a prescribed radon hazard disclosure form. Provides that, if a tenant performs a radon test, the tenant shall provide the test results to the landlord within 10 days after receiving them. Provides that nothing in the Act implies an obligation for a landlord or tenant to conduct any radon testing. Provides that a lease may be terminated under specified circumstances involving radon hazards. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Radon Awareness Act. Repeals a provision requiring landlords to give certain disclosures to tenants. Effective January 1, 2024.

Amends the State Employment Records Act. Provides that State agencies when collecting and reporting data on employment records must include specified data on persons who identify as non-binary or gender non-conforming. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Employment of Teachers and Chicago School District Articles of the School Code. In provisions concerning dismissal due to sexual abuse, changes the requirements of the provisions for any charges involving any witness who is or was at the time of the alleged conduct was a student or person under the age of 18 (instead of charges involving sexual abuse or severe physical abuse of a student or a person under the age of 18). Provides for accommodations (instead of alternative hearing procedures) for witnesses. Sets forth requirements for accommodations. Provides that the teacher may not directly, or through a representative, question a witness called by the school board who is or was a student or under 18 years of age at the time of the alleged conduct. Provides that the hearing officer must permit the teacher to submit all relevant questions and follow-up questions for such a witness to have the questions posed by the hearing officer (instead of each party must be permitted to ask a witness who is a student or who is under 18 years of age all relevant questions and follow-up questions). Provides that if any hearing officer fails to make an accommodation, the officer shall be removed from the master list of hearing officers.