LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM EQUIP FOR EQUALITY
February 24, 2023
The following are disability-related bills and/or issues pending in the Illinois General Assembly that are scheduled to be heard in committee during the week of February 27, 2023. (NOTE: The Senate will not be in session during this week).
House Adoption & Child Welfare Committee
February 28, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Room 122B, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
SUBJECT MATTER: Status- Hiring DCFS employees
- To file an electronic witness slip for the subject matter hearing: Click
HB 1008, Representative Mary E. Flowers
Amends the Administration of Psychotropic Medications to Children Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to maintain a record of certain information for every youth in care prescribed or provided psychotropic medication, including, but not limited to: (1) a list of the prescribed psychotropic medications; (2) the consent date for each prescribed psychotropic medication; and (3) the date the youth assented for each prescribed psychotropic medication. Requires the Department to collect all necessary information to complete its required annual report to the General Assembly and to use the information to analyze prescribing patterns by population for youth for whom the Department is legally responsible (DCFS youth). Requires the Department to ensure that on an annual basis all persons licensed to practice medicine who prescribe psychotropic medication to DCFS youth are provided with comprehensive up-to-date medical guidelines regarding the prescribing of such medications. Requires the Department to include in its annual report to the General Assembly information on the total number of requests the Department received requesting consent to provide psychotropic medication to DCFS youth and the total number of these requests that the Department denied; and other specified data. Requires the Department to post the annual report on its website. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may take certain disciplinary or non-disciplinary actions against any person issued a license or permit under the Act who commits repeated acts of clearly excessive prescribing, furnishing, or administering psychotropic medications to a minor without a good faith prior examination of the patient and medical reason.
House Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee
February 28, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Room 118, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
SUBJECT MATTER: Early Childhood Education & Special Education, Advance Illinois
- To file an electronic witness slip for the subject matter hearing: Click
House Ethics and Elections Committee
February 28, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Room 413, Stratton Building
Springfield, IL
HB 996, Representative Sue Scherer
Amends the Election Code. Provides that, before the 2024 general primary election, each election authority shall designate at least one telephone number that can be used by a person with a disability, a person with an infant, or a person who is age 80 or older to call and request that voting assistance be provided in the polling place’s parking lot or parking spaces (in-vehicle assisted voting) and that can also be used by any person to report an individual who is acting in an intimidating or unlawful manner inside or outside of the polling place. Provides that the election authority may also designate a SMS text message number that may be used for the same purposes. Includes provisions relating to posting of the telephone number and SMS text message number at each polling place and on a voter registration card. Provides that, before the 2024 general primary election, each election authority must establish procedures for in-vehicle assisted voting on election day. Includes details on implementation of the in-vehicle assisted voting. Provides that the State Board of Elections may adopt rules to implement the provisions, and provides that the State Board of Elections shall create an affidavit for use by persons using in-vehicle assisted voting. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
House Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee
March 1, 2023, 8:00 a.m.
Room 114, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 1107, Representative Maurice A. West, II
Amends the School Code. Requires a school district to develop and implement a plan to provide additional instructional services, support, or special accommodations to students who suffer from trauma related to experiencing the death of a sibling, parent, guardian, or household member by suicide or homicide or suffer from trauma caused by domestic violence or abuse and whom the school has determined require additional instructional services, support, or special accommodations but do not qualify for an individualized education program or for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Sets forth what the plan may include. Provides that the plan shall remain in place until the student (i) is no longer enrolled in the district or (ii) has made such significant and sustained academic progress that the student no longer requires the plan. In provisions relating to children with disabilities, provides that beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, the notice that a school board provides concerning who qualifies for services under Section 504 shall include that a child may qualify for those services if the child is a student who is at least 3 years old or older and under 22 years and who (i) has experienced the death of a sibling, parent, guardian, or household member by suicide or homicide or (ii) suffers from trauma caused by domestic violence or abuse. Effective immediately.
- To read the full text of HB 1107: Click
To file an electronic witness slip on HB 1107: Click
HB 1383, Representative Katie Stuart
Amends the School Code. In provisions of the Children with Disabilities Article concerning a child who attends a non-public school or special education facility, a public out-of-state school, or a special education facility owned and operated by a county government unit, provides that the Illinois Purchased Care Review Board shall allow a nonprofit entity to use the same profit margin calculation that the Board allows in the for-profit tuition and room and board calculations and may not make any distinction in reimbursement level for nonpublic special education facilities based upon their federal income tax filing classification. In provisions of the Chicago School District Article concerning criminal history records checks, provides that a nonpublic special education facility with multiple campuses within this State and providing services under the Children with Disabilities Article shall maintain a separate, current record at a central administrative location, for inspection by representatives of the school district and the State Board of Education, for each staff member, whether employed full-time or part-time, who provides direct services or who is directly involved in the development and implementation of instructional services. Requires a nonpublic special education facility to send a monthly employee roster file electronically to the school district and the State Board of Education that details whether the facility’s employees have completed and passed the criminal history records check process. Effective immediately.
House Human Services Committee
March 1, 2023, 8:00 a.m.
Room 122B, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 1032, Representative Mary E. Flowers
Amends the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act. Provides that licenses for community mental health or developmental services agencies are valid for 2 years (rather than 3 years). Provides that if a community mental health or developmental services agency receives a compliance score as the result of a survey or audit from the Department of Human Services or the Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure and Certification that is less than acceptably compliant, the agency shall implement a plan of corrections to address the violations listed in the survey or audit and may be subject to additional sanctions based on the agency’s compliance score, including, but not limited to, a freeze on admissions or revocation of the agency’s license.
HR 66, Representative Jay Hoffman
Directs the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of the oversight of the Independent Service Coordination (ISC) program by the Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities.
House Judiciary-Civil Committee
March 1, 2023, 8:00 a.m.
Room C-1, Stratton Building
Springfield, IL
HB 1391, Representative Anna Moeller
Amends the Guardianship and Advocacy Act. Provides that the guardianship training program shall include content regarding Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Requires a public guardian to complete a one-hour course on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia within 6 months of appointment and annually thereafter.
House Health Care Licenses Committee
March 1, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
Room 122B, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 2102, Representative Terra Costa Howard
Amends the Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Provides that a health care employer may hire any individual in a position involving direct care for clients, patients, or residents, or access to the living quarters or the financial, medical, or personal records of clients, patients, or residents who has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit specified offenses under the laws of the State, the laws of any other state, or the laws of the United States of an offense that is substantially equivalent to those offenses listed. Provides the names of various offenses that do not bar an individual from being hired by a health care employer. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall: forward an applicant’s fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and request the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct a national criminal history pertaining to the applicant. Makes corresponding changes.
House Transportation: Vehicles & Safety Committee
March 1, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
Room 115, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 42, Representative LaShawn K. Ford
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow for the issuance of decals by the Department of Public Health for autism awareness license plate decals. Provides for the original and renewal fees and fee distribution for Universal special license plates with autism awareness decals issued by the Department.
House Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration
Licensing & Charter Schools Committee
March 1, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Room 115, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 1123, Representative Terra Costa Howard
Amends the School Code. Requires school report cards prepared by the State Superintendent of Education to include the percentage of students with disabilities who have fulfilled the minimum State graduation requirements and have been issued a regular high school diploma and the percentage of students with disabilities who have fulfilled the minimum State graduation requirements but have not completed their individualized education program and are enrolled and receiving individualized education program services.
HB 1124, Representative Michelle Mussman
Amends the School Code. Provides that the dyslexia handbook developed by the State Board of Education shall include guidelines on the administration of a universal screener and dyslexia screening, the interpretation of data from these screeners, and the resulting appropriate instruction within a multi-tiered system of support framework. Provides that the State Board of Education shall adopt any rules necessary to ensure that a student will be screened for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. Sets forth which students are required to be screened. Provides that no later than January 1, 2024, the State Board of Education shall employ at least 5 dyslexia specialists or dyslexia therapists with a minimum of 5 years of field experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia and related disorders. Provides that beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through 2 for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener approved by the State Board of Education. Provides that if a student is determined to be either at risk or at some risk for dyslexia after the universal screener has been administered, the school district must administer a dyslexia screening of the student. Provides that if a student’s dyslexia screening indicates that the student has characteristics of dyslexia, the dyslexia intervention services provided to the student must utilize a structured literacy approach as outlined in the State Board of Education’s handbook. Makes other changes.
HB 2156, Representative Jeff Keicher
Amends the School Code. Provides that student identification cards shall also provide
contact information for the Safe2Help Illinois helpline. Effective July 1, 2023.
House Immigration and Human Rights Committee
March 1, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Room 122B, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 2248, Representative Kelly M. Cassidy
Creates the Civil Rights Remedies Restoration Act. Provides that certain violations of the following federal Acts constitute a violation of the Act: the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Education Amendments of 1972; the Civil Rights Act of 1964; or other federal statutes prohibiting discrimination under a program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Provides that whoever injures another by a violation of the Act is liable for each and every offense for all remedies available at law, including, but not limited to various damages in an amount no less than $4,000, and attorney’s fees, costs, and expenses. Allows a court to grant as relief any permanent or preliminary negative or mandatory injunction, temporary restraining order, order of declaratory judgment, or other relief. Allows claims for a violation of the Act to be filed in any court of competent jurisdiction. Provides that nothing limits any enforcement authority under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that the State waives sovereign and Eleventh Amendment immunity for any violation of the Act. States legislative findings and purpose.
NOTE: If you wish to take any action regarding any of these bills/issues, you may wish to file an electronic witness slip and/or or submit oral or written testimony to the committee holding the hearing and/or contact the members of the committee conducting the hearing and/or the legislators in your home district. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all legislators, both Representatives and Senators, can be found on the Illinois General Assembly website at: www.ilga.gov. You may check this website to find out if any of the committee hearing dates or times have been changed, which may happen upon very short notice.
For additional information, please contact:
Cheryl R. Jansen
Public Policy Director
Equip for Equality
cherylj2@equipforequality.org
217-303-8543
