by Jenna Schweikert, Nikoel Hytrek, and UIS Public Affairs Reporting
Capitol News Illinois
This session, the General Assembly passed nearly 400 bills, including over 150 in the last week. Awaiting Governor JB Pritzker’s signature is a bill aiming to enhance compensation for those wrongfully convicted and incarcerated in Illinois.
In addition to the $56 billion budget package, the legislation ranges from restricting the location of federal immigrant detention centers to regulating plastic pellets and offering increased restitution for exonerees. These bills now await approval from Governor Pritzker to become law.
Exoneree Restitution
House Bill 3663 proposes increased compensation for wrongfully imprisoned individuals in Illinois, aligning state payouts with the federal minimum standard set in 2004.
The Court of Claims could now award up to $50,000 per year for wrongful imprisonment and $25,000 for each year on parole, probation, or a sex offender registry, without a cap. Additionally, the court might cover legal fees and associated costs.
Previously, specific payouts were based on years served, capping at $199,150 for those wrongfully imprisoned for 14 years or more.
The bill passed both chambers unanimously on Sunday and Monday and is a result of years of advocacy by the Illinois Innocence Project.
Detention Center Limitations
House Bill 5024 seeks to prohibit new immigration detention centers from being built or operated within 1,500 feet of homes, schools, daycares, parks, forest preserves, cemeteries, or places of worship.
Sponsored by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, the bill passed along party lines. Welch’s district, which includes Broadview, was a focal point during Operation Midway Blitz protests last summer.
The bill does not apply retroactively to existing detention centers, including the one in Broadview.
While Republicans criticized it as a political maneuver, the bill may face legal challenges due to federal exemption from state and local zoning laws.
Plastic Pellet Protections
House Bill 4418 establishes the Plastic Pellets Pollution Control Act, aiming to curb plastic pollution in Illinois waterways.
The bill marks Illinois as the first Great Lakes state to classify plastic pellets as pollutants.
It directs the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to devise a program for controlling plastic pellets, a byproduct of plastic production often found in waterways. These pellets contribute significantly to the presence of microplastics as they degrade.
The legislation provides the IEPA with a year to include the requirements in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, though it does not detail specific plans. Republicans have criticized the broad authority granted to the IEPA.
The Senate approved the bill with a 44-13 vote, following a 69-33 vote in the House in April.
Foster Placement
A new bill aims to protect the personal information of foster children, particularly those placed out of state.
House Bill 4966, known as the Safeguards to Ensure Continuity and Uphold Rights and Equity, or SECURE, Act, enhances nondiscrimination protections for youth under the Department of Child and Family Services. It ensures that Illinois children in out-of-state placements remain under Illinois jurisdiction and receive equivalent services.
The bill mandates DCFS to prevent unauthorized disclosure of personal information related to a child’s sexual orientation or other protected characteristics, while also setting guidelines for necessary information sharing.
It also allows children aged 8 and older input on their placement, especially if they anticipate mistreatment or lack access to healthcare services like gender-affirming care or reproductive services.
“Beyond the fact that this federal administration is hell-bent on rolling back civil rights protections, the SECURE Act is necessary because youth in care deserve to have their rights protected and their voices heard,” stated Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, the bill’s House sponsor.
Republicans argued the bill could complicate placements and strain DCFS resources if affirming homes need to be found for children’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Senate passed the measure with a 35-19 vote on Friday, following a 75-40 vote in the House last Sunday.
Mandated Reporters
House Bill 4911 proposes to expand the list of mandated reporters to include investment advisers, certain dealers, salespersons, and branch managers of financial institutions, aiming to increase reporting of financial exploitation and other forms of abuse or neglect of older adults.
These individuals would also have the authority to place a 15-day hold on transactions suspected of financial exploitation. The bill was passed unanimously in both chambers.
Reports would be submitted to the Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. The state’s Department on Aging and Department of Financial and Professional Regulation would determine minimum training standards for financial institution employees.
Construction Site Sanitary Facilities
Senate Bill 3465 requires construction sites with 10 or more employees, including at least one woman, to provide sanitary facilities for individuals who are menstruating, lactating, or both, and specifies minimum hygiene standards for these facilities. The sites must also provide lactation stations upon request.
Inspired by similar legislation in Washington, this bill aims to ensure women have access to appropriate sanitary facilities without needing to leave the work site, as explained by Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago.
The bill passed both chambers along party lines, with Republicans criticizing it for covering a broader population than they deemed necessary.
Nonprofit Investment Fund
Senate Bill 2968, spearheaded by state treasurer Michael Frerichs, seeks to create a state-managed investment fund to distribute grants to nonprofits.
A previous version was vetoed by Pritzker over concerns that extremist groups might gain access to the fund.
Eligible nonprofits must be based in Illinois, possess a specific tax status, and provide recent audited financial statements or charitable filings. They must also align with specified nonprofit categories and not be on state suspension lists, which should exclude extremist groups.
“Nonprofits are on the front lines every day, helping families, strengthening neighborhoods, and meeting critical needs in communities across Illinois,” Frerichs stated. “At a time when federal funding cuts are creating uncertainty for many organizations, Illinois is stepping up.”
The bill was passed in the House with a 75-36 vote and in the Senate with a 41-16 vote.
High School Voter Registration
House Bill 4339 mandates that high schools offer eligible students the chance to register to vote, though it imposes no penalties on schools that fail to do so.
Named in honor of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., a voting and civil rights activist who passed away earlier this year, the bill received bipartisan support in both chambers.
It passed the Senate with a 41-12 vote and the House with a 77-24 vote.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that provides state government coverage to numerous news outlets statewide. It is primarily funded by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
