Lake County Gazette

Laura Faver Dias introduced HB3713 in the Illinois House on Feb. 7, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that all institutions and facilities of the Department of Corrections shall permit every committed person to receive the original, physical copy of any mail addressed to the committed person that the committed person is entitled and allowed to receive. Provides that any exceptions to the requirements of this provision must be based on evidence that complying with the requirements of this provision present a clear and present danger to the health and safety of the correctional employees or committed persons in the correctional institution or facility. Provides that the evidence must include evidence of contraband being sent through the mail, data on the number of mail items containing contraband, test results of mail tested due to suspicion of mail containing drugs, data on where inside a correctional institution or facility contraband has been found, and the method of entry of contraband into the correctional institution or facility. Provides that the evidence must be made available to the public upon request. Provides that no committed person shall be denied, or have communications limited, with an outside support person, whether by phone, mail, video, or in person visitation, as a result of a disciplinary sanction or grade level of the infraction. Provides that committed persons may contact outside supports via phone, mail, or electronic message free of charge. Defines "original, physical copy"."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Unified Code of Corrections to ensure the rights of committed individuals in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities to receive original physical mail, unless an evidence-based determination identifies clear danger from contraband mail. The evidence must include contraband statistics and test results for suspected mail and will be publicly accessible. Committed individuals cannot have outside communication limited due to disciplinary actions and may use free communication channels such as phone, mail, and electronic messaging. The bill also guarantees unlimited, uncensored mail exchanges, and committed individuals are entitled to seven in-person visits monthly, maintaining safety and correctional facility integrity. Menstrual hygiene products will be provided free as needed. Additionally, a point of contact will handle complaints, and an annual report summarizing resolutions will be provided to the General Assembly and governor.

Laura Faver Dias has proposed another 32 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Dias graduated from Indiana University with a BS.

Laura Faver Dias is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 62nd House District. She replaced previous state representative Sam Yingling in 2023.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB3713	02/07/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that all institutions and facilities of the Department of Corrections shall permit every committed person to receive the original, physical copy of any mail addressed to the committed person that the committed person is entitled and allowed to receive. Provides that any exceptions to the requirements of this provision must be based on evidence that complying with the requirements of this provision present a clear and present danger to the health and safety of the correctional employees or committed persons in the correctional institution or facility. Provides that the evidence must include evidence of contraband being sent through the mail, data on the number of mail items containing contraband, test results of mail tested due to suspicion of mail containing drugs, data on where inside a correctional institution or facility contraband has been found, and the method of entry of contraband into the correctional institution or facility. Provides that the evidence must be made available to the public upon request. Provides that no committed person shall be denied, or have communications limited, with an outside support person, whether by phone, mail, video, or in person visitation, as a result of a disciplinary sanction or grade level of the infraction. Provides that committed persons may contact outside supports via phone, mail, or electronic message free of charge. Defines "original, physical copy".
HB3446	02/07/2025	Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that coursework related to psychology shall count toward the semester hours that an early childhood teacher must obtain to be qualified as an early childhood teacher. Provides that, before July 1, 2026, the Department of Children and Family Services shall publish and maintain on its website a full and complete list of courses that qualify toward the attainment of the required qualifications for a child care teacher. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, the Department of Early Childhood shall publish and maintain on its website a full and complete list of courses that qualify toward the attainment of the required qualifications for a child care teacher.
HB3447	02/07/2025	Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State shall require high school coaching personnel to complete annual training on youth mental health best practices. Requires the training to include information about athlete nutrition and eating disorders.
HB3528	02/07/2025	Amends the School Code. Provides that no institution of higher education shall establish or maintain any policy which requires student teaching for preservice teachers to be unpaid. Effective immediately.
HB3695	02/07/2025	Amends the Zoning Division of the Counties Code. Provides that a county may adopt an ordinance to regulate the location of retail tobacco stores in unincorporated areas near vulnerable areas, including schools, day care centers, and hospitals. Provides that a county may not adopt an ordinance that has the effect of prohibiting retail tobacco store in unincorporated areas.
HB2960	02/06/2025	Amends the School Code. Requires each school district that offers one or more courses in health education to pupils in middle school or high school to include in those courses instruction in mental health. Sets forth the required instruction topics and materials. Provides that a pupil receiving instruction under in mental health shall not be required to disclose the pupil's confidential health or mental health information at any time in the course of receiving the instruction.
HB2978	02/06/2025	Creates the Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act. Provides that an employee of an employer with 16 or more employees and no more than 50 employees shall be entitled to use a maximum of 10 days of unpaid neonatal intensive care leave while any child of the employee is a patient in a neonatal intensive care unit. Provides that an employee of an employer with 51 or more employees shall be entitled to use 20 days of unpaid neonatal intensive care leave while a child of the employee is a patient in a neonatal intensive care unit. Provides that, upon the conclusion of leave taken under the Act, an employee shall be reinstated to his or her former position or a substantially equivalent one with no loss of benefits held or accrued prior to taking leave. Sets forth provisions concerning unlawful employer practices; Department of Labor responsibilities; and enforcement. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Fund.
HB3006	02/06/2025	Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the medical assistance program shall provide coverage for medically necessary hormone therapy treatment to treat menopause (instead of only treating menopause that has been induced by a hysterectomy). Effective immediately.
HB3170	02/06/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Adds 5 administrative or faculty members of community colleges to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. For a Professional Educator License: provides that the requirements to successfully complete specified coursework are only required until July 1, 2027 or the date that the revised test for a particular content area is implemented, whichever is later; and exempts persons seeking a school support personnel or chief school business official endorsement from the requirement that a person must successfully complete specified coursework. Requires, by July 1, 2027, the State Superintendent of Education to begin incorporating specified topics into revised examinations for individuals seeking a Professional Educator License endorsed in teaching or administration, excluding a chief school business official endorsement. Exempts, for educator licenses, applicants seeking a school support personnel endorsement who hold an active and valid professional license in the same subject matter as the endorsement sought from being required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. Creates the Teacher Performance Assessment Advisory Committee to aid in operationalizing and creating a pilot, State-developed, teacher performance assessment. Establishes the Paraprofessional to Teacher Pathway Program to provide an expedited pathway for paraprofessionals to earn a Professional Educator License in a specific content area. Sets forth the Program criteria, the requirements for individuals for entry into the Program, and the adoption of rules by the State Board of Education. Provides that an institution of higher education approved to offer educator preparation programs may enter into a partnership agreement with a community college to offer an approved educator preparation program leading to educator licensure for individuals who already hold a bachelor's degree. Makes other changes.
HB3275	02/06/2025	Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State shall require all school coaches to obtain and maintain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED). Requires certification in CPR and AED use to be consistent with national, evidence-based, emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Provides that a cardiac emergency response plan shall include (i) establishing a cardiac emergency response team that is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator and (ii) the use of annual cardiac response drills to practice the steps established in the cardiac emergency response plan, in partnership with local emergency medical services. Makes other changes concerning the plan.
HB3310	02/06/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction for individuals, corporations, and partnerships for 100% of the property taxes paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year on childcare center property.
HB2788	02/05/2025	Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in collaboration with the Department of Human Services, to file an amendment to the Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Program for Adults with Developmental Disabilities that shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide for a wage rate of 150% of the statewide, regional, or local minimum wage for services delivered on or after January 1, 2026, for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings. Provides that for services delivered on or after January 1, 2026, the rates shall include adjustments to employment-related expenses as defined by rule by the Department of Human Services. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules, including emergency rules, to implement the rate increases. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to submit a Title XIX State Plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide for a wage rate of 150% of the statewide, regional, or local minimum wage for services delivered on or after January 1, 2026, for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel at ID/DD and MC/DD facilities. Provides that the State Plan amendment shall provide wage increases for all residential non-executive direct care staff. Effective immediately.
HB2950	02/05/2025	Amends the School Code. Allows, if an assessment is determined to be non-uniform, a provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to a candidate who has completed an Illinois-approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution of higher education and who has not successfully completed an applicable content area test but who: holds at least a bachelor's degree; has completed an approved educator preparation program at an Illinois institution; has passed an evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness; and has attempted an applicable content area test that has been determined to be non-uniform and has not attempted any uniform content area tests. Provides that the process by which the State Board of Education evaluates content area tests shall be public information and shall be made available on the website of the State Board. Requires the State Board to evaluate each content area test after it has been administered for at least 10 months, but not more than 12 months, and shall determine that a content test is non-uniform. Provides that if a content test is determined to be non-uniform, the State Board shall: convene one or more committees to review the content, bias, and passing score requirements of that content test and recommend changes to improve uniformity; offer the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement as an option until the new assessment is determined to be uniform; provide an opportunity to attempt the most recent uniform content area test for the same license or endorsement to candidates who attempted but did not pass the most recent version of the content area test; and implement a process by which candidates who attempted but did not pass the content test may apply for provisional licensure. Provides that if the State Board finds that the content area test forms available as of January 1, 2025 are not uniform in the level of difficulty as compared to previous forms of those exams, any candidate for licensure who attempted any content area test in the form that was available as of January 1, 2025, and whose best scores in each subsection of the same content area exam, taken across multiple attempts on the same form of the exam, equal or exceed the passing score for that content area exam as of January 1, 2025, shall be determined to have passed that content area exam.
HB2951	02/05/2025	Amends the School Code. Prohibits a public high school from having a start time earlier than 8:45 a.m.
HB2561	02/04/2025	Amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Provides that any covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not be enforceable with respect to the provision of reproductive health care or maternity care by a health care professional in the State if the enforcement of the covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit is likely to reduce the availability of reproductive health care or maternity care. Provides that in an action to enforce a covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a party seeking to enforce the covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit has the burden of proving that it will not reduce the availability of reproductive health care or maternity care in the State. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
HB2503	02/03/2025	Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish the State Instructional Technology Advisory Board, which shall collaborate with the State Board of Education to provide guidance, integration, oversight, and evaluation of education technologies, including, but not limited to, artificial intelligence technologies. Sets forth the membership of the Advisory Board and terms. Requires the State Board, with the Advisory Board, to develop standards concerning safety, transparency, data privacy, and educational quality for any artificial intelligence technology that may be used in schools and develop guidance for school districts and educators on the use of artificial intelligence in education and the development of artificial intelligence literacy. Requires the annual school district report to the State Board regarding educational technology capacity and policies to include how students, teachers, and district employees use artificial intelligence. Provides that the Internet safety education curriculum shall include instruction in the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
HB2521	02/03/2025	Amends the School Code. Includes game officials in provisions requiring applicants for employment with a school district to undergo a fingerprint-based criminal history records check and check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database.
HB2381	01/31/2025	Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Includes LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the topics covered in the required 4-hour training for every voting member of a school board of a school district. Lists information that must be included in the LGBTQ+ inclusivity training. Requires the State Board of Education to develop a training program in collaboration with individuals or organizations that affirm LGBTQ+ people and have recognized expertise in supporting LGBTQ+ young people or adopt a training program previously developed by such individuals or organizations.
HB2337	01/30/2025	Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. With respect to impartial due process hearings, provides that no mediation agreement, resolution agreement, or settlement agreement may include, as a condition of settlement, that a parent, a student (if at least 18 years of age or emancipated), or the designated representative of a student who is at least 18 years of age prospectively waive a free, appropriate public education or prospectively waive the right to assert claims for the nonimplementation of a free, appropriate public education. Provides that any mediation agreement, resolution agreement, or settlement agreement containing such prospective waivers is unenforceable in an administrative proceeding or in a State or federal court. Effective immediately.
HB2344	01/30/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2026, in counties with a population of more than 700,000 residents and fewer than 725,000 residents, at the request of the supervisor of assessments, property record cards supplied by the townships shall be in a digital format compatible with the system used by the supervisor of assessments. Effective immediately.
HB2345	01/30/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with a population of more than 700,000 residents and fewer than 725,000 residents, upon motion of any party and provided that other parties to the appeal do not object, hearings upon appeal to the Property Tax Appeal Board shall be heard online with parties to the appeal participating in the hearing remotely. Requires the Property Tax Appeal Board to amend its rules of practice and procedure within 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act to accommodate the remote hearings. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Authorizes the Property Tax Appeal Board to adopt emergency rules to implement the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
HB2346	01/30/2025	Amends the Illinois Drug Reuse Opportunity Program Act. Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health: (1) to develop, maintain, and publish on its website information regarding the names and locations of pharmacies participating in the program; (2) to educate pharmacies in the State about the program and how to participate in it voluntarily; (3) to develop and publish educational materials to allow program participants and the Department to inform the general public about the purposes and benefits of the program; and (4) to collect information from participants and publish the information in an annual report to the General Assembly by December 31 of each calendar year, beginning December 31, 2026. Specifies that records maintained under the Act are subject to access by the Department upon request. Defines "Department".
HB1810	01/28/2025	Creates the Equitable Access to Education, Employment, and Training for Incarcerated Individuals with Disabilities Act. Provides that reasonable accommodations for incarcerated individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability shall include a waiver of any requirement that the individual take the Test of Adult Basic Education and receive a passing score, or take and receive a passing score on any other examination or test that the Department may require to determine academic achievement or access to educational programs, work assignments, and vocational programs. Provides that participation in these programs through the Test of Adult Basic Education waiver and other reasonable accommodations shall qualify individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability to earn earned sentence credit, consistent with opportunities provided to other incarcerated individuals. Provides that Department of Corrections staff, including educational personnel, shall receive annual training on: (1) identifying individuals who have an intellectual disability or a developmental disability; (2) providing accommodations and supports to an individual with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability in educational, employment. and vocational settings; and (3) administering appropriate alternative assessments. Provides that staff training programs shall be developed in collaboration with disability advocacy organizations and educational institutions. Provides that the Department shall ensure compliance with federal disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973, through the implementation of the Act. Provides that individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability who are denied access to programs or accommodations under the Act may file a grievance through the Department's established grievance procedures. Effective immediately.
HB1857	01/28/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after January 1, 2027 shall provide coverage for disposable incontinence supplies for any person with a disability. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to require coverage under those provisions.
HB1592	01/22/2025	Amends the Illinois Local Library Act and the Public Library District Act of 1991. Requires competitive bidding for contracts in excess of $35,000 (rather than $25,000) for specified improvements and equipment purchases. Effective immediately.
HB1593	01/22/2025	Creates the Homeowners' Little Free Library Act. Provides that an association shall not prohibit any resident or owner from operating a little free library on the resident's or owner's property so long as the area is maintained, the little free library does not extend over or onto neighboring properties, public or common sidewalks, pathways, streets or other public or common areas or elements, and does not interfere with traffic or utilities. Provides that an association may adopt reasonable rules and regulations governing a little free library that do not impair a little free library's maintenance and care or impose height restrictions. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
HB1594	01/22/2025	Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for an employer, employment agency, or labor organization to take certain employment-related actions on the basis of an individual's weight and size. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent, or employee of a place of public accommodation, because of the weight and size of any person, directly or indirectly, to refuse, withhold from, or deny to any individual any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges of the place of public accommodation.
HB1595	01/22/2025	Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, within 6 business days after an employer participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund approves a budget, that employer must post on its website the total compensation package for each employee having a total compensation package that exceeds $125,000 (rather than $75,000) per year. Provides that, at least 6 days before an employer participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund approves an employee's total compensation package that is equal to or in excess of $200,000 (rather than $150,000) per year, the employer must post on its website the total compensation package for that employee. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1596	01/22/2025	Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Requires certified pesticide applicators to give written or email notice 72 hours prior to application of pesticide to schools and parks within half of a mile from the site of application. Provides other notice requirements. Defines terms.
HB1357	01/14/2025	Amends the Downstate Police and Downstate Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the annual employer contribution shall include an amount sufficient to bring the total assets of the pension fund up to 90% of the total actuarial liabilities of the pension fund by the end of municipal fiscal year 2050 (instead of 2040). Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
HB1359	01/14/2025	Creates the Protecting Illinois Native Landscapes Act. Provides that a unit of local government may not enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution that prohibits or unreasonably restricts an owner, authorized agent, or authorized occupant of privately owned residential land or a premises from allowing Illinois native species to voluntarily grow within the landscape or to install and maintain Illinois native species within a managed native landscape. Provides that native landscaping that may not be prohibited includes small or large areas of native landscaping in the front, back, or side yard or in areas that do not fit a standard definition of yard, such as areas on farms, rural properties, corporate campuses, school campuses, and large estates. Excludes from the scope of the Act an ordinance or resolution of a unit of local government that prohibits plants, trees, or other landscaping from interfering with public transportation, vehicular traffic, or driveway or entrance road sight lines or from crossing sidewalks or property boundaries. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.
HB1367	01/14/2025	Amends the Township Open Space Article of the Township Code. Reduces the acreage that constitutes open land or open space under the Article to 25 acres (currently, 50 acres). Provides, in the definition of "open space purposes", that development includes development for agricultural purposes. Provides that, after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a township board may lease open space that is a part of the township's open space program for a period not longer than 25 years from the date of the lease to an individual, a nonprofit organization, the federal government, a state government, or a local government for specified purposes consistent with open space purposes. Provides that, upon expiration of a lease of land that was leased after the effective date of the amendatory Act, title to all structures on the leased land shall be vested in the township. Provides that leased open space may be used for agricultural purposes. Provides that a township board may lease open space for open space purposes and buildings and facilities on the open space to an individual, a nonprofit organization, the federal government, a state government, or a local government. Provides that the township board may not sell, convey, donate, or otherwise dispose of open space without referendum approval by the majority of the voters of the township at a regular election, and provides that the board may certify the question of disposition of property to the appropriate election authority only if the board approves the question by at least a two-thirds majority of the board members. Provides that, if a township dissolves or is consolidated or merged or the boundaries of the township are altered, any affected open space shall continue to be used for open space purposes unless the open space is disposed of is approved by a two-thirds vote of the board of the unit of local government in control of that open space and after referendum of the voters of the unit of local government.
HB1368	01/14/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires an approved provider of professional development activities for the renewal of a Professional Educator License to ensure that professional development related to English language arts is aligned with the comprehensive literacy plan for the State developed by the State Board of Education. Effective immediately.