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SPONSORED LEGISLATION
HB5266 - PEN CD-CHI POLICE-DISABILITY
Stephanie A. Kifowit, Patrick Sheehan, Robert F. Martwick
Last updated 5 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Amends the Chicago Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a policeman who applies for disability benefits under the Article and has been denied reinstatement as a policeman by his or her employer because of a physical or mental incapacity shall be presumed to be disabled as that term is used in the Article. Provides that no policeman who otherwise meets the requirements for a disability benefit shall be denied a disability benefit unless and until the policeman's employer reinstates him or her as a policeman or offers him or her a limited-duty position. Provides that the changes apply retroactively to January 1, 2023. Provides that any policeman who has been denied a disability benefit without an offer of reinstatement or a limited-duty position after January 1, 2023 shall be entitled to retroactive disability benefits. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB5270 - OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY COMPACT
Stephanie A. Kifowit, Terra Costa Howard, Michelle Mussman
Last updated 8 months ago
21 Co-Sponsors
Creates the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact Act. Provides that the State of Illinois ratifies and approves the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact. Provides that the purpose of the Compact is to facilitate interstate practice of Occupational Therapy with the goal of improving public access to Occupational Therapy services, and states that the Compact preserves the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licensure. The Compact contains provisions concerning definitions; state participation in the Compact; Compact privilege; obtaining a new home state license by virtue of Compact privileges; active duty military personnel and their spouses; adverse actions; establishment of the Occupational Therapy Compact Commission; a data system; rulemaking; oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement; date of implementation of the Interstate Commission for Occupational Therapy Practice and associated rules, withdrawal, and amendment; construction and severability; and the binding effect of the Compact and other laws.
STATUS
Introduced
HB5264 - PEN CD-CHI POLICE-ADMIN REVIEW
Stephanie A. Kifowit, Patrick Sheehan, Robert F. Martwick
Last updated 5 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Amends the Chicago Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that if a policeman has an application for an ordinary disability benefit denied by the Board of Trustees of the Fund or has a duty disability benefit, ordinary disability benefit, or occupational disability benefit terminated by the Board and brings an action for administrative review challenging the termination or denial of the disability benefit and the policeman prevails in the action in administrative review, then the prevailing policeman shall be entitled to recover from the Fund court costs and litigation expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, as part of the costs of the action. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB5272 - CONCEALED CARRY-IL NAT GUARD
Stephanie A. Kifowit
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall by rule allow for non-resident firearm concealed carry license applications of members of the Illinois National Guard who reside in another state or territory of the United States regardless as to whether the laws of their state or territory of residence related to firearm ownership, possession, and carrying are substantially similar to the requirements to obtain a firearm concealed carry license under the Act.
STATUS
Introduced
HB4787 - PARAPROF TO TEACHER PROGRAM
Amy L. Grant, Brad Halbrook, Bradley J. Fritts
Last updated 8 months ago
17 Co-Sponsors
Creates the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program Act. Makes findings. Provides that the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program is created for a 2-year degree pathway by which paraprofessional educators may enroll to achieve the education requirements to attain a professional educator license in this State, which shall comply with the standards of the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education. Provides that, subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year or, if funds are not appropriated for the Program that academic year, beginning with the academic year in which funds are appropriated for the Program, the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education shall coordinate with each other to assign a qualified individual to serve as a Program director to develop the curriculum for the Program. Provides that one public elementary or public secondary school and one public university in this State shall be chosen to develop a program for transitioning paraprofessionals to teachers. Includes the core components of the Program. Provides that the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education must submit a report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Legislative Reference Bureau detailing the impact of the Program and then the Program is dissolved and the Act is repealed. Effective immediately.
STATUS
Introduced
HB5449 - PEN CD-SERS-ALTERNATE ANNUITY
Stephanie A. Kifowit
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Amends the General Provisions and State Employee Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that, with regard to persons subject to the Tier 2 provisions, a security employee of the Department of Human Services, a security employee of the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice, or an investigator for the Department of the Lottery is entitled to an annuity calculated under the alternative retirement annuity provisions, in lieu of the regular or minimum retirement annuity, only if the person has withdrawn from service with not less than 20 years of eligible creditable service and has attained age 55, regardless of whether the attainment of age 55 occurs while the person is still in service. Authorizes an investigator for the Department of the Lottery to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity provisions. Provides that a security employee of the Department of Human Services subject to the Tier 2 provisions may convert up to 13 years of service credit established before the effective date of the amendatory Act as a security employee of the Department of Human Services into eligible creditable service by filing a written election with the Board, accompanied by a specified payment. Provides that a specified educational requirement for persons employed by the Department of Juvenile Justice shall no longer determine the eligibility to earn eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity provisions, and authorizes the conversion of service credit to eligible creditable service. Excludes a benefit increase resulting from the amendatory Act from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective January 1, 2025.
STATUS
Introduced
HB5654 - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-COURT
Stephanie A. Kifowit
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Includes, in the definition of "abuse", the following: (i) coercive control that is a pattern of threatening, humiliating, or intimidating actions to harm an individual, stripping away the individual's sense of self and making the individual dependent by isolating, exploiting, and regulating the individual's behavior; (ii) emotional distress that undermines an individual's self-worth and self-esteem through constant criticism, diminishing abilities, and damaging relationships; (iii) psychological abuse that causes fear by intimidation, threatening harm, destroying property, and forcing isolation; as part of coercive control, it is a pattern of actions to harm, punish, or frighten that involves isolation, financial control, and coercion; and (iv) physical abuse or assault that includes actions such as hitting, slapping, and denying medical care. Requires that courts offer the option of a remote hearing to a petition for an order of protection that is now limited to counties with a population of more than 250,000. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Domestic Violence Victims' Expense Fund as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose of assisting domestic violence victims in covering the expense of traveling to and from and participating in the domestic violence proceedings.
STATUS
Introduced
HB5653 - VETERANS' SERVICES TASK FORCE
Stephanie A. Kifowit, Brandun Schweizer, LaShawn K. Ford
Last updated 5 months ago
24 Co-Sponsors
Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Reenacts a provision concerning the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force repealed by Public Act 102-417. Changes the name of the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force to the Veterans' Services Task Force. Changes the frequency of Task Force meetings to at least twice a year and at any other times the Task Force deems necessary. Requires the Task Force to submit its report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31, 2025. Repeals the provisions creating the Task Force on December 31, 2026. Effective immediately.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB5640 - VETERANS-SPACE FORCE
Stephanie A. Kifowit, Brandun Schweizer, Diane Blair-Sherlock
Last updated about 2 months ago
24 Co-Sponsors
Amends the Statute on Statutes. Provides that whenever there is a reference in any Act to "armed forces", "armed forces of the United States", "U.S. Armed Forces", "United States Armed Forces", or "uniformed services", these terms shall be construed to include the United States Space Force. Amends the Flag Display Act, the Secretary of State Merit Employment Code, the Veterans Preference Act, the Veterans Burial Places Act, and various other Acts. In all occurrences of the definition for "armed forces of the United States" and "member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States" expands the list of armed forces branches to include the Space Force. Makes conforming changes in the definition of "veteran" under the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law, in the definition of "military service" under the Illinois Pension Code, and in a provision under the Veterans Burial Places Act that lists the various military branches that make up the Reserve Officers Training Corps. Makes other conforming changes.
STATUS
Passed
HB5655 - HIGHER ED-NATL GUARD/RESERVIST
Stephanie A. Kifowit, Daniel M. Swanson, Mark L. Walker
Last updated about 2 months ago
41 Co-Sponsors
Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that the governing board of each public institution of higher education shall adopt a policy to allow a student who is a member of the National Guard of any state, the District of Columbia, a commonwealth, or a territory of the United States or any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States to submit classwork and complete any other class assignments missed due to the student participating in a drill required as a member of the National Guard or the reserve component.
STATUS
Passed
BIOGRAPHY
INCUMBENT
Representative from Illinois district HD-084
COMMITTEES
Illinois House
BIRTH
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ABOUT
Stephanie A. Kifowit is from Illinois. She earned her B.S. in Environmental Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1993 and her M.S. in Management at National Louis University in 2000. She served in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from 1986-1992 as a Communications Center Operator and obtained the rank of Sergeant. Kifowit was a Teacher in the Oswego School District from 1994-2012 as well as an elected member of the Oswego School Board from 2001-2012, serving as President of the Board from 2009-2011.read less
OFFICES HELD
Illinois House from Illinois
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