* The bill is here. Press release…

State Senator Linda Holmes is ready to bring the state’s hiring practices out of the 1950s and into the present so Illinois’ ability to recruit and hire quality applicants is improved and streamlined. The future is now, as Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2228 into law Tuesday.

“It’s difficult to believe Illinois’ Personnel Code has not been systematically updated since it was adopted in 1955, but I’m pleased we can make these substantial updates now so the process will move more quickly with greater accessibility and transparency,” said Holmes (D-Aurora).

Senate Bill 2228 changes the code to implement modern processes and best practices in the state’s hiring methods, while reducing the time it takes to hire and grow the state’s workforce. It also provides for real-time review of proposed rules by JCAR and the Civil Service Commission to reduce the time it takes to make necessary regulatory changes. This improves transparency and access to workforce data, too.

This legislation was an initiative of the Department of Central Management Services to address delays and difficulties faced by departments with positions to fill, as well as applicants and CMS itself. It expands a mechanism for on-the-spot job offers (provisional hiring) and to get new employees working while the administrative hiring process is completed. Provisional hiring would decrease the hiring cycle timeline for critical positions by months.

CMS says they process tens of thousands of hiring sequences each year, and this will result in exponentially compounded time saved.

“It is possible that our state government has missed out over 68 years on many talented candidates for whom this process took too long and they accepted positions elsewhere,” Holmes said. “Several state functions are seriously understaffed right now, and this is an opportunity to fill those roles and provide more timely services to Illinoisans needing their assistance.”

The governor signed Senate Bill 2228 into law Tuesday. It takes effect immediately.

AFSCME Council 31 slipped as “No Position.”

* The other bills Pritzker signed today…

Bill Number: HB 1186
Description: Provides that Health Maintenance Organizations are not required to use a referral system for enrollees to access providers under contract with or employed by the health maintenance organization.
Action: Signed
Effective: January 1, 2024

Bill Number: HB 1364
Description: Creates the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Workgroup Act.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately

Bill Number: HB 3296
Description: Increases the cap on regulatory fees for Illinois largest credit unions.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately

Bill Number: SB 2228
Description: Amends the Personnel Code and other relevant statutes to modernize the Personnel Code by seeking to remove inefficiencies, which delay the hiring process for state employees, and represents an overall clean-up to account for modern hiring practices.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately

Bill Number: SB 2379
Description: Deadline extension for Counsel in Immigration Proceedings task force report.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately

HB3296 was originally opposed by the Illinois Credit Union League, but they switched to neutral after three amendments were filed. You never give up in this business.