Merit Institute Merit

The Illinois Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (IL-ACSA)

Illinois state companion to ACSA. Extends IDFPR licensure recognition, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Workforce Innovation Board, and 35 ILCS corporate and individual income-tax credits, with labor-protective provisions.

THE ILLINOIS WORKER-MERIT CREDENTIALING ACT (IL-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Illinois General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Labor and Commerce / Revenue and Finance / Higher Education.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Illinois Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (IL-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation operates under 20 ILCS 2105; that the Illinois Community College Board operates under 110 ILCS 805; that the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board operates under 20 ILCS 1015 consistent with 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3111; that 35 ILCS 5 and 35 ILCS 120 et seq. authorize tax credits; and that the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (820 ILCS 115) and Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5) apply to all employment relationships. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH ILLINOIS LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Illinois Recognized Merit Credential” or “ILRMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Illinois Community College Board in coordination with the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means an agency issuing an occupational license under 225 ILCS.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Illinois Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • 225 ILCS (occupational licensing).
  • 110 ILCS 805 (Community College Board).
  • 20 ILCS 1015 (IWIB).
  • 35 ILCS 5 (Income Tax Act).
  • 820 ILCS 115 (Wage Payment Act).

TITLE II — ILLINOIS RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Illinois Community College Board, in coordination with the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board, shall maintain an Illinois Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“ILRMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) The Department of Central Management Services, acting under the Illinois Personnel Code (20 ILCS 415), shall apply classifications so that an ILRMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Illinois statute.

TITLE III — WORKFORCE-TRAINING TAX CREDIT (Worker-Protective Rewire)

Sec. 301. Skills-Based Hiring Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to 35 ILCS 5 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to an Illinois-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is an ILRMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Credit availability is conditioned on the employer’s compliance with the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (820 ILCS 115) and the Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5).
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Illinois Department of Revenue administers.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting ILRMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience, subject to public health and safety requirements.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Illinois bills: IL-MEWRA, IL-GT&P, IL-AI-Workforce.