HB2839 Summary

• Creates the Investing in Illinois Works Tax Credit Act, authorizing owners and operators of petrochemical refineries and chemical manufacturing facilities to claim up to $2,500 per qualified employee per year in income tax credits for hiring graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program who are registered apprentices.

• Establishes the Access to Apprenticeship Act, prohibiting preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs from requiring recommendations from union members or other individuals as a condition of acceptance.

• Creates the Illinois Hazardous Materials Workforce Training Act, requiring facility owners and operators to use skilled and trained workforces (registered apprentices or skilled journeypersons) for all construction work within apprenticeable occupations, with phased-in requirements reaching 80% apprenticeship program graduates by July 1, 2026.

• Caps aggregate annual tax credits at $20,000,000, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with credits carrying forward up to 5 years if they exceed annual tax liability.

• Establishes minimum approved safety training requirements (30-hour OSHA course), reporting obligations with diversity goals, civil penalties of at least $10,000 per violation, and enforcement authority for the Department of Labor and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; effective January 1, 2024.