IL SB1771

Creates the Securing All Futures through Equitable Reinvestment (SAFER) Communities Act, establishing a pilot program through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide wage reimbursements to employers who hire formerly incarcerated individuals

Employers receive 50% wage reimbursement for hiring eligible participants, or 75% if the job site is located in a disproportionately impacted R3 Area, for up to 12 consecutive months per participant

Eligible participants must be Illinois residents who served a state or federal prison sentence ending within 10 years of program acceptance, were unemployed or underemployed before hiring, and work at least 30 hours weekly in positions paying at or above average wage or covered by collective bargaining agreements

Department-certified "Navigators" (nonprofits, industry associations, workforce agencies, or educational institutions) administer the program by connecting participants with employers, verifying eligibility, and providing barrier reduction funding for transportation, housing, child care, and technology services

Department of Corrections must promote program awareness by posting information in correctional facilities, providing materials at release, and distributing details to parole offices; the Act is subject to appropriation and repeals December 31, 2035