Rep. Chris Miller

Creates the COVID-19 Religious Exemption Act. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person, public or private institution, or public official to discriminate against any person in any manner because of such person's refusal to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination contrary to his or her belief. Requires all health care facilities to adopt written access to care and information protocols that are designed to ensure that belief-based objections do not cause impairment of patients' health and that explain how belief-based objections will be addressed in a timely manner to facilitate patient care. Provides that it is unlawful for any public or private employer, entity, agency, institution, official, or person to deny admission because of, to place any reference in its application form concerning, to orally question about, to impose any burdens in terms or conditions of employment on, or to otherwise discriminate against, any applicant, in terms of employment, admission to or participation in any programs for which the applicant is eligible, or to discriminate in relation thereto, in any other manner, on account of the applicant's refusal to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination that is against the applicant's beliefs. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, guardian, agency, institution, or entity to deny any form of aid, assistance, or benefits, or to condition the reception in any way of any form of aid, assistance, or benefits, or in any other manner to coerce, disqualify, or discriminate against any person, otherwise entitled to such aid, assistance, or benefits, because that person refuses to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination contrary to the person's belief. Allows any person injured by any public or private person, association, agency, entity, or corporation by reason of any action prohibited by the Act to bring an action. Provides that a person who brings an action shall recover threefold the actual damages, the costs of the action, and reasonable attorney's fees, but in no case shall recovery for each violation be less than $2,500 plus costs of the action and reasonable attorney's fees. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that, in any 12-month period, the Governor shall have the authority to issue only one proclamation per disaster and that any further proclamation for the disaster that triggered the original proclamation shall be in force only after a two-thirds vote of each chamber of the General Assembly approves a joint resolution containing the exact language of the proclamation. Specifies that the approved proclamation must be complied with by the Governor. Provides that the Governor shall have no authority to amend or change the language of the proclamation as approved by joint resolution.

Creates the Efficient School District Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the electorate on the number of school districts in this State and where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial. Sets forth what areas the recommendations must focus on, including drafting recommendations to reduce the statewide total number of school districts through the reorganization of school districts into unit districts. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2025, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 13 of its members, then the Commission's specific recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit districts shall be filed with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools. Sets forth the regional superintendent's and State Superintendent of Education's duties with respect to the recommendations. Repeals these provisions on January 31, 2026. Effective immediately.

Amends the University of Illinois Act. Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, provides that the Board of Trustees shall give priority admission to residents of this State. Based upon academic year, sets forth the percentage of the University's freshman class of undergraduate students that must be State residents. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the total amount of the retirement annuity or pension benefits a person may receive from any pension fund or retirement system under the Code in any year shall not exceed $132,900; however, that amount shall annually thereafter be increased by the percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, including all previous adjustments. Provides that the changes apply without regard to whether a person became a member, participant, beneficiary, or annuitant before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the retirement annuity or supplemental annuity for a participant, member, or annuitant in any pension fund or retirement system under the Code shall be subject to annual increases equal to the 10-year moving average of the annual unadjusted percentage increase in the consumer price index-u. Provides that the changes apply without regard to whether the participant is in active service on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Assembly Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Restricts participation in the General Assembly Retirement System by members of the General Assembly to persons who become participants before January 1, 2024 and provides that, beginning on that date, the System shall not accept any new participants who are members of the General Assembly. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Restores the statutes to the form in which they existed before their amendment by Public Act 102-662. Repeals the Energy Transition Act, the Energy Community Reinvestment Act, the Community Energy, Climate, and Jobs Planning Act, and the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the county clerk of a county where a decedent last resided shall (rather than may) issue certifications of death records from the electronic reporting system for death registrations and shall (rather than may) use that system to cancel the registration of any person who has died during the preceding month. Requires a county coroner, medical examiner, or physician for a county or any other individual responsible for certification of death under the Vital Records Act to promptly transmit certified records to the county clerk within 7 days after the death. Requires the county clerk and coroner to report quarterly to its affiliated county board and certify its full compliance with the provisions and accuracy of the voter rolls. Allows an individual to request a copy of the county clerk's or coroner's report and allows for relief if the county clerk fails to provide an accurate report within specified time frames.

Creates the Infant Born Alive Protection Act. Provides that any physician who intentionally performs an abortion when there is a reasonable likelihood or possibility of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb shall utilize the method most likely to preserve the life and health of the fetus, and that failure to do so is a Class 3 felony. Prohibits the performance or inducement of an abortion when the fetus is viable unless there is in attendance a physician other than the physician performing or inducing the abortion who shall take control of and provide immediate medical care for any child born alive as a result of the abortion. Provides that any living individual organism of the species homo sapiens who has been born alive is legally an individual under the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a Class 3 felony is committed when a physician under specified circumstances intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly fails to exercise the same conduct to preserve the life and health of a child as would be required for a child born alive at the same gestational age. Provides that nothing in the Act requires a physician to employ a method of abortion which, in the medical judgment of the physician, would increase medical risk to the mother. Except in specified circumstances, requires specified persons to inform a woman upon whom an abortion is to be performed when an anesthetic or analgesic is available for use to abolish or alleviate organic pain caused to the fetus by the particular method of abortion to be employed and provides that failure to do so is a Class B misdemeanor.