Rep. Chris Miller

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in a criminal investigation in counties in excess of 3,000,000 involving a forcible felony where the State's Attorney or an Assistant State's Attorney rejects the filing of a felony charge or charges or the case is designated by the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney as a continuing investigation: (1) a law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the alleged crime occurred may override the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney's rejection of the felony charge or charges or the case is designated by the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney as a continuing investigation if the evidence supporting the charge is clear and convincing and the override is filed with the clerk of the circuit court and the State's Attorney; and (2) the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney may rescind the override within 7 days after the override by petitioning the Chief Judge of the Criminal Division of the circuit court. Provides for petition requirements. Provides that, if the court determines that law enforcement agency's decision to override was based on clear and convincing evidence, the State's Attorney must proceed with a preliminary examination or seek an indictment by grand jury within 30 days from the date he or she was taken into custody or, if he or she is not in custody, 60 days from the date he or she was arrested. Provides that the decision of the court on the law enforcement agency's override is not appealable. Requires all State's Attorney Offices to collect and maintain data in a public database on all felony cases called in for review by law enforcement and specifies how the data shall be collected and disclosed. Requires notification of a victim or victim's family of rejection of a felony case.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Creates the offense of organized retail theft. Provides that a person commits the offense when he or she does any of the following: (1) acts in concert with one or more persons to steal merchandise from one or more merchant's premises with the intent to deprive the merchant permanently of the possession, use or benefit of the merchandise without paying the full retail value of the merchandise or to sell, exchange, or return the merchandise for value; (2) acts in concert with 2 or more persons to receive, purchase, or possess merchandise described in item (1), knowing or believing it to have been stolen; (3) acts as an agent of another individual or group of individuals to steal merchandise from one or more merchant's premises as part of an organized plan to commit theft; or (4) recruits, coordinates, organizes, supervises, directs, manages, or finances another to undertake any of the acts described in item (1) or (2) or any other statute defining theft of merchandise. Provides penalties and establishes venue for organized retail theft.

Repeals the Statewide Use of Force Standardization Act, the No Representation Without Population Act, the Reporting of Deaths in Custody Act, and the Task Force on Constitutional Rights and Remedies Act. Restores various provisions of specified Acts to the form in which they existed before their amendment by Public Acts 101-652 and 102-28, except for changes made to the Crime Victims Compensation Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Driver Licensing Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a first-time applicant for a driver's license shall not be required to complete a road test if the Secretary of State is provided verification of the applicant's successful completion of a certified driver's education course offered by a public school, nonpublic school, or private training school.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Veterans' Affairs shall be a veteran who was honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces and has experience in either a medical profession, health care, or assisted living facility management.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the cents per gallon rate established by the Department of Revenue for the prepayment of tax by motor fuel retailers may not exceed $0.18 per gallon for motor fuel and 80% of that amount for gasohol and biodiesel blends. Provides that the rate of tax imposed under the Acts for motor fuel, gasohol, majority blended ethanol fuel, and biodiesel and biodiesel blends may not exceed that prepayment amount set by the Department of Revenue. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that benefit or annuity payments to a member or participant shall be suspended if the member or participant is indicted or charged by information with a felony and the board of the retirement system or pension fund determines that the felony relates to or arises out of or in connection with his or her service as a member or participant of the retirement system or pension fund. Provides that if the member or participant is not convicted of that felony, payment of the benefit or annuity shall resume and the retirement system or pension fund shall pay to the member or participant the amount of the suspended annuity or benefit payments with interest. Provides that if the member or participant is convicted of that felony, the suspended annuity or benefit payments shall not be paid to the member or participant. Provides that the amendatory Act applies without regard to whether the member or participant first became a member or participant of a retirement system or pension fund before the effective date. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall establish and administer an annual program to award property tax relief grants to school districts in the State. Provides that, in exchange for receiving a grant, the school district's maximum aggregate property tax extension for the taxable year that begins on January 1 of the fiscal year for which the grant is awarded may not exceed a specified maximum aggregate property tax extension. Creates the Education Property Tax Relief Fund for the purpose of making appropriations for the grant program. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires, within one year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health, to perform an assessment of State parks, including recreational trails, and other outdoor recreation areas and facilities to determine where it is appropriate to install signage to warn visitors of possible Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Provides that the assessment shall include, but shall not be limited to, considerations related to the installation of signage in areas of reported new or increased contact with ticks and an evaluation of any relevant data on tick-borne diseases. Provides that the assessment shall be updated no less than once every 3 years, or more often as deemed necessary by both the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Health. Requires that a summary of the assessment be posted by the Department of Natural Resources on its website within 60 days of the completion of the assessment. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall thereafter install and maintain signs at all State-managed parks and outdoor recreation areas and facilities, including, but not limited to, recreational trail entryways, campgrounds, and any other location as defined and determined by the Department as necessary and based on the assessment, warning individuals that ticks may be found in the area and cause Lyme or other tick-borne diseases. Authorizes the Department to use models already in use throughout the State or in another state or any model the Department determines appropriate when determining the design for such signage. Effective immediately.

Affirms trust in the decision Illinoisans made when they rejected the path to taxing retirement income by prohibiting the "Fair Tax" from becoming enacted in the 2020 election.