Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Municipal Urban Agricultural Areas Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of a municipality may, by ordinance or resolution, establish an urban agricultural area committee for the purpose of transforming vacant lots in a disadvantaged community or communities within the municipality into an urban agricultural area. Provides that, before the municipality either approves or denies the creation of an urban agricultural area, the urban agricultural area committee shall: (1) review the geographic description of the proposed urban agricultural area and make recommendations as to the adequacy of the geographic area; (2) seek and compile a list of qualified farmers that would operate in the proposed urban agricultural area; (3) estimate the number of jobs to be created, maintained, or supported within the proposed urban agricultural area and the type of products to be produced; and (4) make recommendations as to how the vacant parcels shall be transformed into usable agricultural or aquaculture lots if the vacant lots are not immediately ready for a qualifying farmer. States the duration of such urban agricultural area. Allows agricultural or aquaculture use of vacant lots within the urban agricultural area, even if not zoned for such use, with reasonable setback, height, livestock, and poultry regulations.

Amends the Counties Code and Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that no department, agency, or person shall issue a permit or license authorizing the use of explosives for the purpose of demolishing any structure by implosion where the residential population density in the area near the structure is one or more dwelling units per acre.

Amends the Abused, Neglected or Dependent Minors Article of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Restricts a court from making a finding of probable cause to believe that a minor is abused or neglected based only on a parent disclosing that the parent is the victim of domestic violence and the parent is seeking or accessing services for domestic violence. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 705 ILCS 405/2-10 from Ch. 37, par. 802-10 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following change. Provides that the court may not enter an order to place the minor in shelter care, commit the minor to the Department of Children and Family Services, or otherwise remove the minor from the minor's home based on only a disclosure by the minor's parent, guardian, or custodian that the minor's parent, guardian, or custodian is (i) a victim of domestic violence, (ii) seeking or accessing services for domestic violence, and (iii) not living in the same home as the perpetrator of the domestic violence.

Creates the Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission Act. Creates the Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission. Provides that the Commission's purpose is to: (i) drive the State's strategic vision for assessing and achieving the successful transition, adjustment, and reintegration of service members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families through the coordination of the collective efforts of public and private organizations throughout the State; (ii) facilitate, collaborate, and coordinate the efforts of these organizations to effectively and responsively meet the needs of the military community; (iii) conduct planning, research, education, training, and evaluation activities to improve the operations and coordination of the systems of care and support; and (iv) coordinate its activities with those of Illinois Joining Forces and other advocacy organizations for service members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families. Contains provisions concerning the Commission's composition; term appointments; meetings; and other matters. Provides that the duties of the Commission are to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of those State programs and services related to the military community; promote coordination and efficiency among State, county, and local units of government and municipalities; issue periodic reports on its performance and progress in meeting its goals; monitor the progress of the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan on Homelessness developed by specified federal agencies and other organizations; and other matters. Provides that the Commission is subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission Act. Creates the Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission. Provides that the Commission's purpose is to prevent veteran suicide. Requires the Commission to: (i) drive the State's strategic vision for assessing and achieving the successful transition, adjustment, and reintegration of service members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families through the coordination of the collective efforts of public and private organization throughout the State with the goal of preventing veteran suicide; (ii) facilitate, collaborate, and coordinate the efforts of these organizations to effectively and responsively meet the needs of the military community with the goal of preventing veteran suicide; (iii) conduct planning, research, education, training, and evaluation activities to improve the operations and coordination of the systems of care and support with the goal of preventing veteran suicide; (iv) coordinate its activities with those of Illinois Joining Forces and other advocacy organizations for service members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families. Contains provisions concerning the Commission's composition; term appointments; meetings; and other matters. Provides that the duties of the Commission are to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of those State programs and services related to the military community; promote coordination and efficiency among State, county, and local units of government and municipalities; issue periodic reports on its performance and progress in meeting its goals; monitor the progress of the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan on Homelessness developed by specified federal agencies and other organizations as they address the needs of the service members and veterans community, and their families, to prevent veteran suicide; and other matters. Provides that the Commission is subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State Mandate. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Veterans Affairs) HB 2628l, as amended by House Amendment 1 would have a moderate fiscal impact to the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Amends the Crematory Regulation Act. Provides that "cremation" includes natural organic reduction. Defines "natural organic reduction". Effective immediately.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions concerning mistakes in benefit calculation, provides that if the amount of the benefit was mistakenly set too high, the error was undiscovered for 3 years or longer, and the error was not the result of incorrect information supplied or information omitted (instead of incorrect information supplied) by the affected member or beneficiary, then upon discovery of the mistake the benefit shall be adjusted to the correct level, but the recipient of the benefit need not repay to the System the excess amounts received in error. Provides that regardless of the date an overpayment is discovered, if the System determines that the overpayment has occurred for specified reasons, the System may recover the overpayment from the recipient thereof or the recipient's estate, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of the overpayment to the date of recovery, either directly or by deducting such amount from the remaining benefits payable to the recipient or the recipient's estate, or by any other means available to the System. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a mandatory supervised release term shall not be imposed for a Class 4 felony. Makes conforming changes. Fiscal Note (Prisoner Review Board) HB 3659 has no fiscal impact projected to the Prisoner Review Board. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 730 ILCS 5/3-3-8 730 ILCS 5/5-8-1 Adds reference to: 730 ILCS 5/3-6-3 from Ch. 38, par. 1003-6-3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Includes time served in a county jail as part of the minimum of 60 days of the sentence that must be served before the Director of Corrections may award discretionary earned sentence credit.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that a university or community college under the Board of Higher Education Act may, at the discretion of its governing board, adopt a 5% plus factor with respect to a minority-owned business, women-owned business, and business owned by a person with a disability. Provides that the use of a 5% plus factor shall require every bid price that is submitted by an eligible bidder to be multiplied by 0.95 for purposes of bid selection. Provides that a university or community college may adopt reciprocity with respect to the procurement certifications operated by the City of Chicago with respect to a minority-owned business, women-owned business, or business owned by a person with a disability. Makes a conforming change in the Board of Higher Education Act.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act and the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall establish and maintain an email and text message notification system for persons who are applying for or possess Firearm Owner's Identification Cards or concealed carry licenses. Provides that in addition to receiving a mail notification of the status of a person's application for, renewal, suspension, or revocation of his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license, the person may request email or text message, or both, notifications of the status of his or her application, renewal, suspension, revocation, and other notifications concerning his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall notify a person who possesses a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license of the expiration of his or her Card or license at least 90 days before its expiration. Provides that that if a person is issued a concealed carry license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, the person may be issued a Firearm Owner's Identification Card that is valid for the person to whom it is issued for a period of 5 years and which expires upon the expiration of the person's concealed carry license. Provides that if the only reason for the revocation of a person's concealed carry license is the expiration of the licensee's Firearm Owner's Identification Card, the person does not have to submit a form to the Illinois State Police to conduct an investigation of the person's suitability for the issuance of a concealed carry license.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that a school district may offer its students a course on gun safety as part of its curriculum during the school day or as part of an after-school program. Provides that the State Board of Education may prepare and make available to school boards resources on gun safety that may be used as guidelines for the development of a course. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-23.15 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-2 from Ch. 122, par. 27-2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning instruction. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-2 Adds reference to: P.A. 102-466, Sec. 99 105 ILCS 5/10-22.6 from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6 105 ILCS 5/10-22.6a from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6a 105 ILCS 5/26A-15 105 ILCS 5/26A-20 105 ILCS 5/26A-25 105 ILCS 5/26A-30 105 ILCS 5/26A-40 105 ILCS 5/26A-45 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Adds bullying and the death of a family member as mitigating factors that a student may disclose during a suspension review hearing or expulsion hearing. If allegations of sexual violence or gender-based harassment (rather than only allegations of domestic violence) are made against the student subject to discipline during the suspension review hearing or expulsion hearing, prohibits the student subject to discipline or the student's representative from directly questioning or contacting the alleged victim. If a pupil will be absent from school for 2 or more consecutive weeks for treatment of the pupil's physical or mental health arising from domestic or sexual violence, requires a qualified employee (rather than an employee) from the pupil's domestic or sexual violence organization to provide written notice of the pupil's need for home instruction to the school district; defines "qualified employee", "domestic violence program", and "rape crises organization". Amends the Children and Students Who Are Parents, Expectant Parents, or Victims of Domestic or Sexual Violence Article of the School Code. Requires the Ensuring Success in School Task Force to include in its report recommendations for language to include in school and district policies (rather than to include model school and district policies in the report). Changes the date of the Task Force's report to January 1, 2024 (rather than June 30, 2024); repeals the provisions related to the Task Force on December 1, 2024 (rather than December 1, 2025). Makes other changes to the provisions concerning the review and revision of school district policies and procedures. Amends provisions concerning confidentiality. Sets forth additional requirements a school district must include in its policy concerning student confidentiality and the disclosure of information related to the imminent risk of serious physical injury or death of a student or another person. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2022, except that provisions concerning confidentiality take effect July 1, 2023. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 In the provision about Task Force membership, provides that one member must represent a statewide organization of school social workers (rather than social workers). In the provision concerning confidentiality, provides that if disclosing an imminent risk of serious physical injury or death to a student or another person does not require disclosing confidential information about a student's status, then the student's status must not (instead of must) be shared.