Rep. Jason Bunting

Amends the Public Higher Education Act, the Board of Higher Education Act, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that a resident of the State who is not lawfully present in the United States is not eligible, on the basis of residence within the State, for any postsecondary educational benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident. Provides that any benefit conferred to a nonresident of the State who is lawfully present in the United States may not be lesser in amount, duration, or scope than the benefit conferred to a State resident who is unlawfully present in the United States.

Creates the Solar Powered Road Signs Pilot Program Act. Requires the Department of Transportation to develop a pilot program to test the use of solar powered LED road signs in 5 counties of varied population. After getting reports of the program from the counties, the Department shall file a report with the General Assembly that contains the complete findings of the program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if a taxing district fails to timely file an affidavit that is required to be filed with respect to exempt property, then, prior to terminating the exemption, the chief county assessment officer shall notify the taxing district by first-class mail that the chief county assessment officer has not received the affidavit.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that if the county jail located in the county where the committed person was residing immediately before his or her conviction for the offense for which he or she is serving sentence in the Department of Corrections has a reentry program for committed persons, the Department of Corrections shall reimburse the county for any expenses incurred in the transfer of the committed person to the sheriff of the county where the reentry program is located, including the housing of the committed person transferred to the reentry program.

Maddy summaryHB 2083 makes a technical amendment to the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984. It specifically revises a section concerning the short title of that act.

Amends the Counties Code. In provisions concerning energy storage systems, provides that the farmland drainage plan that a facility owner must file with a county shall include, among other things, plans to repair any subsurface drainage affected during construction or deconstruction using procedures outlined in the agricultural impact mitigation agreement (rather than outlined in the decommissioning plan) and procedures for the repair and restoration of surface drainage affected during construction or deconstruction. Provides that a county shall (rather than may) require a facility owner to provide a decommissioning plan to the county. Makes changes to the requirements of a decommissioning plan. Provides that a county shall (rather than may) require the facility owner to submit to the county (i) a commercial operation a commissioning report meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; (ii) a hazard mitigation analysis meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; (iii) an emergency operations plan meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; and (iv) a warning that complies with specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association. Provides that the energy storage system owner shall enter into one agricultural impact mitigation agreement for each energy storage system. Requires the agricultural impact mitigation agreement for an energy storage system to include specified plans. Requires a commercial renewable energy facility owner to make available a copy of the signed agricultural impact mitigation agreement at the site of the commercial renewable energy facility during any construction or deconstruction activities. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Prohibits a person from selling a lottery ticket or share on a credit basis. Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides that an automated teller machine (ATM) located within a casino shall not be able to perform cash advances on credit cards. Prohibits a person from using a credit card to participate in a gambling game.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act. Provides that each self-insured commercial vehicle rental company may collect and shall pay into the Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Trust Fund an amount equal to $1.00, or a lesser amount determined by the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council, multiplied by each car rental contract providing physical damage insurance coverage written by it in the State during the preceding calendar year. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person may be retained in service as an investigator to investigate and enforce provisions of the Act administered by the Secretary of State after he or she has reached 65 (instead of 60) years of age. Removes the exemption for persons employed in the title of Capitol Police Investigator.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, "production agriculture" also includes scouting crops, inspecting or repairing fences used to raise livestock, tile mapping, and herding or inspecting livestock.