Rep. Brad Halbrook

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Prohibits, until February 1, 2027, the Chicago Board of Education from closing any attendance center within the school district that has selective admission requirements that are approved by the Board. Prohibits, until February 1, 2027, the Board from changing the standards for admission to any attendance center within the school district that has selective admission requirements that are approved by the Board. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of the Code, the Board may not take any action, until February 1, 2027, that results in a decrease in either the total amount or percentage of funds allocated to an attendance center within the school district that has selective admission requirements that are approved by the Board. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for each qualified individual who serves as a volunteer first responder for at least 9 months during the taxable year and who incurs expenses for the purchase of eligible equipment that is used by the individual when training as a volunteer first responder or incurs any other training expenses associated with the individual's service as a volunteer first responder. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the Shelby County Board may form, manage, fund, and operate a volunteer rescue squad to provide assistance within Shelby County to any public entity providing law enforcement, firefighting, emergency disaster response, or first responder services. Provides that the volunteer rescue squad may (i) locate missing persons, including drowning victims, (ii) perform a supporting, and not direct, role in fighting fires, and (iii) extricate persons from unsafe conditions. Provides that the Shelby County Board may provide benefits for rescue squad volunteers who suffer disease, injury, or death in the line of duty.

Creates the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program Act. Makes findings. Provides that the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program is created for a 2-year degree pathway by which paraprofessional educators may enroll to achieve the education requirements to attain a professional educator license in this State, which shall comply with the standards of the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education. Provides that, subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year or, if funds are not appropriated for the Program that academic year, beginning with the academic year in which funds are appropriated for the Program, the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education shall coordinate with each other to assign a qualified individual to serve as a Program director to develop the curriculum for the Program. Provides that one public elementary or public secondary school and one public university in this State shall be chosen to develop a program for transitioning paraprofessionals to teachers. Includes the core components of the Program. Provides that the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education must submit a report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Legislative Reference Bureau detailing the impact of the Program and then the Program is dissolved and the Act is repealed. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Reduces the rate of tax on individuals, trusts, and estates from 4.95% to 3.99% for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a ranked-choice voting method that allows voters to rank candidates for an office in order of preference and tabulates cast ballots in multiple rounds following the elimination of a candidate until a single candidate attains a majority shall not be used in determining the election or nomination of any candidate to any local, State, or federal elective office in this State. Provides that an ordinance existing on the effective date of the amendatory Act or adopted after the effective date of the amendatory Act by a county, a municipality, or any other unit of local government that is in conflict with the provisions is void. Repeals the provision on January 1, 2034. Removes a provision allowing a municipality to adopt an ordinance to administer an election using a ranked ballot for municipal and township office candidates to be voted on in the consolidated election.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Provides for the establishment and administration of the Township Rebuild Program by the Department of Transportation. Provides that the Department use the Township Rebuild Fund to award grants of no greater than $250,000 to townships with populations under 2,000 for the purpose of expanding machinery storage facilities. Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Creates the Township Rebuild Fund as a special fund in the State Treasury. Provides that the Fund shall receive transfers from the Motor Fuel Tax Fund sufficient to provide awards to all eligible townships in the Illinois Township Rebuild Program. Amends the State Finance Act to make a corresponding addition. Provides that the Township Rebuild Program Fund shall be used according to the purposes described in the Transportation Funds provisions of the Revenue Article of the Illinois Constitution.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall have pre-bid, pre-construction meetings with county, township, and municipal elected officials and with all fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and medical providers in each Department district that will be impacted by the construction projects concerning the scope and nature of those construction projects.

Makes application to Congress under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States for the calling of a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.