Rep. Brad Halbrook

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.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Ratifies and approves the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows for the issuance of multistate licenses that allow nurses to practice in their home state and other compact states. Provides that the Compact does not supersede existing State labor laws. Provides that the State may not share with or disclose to the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators or any other state any of the contents of a nationwide criminal history records check conducted for the purpose of multistate licensure under the Nurse Licensure Compact.

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 Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no vehicle owned and operated by the State, a unit of local government, or a subsidiary body thereof shall display nongovernmental license plates. Provides that every vehicle owned and operated by a unit of local government, or any subsidiary body thereof, shall affix a sticker or decal that clearly denotes the unit of local government to which the vehicle belongs, to the license plate or, if necessary, the rear of the vehicle within 6 inches of the license plate, such that it is plainly visible to a vehicle approaching from behind. Exempts vehicles being used in undercover police operations. Effective immediately.

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 Motor Fuel Tax Law. Provides that an increase in the rate of tax based on the change in the Consumer Price Index shall not occur until July 1, 2023 (currently, January 1, 2023). Repeals a requirement that retailers of motor fuel shall cause a notice to be placed on retail dispensing devices. 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.