Rep. Charlie Meier

Amends the Technology Advancement and Development Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 700/1001 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 505/21.6 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that a child protective investigator is authorized to carry and use personal protection spray devices, such as mace, pepper mace, or pepper gas, for self-defense purposes while investigating a report of child abuse or neglect if the child protective investigator has been trained on the proper use of such personal protection spray devices by the Illinois State Police. Requires the Illinois State Police to establish a training program for child protective investigators on the proper use of personal protection spray devices for self-defense purposes. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to provide funding for the training program. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that a front-line staff member is authorized to carry and use personal protection spray devices, as defined, for self-defense purposes while investigating a report of child abuse or neglect if the front-line staff member has been trained on the proper use of such personal protection spray devices by the Department of Children and Family Services, in consultation with the Illinois State Police. Provides that by January 1, 2023, the Department, in consultation with the Illinois State Police, shall (i) identify a list of approved personal protection spray devices and (ii) jointly develop and approve a training curriculum and program for front-line staff members on the proper use of such personal protection spray devices for self-defense purposes. Requires the Department to provide funding for the training program. Sets forth specific circumstances under which a front-line staff member may use a personal protection spray device including if the front-line staff member: (i) reasonably believes that use is necessary to protect the staff member from an imminent physical assault posed by another person; (ii) uses the device to incapacitate a person attempting a physical assault in order to avoid imminent physical harm and to facilitate escape from danger when there is no other alternative available to the front-line staff member; and (iii) except in exigent circumstances, has issued a verbal warning to persons in close proximity to the spray area. Provides that a front-line staff member's use of personal protection spray devices during the performance of his or her professional duties in any manner other than as expressly authorized under the amendatory Act shall be prohibited by Department policy. Provides that whenever a front-line staff member discharges a personal protection spray device, the front-line staff member shall complete an incident report. Provides that, following the discharge of a personal protection spray device that results in exposure, the front-line staff member shall notify his or her supervisor and, if appropriate, call 9-1-1 for emergency response or responders as soon as reasonably practical and when safe to do so. Requires the Department to annually report and publish on its website, beginning January 1, 2024, the number of front-line staff members trained to carry personal protection spray devices, the number of front-line staff members reporting personal protection spray devices and the make or model of the devices, and the number of reported uses of personal protection spray devices by service region. Provides that, in addition, the Department shall report each incident involving the deployment of a personal protection spray device that occurred during the preceding calendar year, including: (1) the estimated age, gender, and race of the intended target of the personal protection spray device; (2) whether there were injuries to the intended target resulting from the deployment of the personal protection spray device; (3) the age, gender, and race of the front-line staff member who utilized the personal protection spray device; and (4) whether there were injuries to the front-line staff member resulting from the incident. Requires the Department to also report yearly data on the number of personal protection spray device deployments found to be against Department policy. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that a purchase of service agency under contract with the Department of Children and Family Services to provide transportation services to children and families must comply with all applicable federal and State laws and regulations and Department rules and must certify in the signed purchased of service contract that: (i) the agency has trained all of its drivers on how to properly install and operate an approved child restraint system as defined in the Child Passenger Protection Act; (ii) all drivers possess a valid driver's license and have a driving record devoid of any convictions of traffic violations or evidence of committing an offense for which mandatory revocation would be required upon conviction; (iii) any motor vehicle operated by a driver during the transport of any child on behalf of the Department is insured and such insurance will be maintained throughout the period for which the motor vehicle is used to transport any child on behalf of the Department; and (iv) all vehicles used to transport children are properly maintained, clean, and smoke free with properly functioning heating and air conditioner systems that the driver has been instructed to utilize as appropriate for the weather conditions. Requires a purchase of service agency to provide a designated telephone number that drivers, parents, foster parents, and legal guardians can use to communicate with the agency at any point before or during a scheduled transport or family visit to notify the agency regarding a late pickup or arrival. Requires each agency driver to certify in a written statement that he or she will comply with all laws, regulations, and Department rules including requirements concerning child restraint systems, possession of a valid driver's license, completion of a fingerprint-based criminal history records check, and other matters. Requires the Department to conduct annual checks on purchase of service agencies and drivers to ensure compliance. Grants the Department rulemaking authority to implement the new provisions.

Amends the Electric Vehicle Act and the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act. Deletes language providing that "electric vehicle" does not include electric motorcycles. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 415 ILCS 120/27 In provisions amending the Electric Vehicle Act and the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act, provides that "electric vehicle" does not include electric mopeds or electric off-highway vehicles. Further amends the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act. Provides that only electric vehicles that are not an electric motorcycle qualify for specified rebates. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2022, each person shall be eligible to apply for a $1,500 rebate for the purchase of an electric vehicle that is an electric motorcycle. Provides that purchasers applying for a rebate must continue to reside in Illinois (rather than a covered area) for a minimum of 12 consecutive months immediately after the vehicle purchase date. Provides that rebates administered under the provisions shall be available for both new and used electric vehicles (rather than for new and used passenger electric vehicles). House Floor Amendment No. 2 In the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act, provides that beginning July 1, 2028, each person shall be eligible to apply for a $1,500 (rather than $1,000) rebate for the purchase of an electric vehicle that is not an electric motorcycle.

Amends the Kaskaskia Regional Port District Act. In provisions concerning the Kaskaskia Port District's rights and powers, provides that the District may own or lease one or more, or a combination or combinations of, industrial buildings, office buildings, buildings to be used as a factory, mill shops, processing plants, packaging plants, assembly plants, fabricating plants, and buildings to be used as warehouses and other storage facilities (currently, only acquire, erect, construct, reconstruct, improve, maintain, and operate such facilities).

Designates Illinois Route 143 as it travels from its intersection with Route 4 east through the City of Marine as the "Larry D. Mills Memorial Highway."

Declares June 12, 2022 as "Women's Veterans Day" to commemorate the day women were officially added as regular members of the United States military, to recognize the critical role of women in the military forces, and to commemorate the sacrifices and valor displayed by Illinois women veterans.

Mourns the death of Harold Byers of Highland.

Declares April 11-15, 2022 as Prescribed Burning Awareness Week. Supports the appropriate and continued use of prescribed fire in Illinois.

Declares the first full week of March 2022 as "Illinois Soil Health Week" and the Wednesday of that week as "Illinois Soil Health Day".

Declares November 8 to November 12, 2021 as School Psychology Awareness Week in the State of Illinois. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Changes the date for School Psychology Awareness Week.