Rep. Blaine Wilhour

Creates the COVID-19 Religious Exemption Act. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person, public or private institution, or public official to discriminate against any person in any manner because of such person's refusal to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination contrary to his or her belief. Requires all health care facilities to adopt written access to care and information protocols that are designed to ensure that belief-based objections do not cause impairment of patients' health and that explain how belief-based objections will be addressed in a timely manner to facilitate patient care. Provides that it is unlawful for any public or private employer, entity, agency, institution, official, or person to deny admission because of, to place any reference in its application form concerning, to orally question about, to impose any burdens in terms or conditions of employment on, or to otherwise discriminate against, any applicant, in terms of employment, admission to or participation in any programs for which the applicant is eligible, or to discriminate in relation thereto, in any other manner, on account of the applicant's refusal to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination that is against the applicant's beliefs. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, guardian, agency, institution, or entity to deny any form of aid, assistance, or benefits, or to condition the reception in any way of any form of aid, assistance, or benefits, or in any other manner to coerce, disqualify, or discriminate against any person, otherwise entitled to such aid, assistance, or benefits, because that person refuses to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination contrary to the person's belief. Allows any person injured by any public or private person, association, agency, entity, or corporation by reason of any action prohibited by the Act to bring an action. Provides that a person who brings an action shall recover threefold the actual damages, the costs of the action, and reasonable attorney's fees, but in no case shall recovery for each violation be less than $2,500 plus costs of the action and reasonable attorney's fees. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act and the Invest in Kids Act. Provides that the Invest in Kids credit applies permanently (currently, the credit applies for taxable years ending before January 1, 2023). Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the retirement annuity or supplemental annuity for a participant, member, or annuitant in any pension fund or retirement system under the Code shall be subject to annual increases equal to the annual unadjusted percentage increase in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1. Provides that the changes apply without regard to whether the participant is in active service on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides additional required economic interests to be listed by specified persons on a statement of economic interests filed under the Act. Defines "relative".

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that neither the Treasurer nor the Comptroller shall authorize payment of any increase in salary for a member of the General Assembly, including cost of living adjustment increases, as compared to a prior year, without the General Assembly voting on such increase in a stand alone appropriations bill. Provides that a member of the General Assembly who has held office any part of a month, but not for the entire month, is entitled to compensation only for those days during that month that he or she held office (currently, entitled to compensation for the entire month). Provides that no allowance for meals shall be provided to members of the General Assembly for any given day if meals have been provided to members on that day at the place of their meeting, without charge to the members, and the cost of the meal was paid for through any budget authority associated with the House, Senate, or State of Illinois. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the total amount of the retirement annuity or pension benefits a person may receive from any pension fund or retirement system under the Code in any year shall not exceed $132,900; however, that amount shall annually thereafter be increased by the percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, including all previous adjustments. Provides that the changes apply without regard to whether a person became a member, participant, beneficiary, or annuitant before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that no voter registration may be canceled without following the procedures as required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Provides that the voter registration application or the voter registration card of an inactive voter who has not voted in 2 consecutive general federal elections shall be canceled. Requires a voter's registration to be canceled when an election authority receives certain notices regarding the voter's incarceration status, voter disqualification, or death. Provides that the county clerk of the county where a decedent last resided shall (rather than may) issue certifications of death records from an electronic reporting system for death registrations as provided in the Vital Records Act and shall (rather than may) use that system to cancel the registration of any person who died during the preceding month.

Amends the Invest in Kids Act. Provides that the credit shall be equal to 100% (currently, 75%) of the total amount of qualified contributions made by the taxpayer during a taxable year, not to exceed a credit of $1,333,333 (currently, $1,000,000) per taxpayer. Provides that the aggregate credit cap per year may not exceed $100,000,000 (currently, $75,000,000). Provides that the cap shall be increased by 20% beginning on the first day of a calendar year if, in at least 2 of the previous 3 calendar years, the cap was reached. Provides that the credit applies on a permanent basis. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Provides that any township official for a township with a population of less than 2,500 inhabitants, including, but not limited to a trustee for such a township, may serve as a member of a board of education, member of a regional board of school trustees, member of a board of school directors, or member of a board of school inspectors. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that in any 12-month period the Governor shall have the authority to issue only one proclamation per disaster and that any further proclamation for the disaster that triggered the original proclamation shall be in force only after a two-thirds vote of each chamber of the General Assembly approves a joint resolution containing the exact language of the proclamation and which the Governor must follow. Provides that the Governor shall have no authority to amend or change the language of the proclamation as approved by joint resolution.