Rep. Blaine Wilhour

Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Provides that the term "official" as used under the Act includes specified officials of a unit of local government. Modifies the terms "lobby" and "lobbying" to include communications with units of local government for the ultimate purpose of influencing any executive, legislative, or administrative action, and further specifies such actions. Modifies the term "lobbyist" to mean a natural person who, on behalf of any person other than himself or herself, or as any part of his or her duties as an employee of another, undertakes to influence or lobby for any executive, legislative, or administrative action for State government or a unit of local government. Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act to provide that no legislator may engage in lobbying as that term is defined under the Lobbyist Registration Act (currently, as defined under the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act) for compensation.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that any (i) member of the General Assembly, (ii) person whose appointment to office is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, or (iii) head of a department, commission, board, division, bureau, authority, or other administrative unit within the government of this State who takes office on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not, within a 3-year period immediately following termination of that person's most recent term of office, register as a lobbyist and engage in lobbying with members of the General Assembly. 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 State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Legislate Ethics Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena. Provides that any existing rule, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, requiring the Legislative Inspectors General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is void. Removes language providing that the Legislative Inspector General needs the advance approval of the Commission to issue subpoenas. Provides that within 60 days after receipt of a summary report and response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head, the Executive and Legislative Ethics Commissions shall make available to the public the report and response or a redacted version of the report and response (currently, report required to be made public only if it resulted in a suspension of at least 3 days or termination of employment). Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Modifies the definition of "representation case" to include matters before units of local government. Provides that no legislator or employee of a governmental entity may accept or participate in any way in any representation case if the State or unit of local government is an adverse party or if the result is an adverse effect on State or local revenue, State or local finances, or the health, safety, welfare, or relative tax burden of any State resident. Prohibits (rather than allows) participation in a representation case by a person with whom the legislator maintains a close economic association. Provides that no legislator or employee of a governmental entity may derive any income, compensation, or other tangible benefit from providing opinion evidence as an expert against the interests of the State or a unit of local government in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding before any administrative agency or court. Provides that a legislator shall officially recuse himself or herself, including a written explanation of the recusal, from any legislative matter in which the legislator or his or her spouse or immediate family member has a financial interest. Makes conforming and other changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Reduces the trailer flat weight tax for maximum loads of 3,000 lbs. and less from $118 to $18, if and only if Senate Bill 1939 of the 101st General Assembly becomes law. Effective immediately.

Creates the Domestic Violence Task Force Act. Creates the Domestic Violence Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall: (1) conduct a comprehensive review of the process, operation, and enforcement of current domestic violence laws across the State; (2) identify gaps in the process, operation, and enforcement of those laws; (3) develop recommendations to address those gaps; (4) establish a framework for specialized protective networks for victims, treatment options for victims and offenders, and specialty courts for the accumulation of specialized domestic violence skills for courts; and (5) review the need for special consideration for conditions of bail in cases involving domestic violence within the ongoing changes brought on bail reform. Establishes membership and appointment of the Task Force. Provides that the Attorney General shall provide administrative support to the Task Force. Provides that the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, shall be the chair of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall review available research, best practices, and effective interventions to formulate recommendations. Provides that the Task Force shall produce a report detailing the Task Force's findings and recommendations. Provides that the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before September 1, 2022. Repeals the Act on September 1, 2027. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon the payment by the applicant of the lesser of a $100 penalty or a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed (rather than a $500 penalty). Effective immediately.

Amends the Gubernatorial Boards and Commissions Act. Requires the Governor to file a report with the General Assembly detailing specified geographic information of gubernatorial appointees. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Creates the School District Efficiency Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on the number of school districts in this State, the optimal amount of enrollment for a school district, and where reorganization and realignment of school districts would be beneficial in this State; specifies the topics on which the recommendations must focus. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2022, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the report recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 11 of its members, then the Commission's recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit school districts must be placed on the ballots of the designated school districts in the next general election in the same manner as petitions approved by a regional superintendent of schools, except without financial incentives. Provides that the Commission is dissolved the day after the report is filed with the Governor and the General Assembly. Repeals the provision on February 1, 2023. Makes a conforming change in the Conversion and Formation of School Districts Article. Effective immediately.