Rep. Reginald Phillips

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that beginning with the 2017 registration year, the vehicle registration fee for an honorably discharged veteran who has a specified military license plate on his or her vehicle shall be reduced to $76. Provides that the vehicle registration fee for an honorably discharged combat veteran who has a specified military license plate on his or her vehicle shall be reduced to $26.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Requires the governing board of each public university to develop and maintain a written policy concerning the credits that the university will award for courses on a joint services transcript. Defines "joint services transcript". Effective January 1, 2017.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act concerning the prohibition by a licensee from knowingly carrying a firearm into any building or portion of a building under the control of a unit of local government. Provides that nothing in this provision shall prevent a licensee holding the office of mayor, alderman, president, trustee, marshal, or deputy marshal of a municipality, from carrying a handgun as defined in the Act while attending a public meeting at a building under the control of the municipality. Provides that nothing in this provision shall prevent a licensee who is a member of a park district board from carrying a handgun as defined in the Act while attending a public meeting at a building under the control of the park district.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that after the disposition of a criminal case or in any criminal case where a final judgment in the case was not entered due to the death of the defendant, and when a confiscated weapon is no longer needed for evidentiary purposes, and when in due course no legitimate claim has been made for the weapon, a weapon transferred to a law enforcement agency may be sold by the law enforcement agency at public auction under the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act. Amends the Domestic Violence: Order of Protection Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Provides that upon expiration of the period of safekeeping of a firearm of a respondent against whom an order of protection was issued, if the firearms or Firearm Owner's Identification Card cannot be returned to respondent because the respondent cannot be located, fails to respond to requests to retrieve the firearms, or is not lawfully eligible to possess a firearm, upon petition from the local law enforcement agency, the court may order the local law enforcement agency to sell the firearm at public auction under the provisions of the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act. Amends the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act. Provides that weapons that have been confiscated as a result of having been abandoned or illegally possessed may be sold at public auction under the Act.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Prohibits a university from using State funds to pay an individual to deliver the commencement address at any graduation ceremony conducted by the university. In the event that a university violates this prohibition, requires the State Comptroller to debit from the university's State operating aid an amount equal to the amount paid by the university to the commencement speaker. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that renewal of a concealed carry license shall be for 10 years after the completion of 3 hours of training, payment of a renewal fee, and the completion of an investigation.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that before issuing a permit for the operation of a tire storage site, the Environmental Protection Agency shall conduct an evaluation of the prospective owner's or operator's prior experience in tire storage site management. Provides that the Agency may deny such a permit, or deny or revoke interim authorization, if the prospective owner or operator or any employee or officer of the prospective owner or operator has a history of repeated violations of federal, State, or local laws, regulations, standards, or ordinances in the operation of tire storage sites. Effective immediately.

Amends the University of Illinois Act. Provides that not less than 90 days prior to accepting applications for any undergraduate program for an academic year, the University of Illinois shall publish the standards for admission to that undergraduate program. Provides that no student shall be admitted to an undergraduate program who does not meet the published standards for admission to that undergraduate program. Provides that once the standards are published, the standards for admission to an undergraduate program shall not be changed during that academic year.

Encourages the General Assembly to provide funding at 90% of the funding levels of Fiscal Year 2015 for the State's public institutions of higher education and for monetary award program grants.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that all-terrain vehicles or recreational off-highway vehicles may operate on roadways of 55 miles per hour or less (rather than 35 miles per hour or less), if the roadways are not State highways, federal highways, or within the boundaries of an incorporated area.