Amends the Property Tax Code. In the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption provisions of the Code, provides that "household income" does not include wages paid to a member of the household who is a person with a disability. Effective immediately.
Mourns the death of Charles E. Tweedy of Wood River.
Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Revises the definition of "redevelopment project costs" by providing that redevelopment project costs for a redevelopment project area includes all or a portion of a taxing district's capital or operating costs (currently, only capital costs) resulting from the redevelopment project reasonably incurred (currently, necessarily incurred) or to be incurred within a taxing district as a result of the redevelopment plan and project (currently, incurred within a taxing district in furtherance of the objectives of the redevelopment plan and project). Removes a requirement that the municipality, by written agreement, accept and approve these costs.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Creates an advisory council within the Department of Insurance to review and make recommendations to the Department regarding rules to be adopted by the Department concerning continuing education courses, course materials, curriculum, and credentials of instructors. Provides that the members shall be appointed by the Director of Insurance. Provides criteria for membership, length of terms, term limits, and quorum. Provides that a member of the advisory council or a designee of the Director shall be permitted access to any classroom or any educational offering while instruction is in progress to monitor the instruction for any class that has been submitted to the Department for continuing education credit under the provisions of the Code. Effective immediately.
Amends the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Minors and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Persons under 21 Years of Age and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. Raises the age for whom tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and alternative nicotine products may be sold from at least 18 years of age to at least 21 years of age. Eliminates the penalty for possession of a cigar, cigarette, smokeless tobacco, or tobacco in any of its forms by persons under 18 years of age. Defines "electronic cigarette". Repeals the Smokeless Tobacco Limitation Act. Amends various other Acts to make conforming changes.
Amends the Election Code. Requires that the trustees for the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District be elected at consolidated elections. Provides that where a nomination for election is to be made for a trustee of the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District, then the petition shall be filed in the office of the county clerk not more than 113 nor less than 106 days prior to the date of the primary. Amends the Sanitary District Act of 1917. Provides that the board of trustees of the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District shall be elected (rather than appointed) beginning with the 2019 election. Sets forth requirements concerning the number of trustees to be elected and length of terms. Effective immediately.
Amends the Contractor Prompt Payment Act. Prohibits the withholding of a retainage from progress payments or final payments in excess of 5% of the payment. Effective immediately.
Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Defines "Pre-Hospital Physician Assistant" or "PHPA". Includes Pre-Hospital Physician Assistants in the definition of "Emergency Medical Services Personnel". Adds PHPAs to provisions concerning licensing and educational requirements. Provides than an EMS Medical Director may immediately suspend a PHPA for specified reasons. Adds a PHPA to the State Emergency Medical Services Disciplinary Review Board. Adds PHPAs to provisions concerning misrepresentation. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Provides that, by January 1, 2019, the State Board of Education shall implement a program and adopt rules to allow school districts to supplement their substitute teacher recruitment for elementary and secondary schools with the use of recruiting firms. Defines "recruiting firm". Specifies program requirements. Prohibits school districts from using recruiting firms to circumvent collective bargaining agreements or laws. Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the term "teacher" or "substitute teacher" does not include and service credit may not be granted to an individual employed by an entity that provides substitute teaching services under the program and is not a school district. Effective immediately.
Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. In a provision that allows a manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor to provide signs to a retailer if certain conditions are met, including a limitation on the dollar value of the signs that may be provided, provides that the cost adjustment factor applied to the limitation on the dollar value of the signs is 5% annually (rather than the change in the consumer price index or 5%, whichever is greater). Effective immediately.
