Rep. Dave Severin

Maddy summarySB 914 updates the definition of who qualifies for free hunting licenses in Illinois by clarifying rules for landowners, tenants, and business owners. The bill establishes specific criteria for "bona fide equity" members of corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships, requiring them to hold their interest for at least five years and hunt only on the business's land. It also expands eligibility to include family members who collectively own at least 40 acres but do not all live on the property. These changes aim to streamline the process for issuing free permits to eligible individuals while maintaining restrictions on non-resident fees and hunting outside the specified land.

Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government that has submitted a distressed location project as defined by Department of Natural Resources rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement projects on distressed location projects. Provides that no less than 10% of the amount appropriated under the Act in any fiscal year shall be made available as grants to distressed communities.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article and the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes a provision requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to cover kidney transplantation services for noncitizens under the medical assistance program. Removes provisions permitting the Department to provide medical services to noncitizens 42 years of age and older. Removes a provision requiring the Department to cover immunosuppressive drugs and related services associated with post kidney transplant management for noncitizens. Removes provisions concerning the adoption of emergency rules and other matters regarding medical coverage or services for noncitizens.

Designates Illinois Route 148 north of the City of Christopher at the city limits north of the intersection of Harrison Street and Highway 148 and south of the City of Christopher at the northeast intersection of Yellow Banks Road and Illinois Route 148 as the "Firefighter Kody M. Vanfossan Memorial Highway".

Declares June 15, 2024 as History Day in the State of Illinois. Recognizes all those who volunteer at historical societies in Illinois for all they do to preserve and spread our history.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the State Finance Act. Provides for a sales tax holiday on school supplies during the first 7 days of August of each calendar year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Makes certain changes concerning estates that contain qualified farm property. Provides that, for the purposes of calculating the State Death Tax Credit, those estates are subject to an exemption of $6,000,000 (rather than an exclusion amount of $4,000,000), which shall be deducted from the net estate value after the net estate value is computed in accordance with the Act. Provides that the exemption shall be adjusted each year according to the increase in the Consumer Price Index. Makes changes concerning the calculation of the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount for those estates. Provides for a special use valuation to provide that the value of the qualified farm property shall be calculated without regard to certain limitations under the Internal Revenue Code. Makes changes concerning the definition of "qualified heir" to provide that a decedent's brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, or first cousin is also included.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Knight-Silas Act. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that aggravated battery, other than by the discharge of a firearm, includes a battery committed by a person who, at the time of the commission of the offense, is 21 years of age or older and the battery was committed upon an individual whom the person committing the offense knows to be a person working under the Adult Protective Services Program or an Ombudsman under the State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program of the Department on Aging, or a Department of Children and Family Services employee: (1) performing his or her official duties; (2) battered to prevent performance of his or her official duties; or (3) battered in retaliation for performing his or her official duties. Provides that a violation is a Class 2 felony, except if the battery causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to an individual, a violation is a Class 1 felony. Defines "Department of Children and Family Services employee" and "ombudsman".

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Knight-Silas Act. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by the discharge of a firearm, he or she: (1) knowingly causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to an individual whom the person knows to be a Department of Children and Family Services employee; and (2) is, at the time of the commission of the offense, 21 years of age or older and causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to an individual whom the person knows to be a Department of Children and Family Services employee: (i) performing his or her official duties; (ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her official duties; or (iii) battered in retaliation for performing his or her official duties. Provides that "Department of Children and Family Services employee" includes any (i) Department case worker or (ii) investigator employed by an agency or organization providing social work, case work, or investigative services under a contract with or a grant from the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that a violation is a Class 2 felony. Provides that if the battery causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to the employee, the penalty is a Class 1 felony.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that first full week of March each year is designated as Soil Health Week to be observed throughout the State as a week to celebrate and raise awareness regarding the importance of soil health to Illinois agriculture and Illinois farmers.