Rep. Jerry F. Costello, II

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that a unit of local government, including a home rule unit, may not impose a tax, fee, or other assessment other than the normal sales tax rate for goods on a firearm, firearm attachment, or firearm ammunition. Provides that the provisions of any ordinance or resolution, in effect or adopted, on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act by any unit of local government, including a home rule unit, that imposes a tax, fee, or other assessment other than the normal sales tax rate for goods on a firearm, firearm attachment, or firearm ammunition are invalid and void. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Reinstates the death penalty if at the time of the commission of the offense the person was 18 years of age or older and the person purposely caused the death of 2 or more human beings without lawful justification or the victim was a peace officer or firefighter killed in the course of performing his or her official duties, either to prevent the performance of the person's duties or in retaliation for the performance of the person's duties, and the person knew that the victim was a peace officer or firefighter. Provides a person is legally accountable for the conduct of another in the commission of death penalty murder only when: (1) having the purpose to cause the death of another human being without lawful justification, the person commands, induces, procures, or causes another to perform the conduct; or (2) the person agrees with one or more other persons to engage in conduct for the common purpose of causing the death of another human being without lawful justification, in which case all parties to the agreement shall be criminally liable for acts of other parties to the agreement committed during and in furtherance of the agreement. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that all police dogs used by State and local law enforcement agencies for drug enforcement purposes under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act and the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act shall be trained by programs that meet the minimum certification requirements set by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board or a national association qualified to certify working police dogs. Provides that on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, notwithstanding any provision of law, police dogs used by State and local law enforcement agencies for drug enforcement purposes under the Cannabis Control Act may be trained by programs that meet the minimum certification requirements set by the Board or a national association qualified to certify working police dogs. Makes technical changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow for the issuance of In God We Trust special license plate decals by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs. Provides for the original and renewal fees and fee distribution for the In God We Trust decals issued by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Amends the State Property Control Act. Provides that "surplus real property" means property that is determined by the head of the owning agency to no longer be required for the State agency's needs and responsibilities (currently, vacant, unoccupied or unused and having no foreseeable use by the owning agency). Makes changes concerning transfers of surplus real property to State agencies. Provides that surplus real property may be conveyed by the Administrator for less than fair market value if the Administrator makes a written determination that it is in the best interests of the State to establish a different value. Provides that the determination shall be published in the Illinois Procurement Bulletin and filed with the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides that the proceeds from the sale of surplus real property shall be deposited into the Deferred Maintenance Property Fund and shall be used for the maintenance and repair of State properties. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Deferred Maintenance Property Fund.

Amends the Illinois Diseased Animals Act. Provides that if a quarantine issued by the Department of Agriculture is violated, the Department or the Department's designee may seize and destroy any of the animals subject to the quarantine, impose a fine not exceeding $1,000 for each animal in violation of the quarantine, or both. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not require any resident of a nursing home licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act to enroll in or transition to the State's managed care medical assistance program, including any demonstration program operated by contract with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section granting a natural disaster homestead exemption, removes language providing that the square footage of the rebuilt residential structure may not be more than 110% of the square footage of the original residential structure as it existed immediately prior to the natural disaster. Removes provisions providing that the taxpayer's initial application for a natural disaster homestead exemption must be made no later than the first taxable year after the residential structure is rebuilt. Provides that, if the square footage of the rebuilt structure exceeds 110% of the square footage of the original residential structure as it existed immediately prior to the natural disaster, then the amount of the natural disaster homestead exemption is the equalized assessed value per square foot of the rebuilt structure multiplied by 110% of the square footage of the original residential structure as it existed immediately prior to the natural disaster minus the base amount. Provides that the amendatory Act is retroactive to the 2012 taxable year. Sets forth provisions concerning the valuation of farm improvements that have been rebuilt following a natural disaster. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Lowers the minimum age in which a person may apply for a Firearm Owner's Identification Card without parental or legal guardian consent from 21 years of age to 18 years of age. Provides that an applicant who is 18 (rather than 21) years of age or older seeking a religious exemption to the photograph requirement must furnish with the application an approved copy of United States Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Form 4029.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.