Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that nothing in the provisions prohibiting the carrying of a concealed firearm in certain areas prevents a concealed carry licensee who is a county or State correctional officer, a judge of the Supreme, Appellate, or Circuit Court of this State or an Associate Judge of the Circuit Court, a judge of the United States District Court, United States Court of Appeals, or the United States Supreme Court, a State's Attorney, or Assistant State's Attorney with the consent of the State's Attorney, from carrying a concealed firearm in any area prohibited by these provisions, other than an area where firearms are prohibited under federal law.

Amends the Finance Article of the Illinois Municipal Code. Revises the definition of "financial institution" to mean any bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, or credit union established under the laws of the United States, the State, or any other state; or any regional planning commissions or joint regional planning commissions union established under specified provisions (rather than any bank subject to the Illinois Banking Act, any savings and loan association subject to the Illinois Savings and Loan Act of 1985, any federally chartered commercial bank or savings and loan association organized and operated in this State pursuant to the laws of the United States, and any regional planning commissions or joint regional planning commissions union). Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the 72 hour waiting period before delivery of a concealable firearm after application for its purchase has been made does not apply to a person who has been issued a valid license to carry a concealed handgun under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that a specified discharge fee shall not apply to a city with a population of 10,000 or less. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Removes the prohibition on the use of a silencer or other device to muffle or mute the sound of the explosion or report resulting from the firing of any gun. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits the offense of unlawful use of weapons when he knowingly uses, attaches, or possesses with the intent to use or attach any device or attachment of any kind for silencing the report of any handgun, unless the use, attachment, or possession with the intent to use the device or attachment is on the premises of a firing or shooting range; or possess any device or attachment of any kind designed, used, or intended for use in silencing the report of any other firearm if the device or attachment is not possessed in compliance with the National Firearms Act. Provides that a person commits the offense of unlawful sale or delivery of firearms when he or she knowingly transfers or gives a suppressor or silencer to a person not authorized to possess the suppressor or silencer under federal law. Provides that a violation of this provision is a Class 3 felony. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction in the amount of $5,000 for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income for the taxable year is less than $100,000. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a proceeding for the prosecution of an offense of criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse, the court, on a motion by the prosecuting attorney, may order that the defendant question the victim through a court-appointed attorney when the defendant has waived his or her right to counsel and is representing himself or herself pro se, when the victim's testimony will describe an act or attempted act of sexual conduct, and the court finds that requiring the victim to be questioned directly by the defendant will cause the victim to suffer serious emotional or mental distress. Provides that the defendant shall be allowed to communicate with the court-appointed attorney.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that a State purchasing officer or chief procurement officer may award a sole source contract to a qualified HUBZone small business concern, subject to certain restrictions. Provides that, if a contract is awarded pursuant to a competitive bidding process, the price offered by a qualified HUBZone small business concern shall be deemed to be lower than the price offered by another responsible bidder if the price offered by the qualified HUBZone small business concern is not more than 10% higher than the price offered by the other responsible bidder. Provides that the term "qualified HUBZone small business concern" means a business located in the State that qualifies as a HUBZone small business concern under the Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program administered by the United States Small Business Administration.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning notification of dispositions of certain criminal cases.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the State may not, rather than shall not, directly prohibit a qualifying electric utility from seeking membership in a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved regional transmission organization of its choosing.