Rep. John C. D'Amico

Amends the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act. Provides that the penalty for failure to pay the tax shown due or required to be shown due on a return shall be 15% (instead of 20%) of any amount that is paid after the date the Department has initiated an audit or investigation of the taxpayer. Provides that the penalty shall be rescinded if the taxpayer paid to the Department at least 95% of the final liability resulting from an audit or investigation prior to the initiation of the audit or investigation

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Office of Retail Market Development shall: have the function and duties of promoting competition in the natural gas market for all classes of customers; work with all segments of the natural gas market to identify barriers to competition; and recommend to the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Governor, and the General Assembly programs or legislation needed to eliminate those barriers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the nomination of candidates for the General Assembly.

Amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the first $100 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for one child and the first $200 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for 2 or more children shall be passed through to the family and disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant provided to the family. Provides that any amount of child support that would be disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant shall be disregarded in determining eligibility for cash assistance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Includes persons who are foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes in the categories of non-citizens who are eligible for cash or medical assistance under the Code. Defines "foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes". Provides that beginning January 1, 2017, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide medical assistance coverage to foreign-born victims of human trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes and to their derivative family members who: reside in Illinois; are not otherwise eligible under the Code; meet certain income guidelines; and have filed or are preparing to file a formal application for status pursuant to specified provisions of the United States Code. Provides that such a person is ineligible for continued medical assistance coverage if he or she has not filed a formal application for status within one year after the date of his or her application for cash assistance or SNAP benefits; and that if there is a final denial of the person's visa or asylum application, any medical assistance coverage provided to that person and his or her derivative family members shall be terminated. Adds the Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Article to the Code with provisions concerning: cash assistance and SNAP benefits for persons who are foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes and their derivative family members; eligibility determinations; work requirements and exemptions; and termination of benefits. Grants the Department rulemaking authority to implement these provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2017, feminine hygiene products and incontinence products are exempt from the taxes imposed under those Acts. Provides that the Acts' automatic sunset provisions do not apply to that exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the Child Bereavement Leave Act and amends the State Finance Act. Provides that an employee may use specified amounts of bereavement leave to grieve the death of the employee's child, attend services in relation to the death of the employee's child, or make arrangements necessitated by the death of the employee's child. Provides for enforcement by the Department of Labor. Provides for civil penalties. Authorizes the Attorney General to collect penalties. Creates the Child Bereavement Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a driver of a vehicle approaching a disabled vehicle on a highway of at least 4 lanes, of which at least 2 are proceeding in the same direction, shall, proceeding with due caution, make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the disabled vehicle or, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe, reduce the speed of the vehicle and maintain a safe speed for the road conditions. Provides that a violation of this provision shall be a business offense punishable by a $100 fine.