Rep. Brad Stephens

Supports the continued and increased development and delivery of oil derived from North American oil reserves to American and Illinois refineries. Urges Congress to support continued and increased development and delivery of oil from Canada to the United States. Urges approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project to ensure America's oil independence, improve our national security, reduce the cost of gasoline, create new jobs, and strengthen ties between the United States and Canada.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the offense of criminal damage to government supported property includes damage to any property under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation.

Urges Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois Department of Public Health to reinstate local control and allow duly elected school board members to make decisions on COVID-19 mitigation efforts that best fit the community and school districts in which they serve.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Creates the offense of peace officer targeting. Provides that a person commits the offense when, by reason of the actual or perceived employment as a peace officer of another individual, regardless of the existence of any other motivating factor or factors, he or she commits assault, battery, aggravated assault, intimidation, stalking, cyberstalking, misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass to residence, misdemeanor criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to vehicle, criminal trespass to real property, mob action, disorderly conduct, transmission of obscene messages, harassment by telephone, or harassment through electronic communications. Provides that peace officer targeting is a Class 3 felony for a first offense and a Class 2 felony for a second or subsequent offense. Provides that the State's Attorney of each county shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly outlining: (1) the number of offenses in which a peace officer was a victim, (2) the charges filed, and (3) the ultimate disposition of each case.

Amends the First Responders Suicide Prevention Act. Provides that peer support advisors shall also receive appropriate training in identifying the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and to respond appropriately to individuals exhibiting those symptoms. Provides that "post-traumatic stress disorder" has the meaning defined by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board in its implementation of its training in post-traumatic stress disorder under the Illinois Police Training Act.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall not issue any license plate or digital license plate that has installed or attached thereto a global positioning system.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an amount equal to the sum of (i) 8% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates and (ii) 9.11% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund (currently, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 6.06% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates and (ii) 6.85% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund). Amends the State Revenue Sharing Act to provide that amounts paid into the Local Government Distributive Fund are appropriated on a continuing basis. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in a criminal investigation in counties in excess of 3,000,000 involving a forcible felony where the State's Attorney or an Assistant State's Attorney rejects the filing of a felony charge or charges or the case is designated by the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney as a continuing investigation: (1) a law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the alleged crime occurred may override the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney's rejection of the felony charge or charges or the case is designated by the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney as a continuing investigation if the evidence supporting the charge is clear and convincing and the override is filed with the clerk of the circuit court and the State's Attorney; and (2) the State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney may rescind the override within 7 days after the override by petitioning the Chief Judge of the Criminal Division of the circuit court. Provides for petition requirements. Provides that, if the court determines that law enforcement agency's decision to override was based on clear and convincing evidence, the State's Attorney must proceed with a preliminary examination or seek an indictment by grand jury within 30 days from the date he or she was taken into custody or, if he or she is not in custody, 60 days from the date he or she was arrested. Provides that the decision of the court on the law enforcement agency's override is not appealable. Requires all State's Attorney Offices to collect and maintain data in a public database on all felony cases called in for review by law enforcement and specifies how the data shall be collected and disclosed. Requires notification of a victim or victim's family of rejection of a felony case.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Creates the offense of organized retail theft. Provides that a person commits the offense when he or she does any of the following: (1) acts in concert with one or more persons to steal merchandise from one or more merchant's premises with the intent to deprive the merchant permanently of the possession, use or benefit of the merchandise without paying the full retail value of the merchandise or to sell, exchange, or return the merchandise for value; (2) acts in concert with 2 or more persons to receive, purchase, or possess merchandise described in item (1), knowing or believing it to have been stolen; (3) acts as an agent of another individual or group of individuals to steal merchandise from one or more merchant's premises as part of an organized plan to commit theft; or (4) recruits, coordinates, organizes, supervises, directs, manages, or finances another to undertake any of the acts described in item (1) or (2) or any other statute defining theft of merchandise. Provides penalties and establishes venue for organized retail theft.

Amends the Illinois Driver Licensing Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a first-time applicant for a driver's license shall not be required to complete a road test if the Secretary of State is provided verification of the applicant's successful completion of a certified driver's education course offered by a public school, nonpublic school, or private training school.