Rep. Brad Stephens

Amends the Messages Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 610/15 from Ch. 120, par. 467.15 Adds reference to: 35 ILCS 200/9-275 35 ILCS 200/15-170 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, for taxable years 2019 through 2023 (currently, 2020 through 2024), a taxpayer who has been granted a senior citizens homestead exemption need not reapply. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Rep. Michael McAuliffe on the completion of his 23 years in the Illinois General Assembly.

Creates the State Ethics Task Force to address corruption within Illinois government.

Congratulates Rep. Michael McAuliffe on the completion of his 23 years in the Illinois General Assembly.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides fines for legislators who engage in specified restricted activities and for violations of legislator rules of conduct. Provides that any person who willfully files a false or incomplete statement of economic interests under the Act may be subject to a fine not to exceed, for each offense, $150,000. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides fines for intentional failure to complete ethics training and sexual harassment training. Modifies a Section concerning penalties under the Act to provide fines for specified violations. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that any person who, in the course of business, fraudulently obtains public moneys reserved for, or allocated or available to, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, or veteran-owned small businesses may be subject to a fine not to exceed, for each offense, $115,000. Provides that a fine of up to $1,000,000 may be imposed for bribery. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Proposes to amend the Finance Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that expenditures shall not exceed proposed revenue (rather than funds) estimated to be available for a fiscal year. Provides that except for deficiency or emergency appropriations, all appropriations are expendable only during the fiscal year for which they were appropriated. Provides that no public money shall be expended except as provided by appropriations made by law. Provides that expenditures for any fiscal year shall not exceed the State's revenues and reserves, including proceeds of any debt obligation, for that year. Provides that no debt obligation, except as shall be repaid within the fiscal year of issuance, shall be authorized for the current operation of any State service or program, nor shall the proceeds of any debt obligation be expended for a purpose other than that for which it was authorized. Provides that any law requiring the expenditure of State funds shall be null and void unless, during the session in which the act receives final passage, an appropriation is made for the estimated first-year's funding. Defines "revenue". Effective upon being declared adopted.

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Creates the Independent Redistricting Commission to adopt and file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan for Legislative and Representative Districts. Provides for the selection of Commissioners and establishes the authority of a Special Commissioner to design a redistricting plan in the event that the Commission fails to properly adopt and file a redistricting plan. Effective beginning with redistricting in 2021 and applies to members elected in 2022 and thereafter.

Proposes to amend the Legislature and Revenue Articles of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the General Assembly may increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a law approved by the vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Provides that the General Assembly may override the veto of the Governor of a bill to increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a record vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Effective upon being declared adopted.