Rep. Silvana Tabares

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. In the definition of "neglected child", provides that a child shall not be considered neglected or abused solely because the child is not attending school in accordance with the requirements of Article 26 of the School Code, as amended, "unless the school district has made efforts to bring about the child's attendance and those efforts have been unsuccessful because the parent or guardian has refused to cooperate" (rather than a child shall not be considered neglected or abused solely because the child is not attending school in accordance with the requirements of Article 26 of the School Code, as amended). Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Children and Family Services, to establish a bullying hotline for students, parents, teachers, and other parties to report any violence happening on school property, on a school bus, or over the Internet via cyber-bullying. Provides that the hotline shall consist of a statewide, toll-free telephone number, with voicemail capabilities provided after working hours. Provides that the State Board shall also maintain an Internet website for reports to be submitted online. Requires the State Board to adopt rules to implement these provisions.

Amends the Cable and Video Customer Protection Article of the Public Utilities Act. Provides that upon the customer's election, a cable or video provider that rents internet modems to a customer shall cease imposing rental charges after the customer has paid to the provider an amount equal to the cost of the modem provided.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that, upon entering a conviction for a violation of specified provisions of the Act, or of specified provisions of the Criminal Code of 2012, by a defendant 18 years of age or older, the presiding judge shall notify the defendant that he or she must register with the national Do Not Adopt Registry. Provides that the defendant shall register with the national Do Not Adopt Registry within 10 days after the conviction and shall register annually for 10 years after the conviction. Provides that failure to properly register as required under the Act shall be a business offense with a fine of $100 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense, and $1,000 for the third or subsequent offense. Provides that any animal shelter, pet store, animal breeder, or person shall conduct a search of the national Do Not Adopt Registry prior to selling, transferring, delivering, or placing for adoption a companion animal to another person.

Amends the Environmental Justice Act. Provides that the Commission on Environmental Justice shall review any state implementation plan to comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Power Plan and provide comments to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency before submittal to the United States Environmental Protection Agency for approval and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency shall respond to the comments and make modifications to the plan in response. Makes changes to the membership of the Commission. Effective immediately.

Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Adds various offenses requiring registration as a sex offender. Provides that a person who is required to register under the Act, other than: (1) a person who has been adjudicated to be sexually dangerous and later released, (2) a sexually violent person or sexual predator, (3) a person who becomes subject to registration under the Act who has previously been subject to registration under the Act or under the Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act or similar registration requirements of other jurisdictions, or (4) a person who is convicted or adjudicated of a misdemeanor sex offense, shall be required to register for a period of 25 years after conviction or adjudication if not confined to a penal institution, hospital or any other institution or facility, and if confined, for a period of 25 years after parole, discharge or release from the facility. Provides that any person required to register for a period of 25 years shall report in person to the law enforcement agency with whom he or she last registered no later than 6 months after the date of his or her last registration and every 6 months thereafter for the duration of his or her registration. Provides that a person who is convicted or adjudicated of a misdemeanor sex offense shall be required to register for a period of 15 years after conviction or adjudication if not confined to a penal institution, hospital or any other institution or facility, and if confined, for a period of 15 years after parole, discharge or release from the facility. Eliminates sexual motivation for certain offenses committed against victims under 18 years of age. Amends the Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2016.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax checkoff to allow taxpayers to make contributions to Special Olympics Illinois and Special Children's Charities. Effective immediately.

Creates the Human Trafficking Prevention Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall create a public awareness sign that contains the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline information. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall display a public awareness sign in every transportation station, rest area, and welcome center in the State that is open to the public. Provides that specified private businesses must display a public awareness sign and the Department of Labor shall impose a fine of $300 per violation on an employer that knowingly fails to comply.

Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Act.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act and the State Finance Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall create and maintain an animal abuse registry. Requires a person 18 years of age or older who resides in or is domiciled in this State and has been convicted of specified offenses involving animal cruelty or torture to register with the Department to be placed on the registry. Requires a person required to register to pay an annual fee of $50 to the Department. Prohibits a a person required to register from owning a companion animal or being employed at an animal shelter, pound, pet shop, zoo, or other business where companion animals are present. Creates the Animal Abuse Registry Fund as a special fund in the State Treasury. Provides that registration fees shall be deposited into the Fund to be used by the Department for establishing and maintaining the animal abuse registry.