Rep. Kam Buckner

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Urges the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to investigate and charge Jason Van Dyke for his multiple violations of the civil rights of Laquan McDonald.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Removes references to General Assembly members from provisions concerning funding for salaries of General Assembly members, judges, and legislative operations. Effective immediately.

Creates the Clean Jobs, Workforce and Contractor Equity Act. Creates the Equity and Empowerment in Clean Energy Advisory Board to administer the Clean Jobs Workforce Hubs Program, the Expanding Clean Energy Entrepreneurship and Contractor Incubator Network Program, the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, and the Illinois Clean Energy Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Primes Contractor Accelerator. Creates the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund Act, the Community Energy, Climate, and Jobs Planning Act, the Energy Community Reinvestment Act, the Clean Energy Empowerment Zone Tax Credit Act, the Coal Severance Fee Act, the Building Energy Performance Standard Act, and the Public Utilities Intervenor Compensation Act. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to allow for emergency rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Energy Community Reinvestment Fund, the Illinois Commerce Commission Intervenor Compensation Fund, and the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund. Amends the Electric Vehicle Act, the Energy Efficient Building Act, the Illinois Power Agency Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the School Code, the Public Utilities Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Illinois Nuclear Facility Safety Act, and the Prevailing Wage Act by making changes to implement certain programs. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Replaces language regarding the qualifications of Commissioners of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission with language requiring each Commissioner appointed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act to be authorized to practice law in this State. Provides that each Commissioner appointed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall receive an annual salary of 70% of a Circuit Court Judge in the Judicial Court constituted by the First Judicial District under the Salaries Act and the Chairman shall receive an annual salary of 5% more than the other Commissioners. Provides that the performance of arbitrators shall be reviewed by the Chairman every other year, or more often at the discretion of the Chairman (rather than on an annual basis). Provides that no arbitrator shall hear cases in any county, other than Cook County, for more than 4 years consecutively (rather than 2 years in each 3-year term). Provides that the Secretary and each arbitrator shall receive a per annum salary of 5% less than the per annum salary of members of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Provides for the dissolution of the Self-Insurers Administration Fund and for the transfer of the moneys in that fund to the Self-Insurers Security Fund. Authorizes expenditures from the Self-Insurers Security Fund for the purposes that were authorized for the Self-Insurers Administration Fund. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 305/4a-2 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-2 820 ILCS 305/4a-4 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-4 820 ILCS 305/4a-5 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-5 820 ILCS 305/4a-6.1 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-6.1 820 ILCS 305/4a-7 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-7 820 ILCS 305/13 from Ch. 48, par. 138.13 820 ILCS 305/14 from Ch. 48, par. 138.14 Adds reference to: 820 ILCS 115/13.5 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that, for all contracts entered into on or after July 1, 2022, a primary contractor making or taking a contract in the State for the erection, construction, alteration, or repair of a building, structure, or other private work in the State shall assume, and is liable for, any debt owed to a wage claimant incurred pursuant to the Act by a subcontractor at any tier acting under, by, or for the primary contractor for the wage claimant's performance of labor included in the subject of the contract between the primary contractor and the owner. Provides exemption from liability for a property owner who acts as a primary contractor related to the erection, construction, alteration, or repair of his or her primary residence where the aggregate costs of the project amounts to less than $100,000. Defines terms. Provides that the primary contractor's liability under the new provisions shall extend only to any unpaid wages, including interest owed and reasonable attorney's fees, but shall not extend to wage supplements, penalties, or liquidated damages. Provides that a primary contractor or any other person shall not evade or commit any act that negates the requirements of the new provisions. Provides that the obligations and remedies provided in the new provisions shall be in addition to any obligations and remedies otherwise provided by law, except that nothing in the new provisions shall be construed to impose liability on a primary contractor for anything other than unpaid wages, interest owed and reasonable attorney's fees. Provides that claims brought pursuant to the new provisions shall be done so in accordance with provisions concerning violations of the Act. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Makes various changes to the bill, as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1, with respect to terminology, the definition of "private work", a primary contractor's liability, and claims brought pursuant to the new provisions. Defines "construction" as building, altering, repairing, improving, or demolishing any structure or building, or making improvements of any kind to real property.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, instead of a distinctive electric vehicle registration plate, the Secretary may require an electric vehicle decal to be displayed on any registration plate otherwise available for motor vehicles of the same class as the electric vehicle.

Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that the Department of Revenue and the Department of Employment Security shall cooperate by sharing information and data necessary to identify fraudulent activity with respect to claims for unemployment benefits and to protect taxpayers from the effects of reported income in connection with fraudulent claims.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides for the election (rather than appointment) of the board of trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago beginning with the 2023 consolidated election. Provides that the City of Chicago shall be subdivided into 20 trustee districts by the General Assembly for seats on the board of trustees, in addition to one at-large trustee. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Makes changes concerning the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program. Provides that the State Treasurer may make supplementary deposits to children in financially insecure households if sufficient funds are available. Provides that the State Treasurer shall annually prepare a report that includes a summary of the Program operations for the preceding fiscal year, including, among other items, the rate of seed deposits claimed, and, to the extent data is reported and available, the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic data of beneficiaries and of children in financially insecure households who may receive automatic bonus deposits. Provides that such other information that is relevant to make a full disclosure of the operations of the Program and Fund may also be reported. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Repeals the armed habitual criminal statute. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Repeals the general recidivism and habitual criminal provisions of the Code. Provides that notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a person convicted before the repeal of the armed habitual criminal statute and the general recidivism and habitual criminal provisions of the Code shall not be eligible for consideration of conditions of parole or mandatory supervised release if any of his or her convictions under those statutes was first degree murder, second degree murder, or any sex offense under the Sex Offenses Article of the Criminal Code of 2012. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 to make conforming changes.