Rep. Kam Buckner

Creates the Securing All Futures for Equitable Reinvestment in Communities Act. Provides legislative intent. Creates the Securing All Futures for Equitable Reinvestment Tax Credit Pilot Program Act. Provides that an applicant that hires certain formerly incarcerated individuals during the incentive period may apply for a tax credit against the applicant's withholding tax liability. Provides that the savings from the changes made to the Unified Code of Corrections shall be deposited into the Securing All Futures for Equitable Reinvestment (SAFER) Communities Fund for the purpose of funding the program. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to reduce the sentencing ranges for all classes of felonies, and to remove minimum sentences for Class 4 felonies and Class A and Class B misdemeanors. Provides that the provisions of the Act apply to offenses committed before the effective date of this Act, and to offenses committed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Provides for resentencing of currently incarcerated persons based on these changes. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Revenue) Although the bill limits the credit to $1.5 billion over its 6-year life, the Department is unable to provide a fiscal impact estimate for House Bill 3215 because the legislation, as introduced, contains multiple drafting ambiguities, errors, and incomplete definitions. For example, the bill defines "participant" to mean, in part, a full-time employee who was formerly incarcerated between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2019. The bill, however, provides later that the credit is limited to 10,000 participants "newly released" from prison and 10,000 participants that were released between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2019. Additionally, the bill provides the credit amount awarded is to be between $10,000 and $15,000 each year per participant hired. The bill further provides a list of criteria to be considered in determining the amount of the credit, but no guidance is provided as to how that list of criteria computes to a given credit amount. These problems, among others in the bill as introduced, prevent the Department from making adequately precise determinations of who qualifies for the credit and of how to calculate the credit.

Amends the Municipal Motor Fuel Tax Law in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, for purposes of the Law, a municipality is "in a county with a population of over 3,000,000 inhabitants" if any portion of the territory of the municipality is located in such a county. Provides that, notwithstanding any provision of the Law to the contrary, a municipality whose territory lies partially in a county with a population of over 3,000,000 inhabitants and partially outside such a county may, in the alternative, impose the tax authorized under the Law in only that portion of the municipality that lies in a county with a population of over 3,000,000 inhabitants. Effective immediately.

Creates the Public Empowerment and Community Act and provides that the Act may be referred to as the PEACE Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and administer the PEACE Grant Pilot Program, subject to appropriation. Requires the Department to award annual grants to eligible grantees to create and strengthen community-based alternatives to law enforcement to lessen the reliance on law enforcement agencies as first responders to crisis situations unrelated to fire department or emergency medical service response. Provides that each grantee shall receive a minimum award of $250,000 per year and that the community-based alternatives may include, but are not limited to, mobile crisis response teams or community paramedicine programs. Requires the Department to prioritize grantees that propose interventions that serve historically marginalized populations and that serve communities with a demonstrated need for community-based alternatives to law enforcement. Contains provisions on grantee requirements and reports; a stakeholder workgroup; a public report by the Department; the Public Empowerment and Community Engagement Program Fund; and other matters. Provides that the Act is repealed on December 31, 2027. Amends the State Finance Act to include the Public Empowerment and Community Engagement Program Fund as a special fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Replaces provisions relating to the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program with provisions that require the Illinois Commerce Commission to establish a Universal Broadband Service Assistance Program. Provides that the Program shall provide for a reduction of monthly charges, a reduction of installation charges, devices used in connection to the Internet, or any other alternative assistance or program to increase accessibility to broadband service and broadband Internet access service that the Commission deems advisable subject to the availability of funds for the program. Makes other conforming changes. Creates a similar program for low-income residential customers of cable and video service providers. Extends the repeal of the Telecommunications and Cable and Video Competition Articles from December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2022. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Repeals provisions creating the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Fund. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that municipalities shall, at a minimum, perform the following inspections on high-rise buildings (specified buildings that stand 80 feet or more above grade) in lakeshore communities (developed property half a mile or less from Lake Michigan): (1) structural, subsurface, and foundation inspections every 4 years; and (2) facade inspections every 4 years between the structural inspections. Allows, in lieu of a municipal inspection, the owner of a high-rise building to notify the municipality that the owner intends to hire a private inspector to perform the inspections. Provides that the inspector shall create and file an inspection report with the municipality in which the high-rise building is located. Provides for penalties for noncompliance. Provides that the city council of the municipality shall, by ordinance, provide for procedures for inspections and reports required under the provisions. Limits home rule powers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Creates the Rights of Voters Article. Prohibits the imposition or application of a voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure by the State or any locality in a manner that results in a denial or abridgment of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote based on race or color or membership in a language minority group. Provides that a county, city, or town that has more than 5% of its eligible voters or 10,000 eligible voters that are members of a single language minority and are unable to speak or understand English adequately to participate in the electoral process shall provide voting or election materials in the language of that minority group. Requires notice of certain changes in the election process and allows for a public comment period. Alternatively, allows the election authority to submit proposed changes to the Attorney General for implementation. Prohibits the use of an at-large method of election in a manner that impairs the ability of members of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election. Creates the Voter Education and Outreach Fund as a special fund in the State treasury to deposit all penalties and charges related to violations of the provisions. Allows the Attorney General to commence a civil action in response to a violation of the provisions. Makes other and conforming changes. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Illinois Voting Protection Act.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the Property Tax Appeal Board shall not accept or consider any appraisal that does not meet the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as promulgated by The Appraisal Foundation at the time the appeal was filed. Provides that the Property Tax Appeal Board Process ends in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants for all property with the 2022 assessment year. Provides that the Property Tax Appeal Board may retain jurisdiction over any appeal properly filed with respect to a property in a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants before the last day of calendar year 2023, provided that any such appeal that is not resolved by the last day of 2024 shall be dismissed without a decision, notwithstanding the other provisions. Such a dismissal may not be appealed, but a tax objection case may be filed pursuant to Article 23 of the Property Tax Code in the circuit court of the county in which the property involved in the dismissed case is situated for a period of one year after the date of the dismissal, notwithstanding any temporal filing limitations in the provisions of Article 23. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $8,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Office of the State Treasurer for the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the General Assembly Operations Act. Provides that no person may serve more than 10 consecutive years in any of the following leadership roles: Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and Minority Leader of the Senate. Provides that the limitations imposed by the amendatory Act apply to service beginning on and after the second Wednesday in January of 2023.