Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Expands the list of crisis intervention personnel required to report under the Act to include the staff of any homeless shelter, domestic violence shelter, or any other shelter or halfway house. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Parks Act to require the Department of Natural Resources to make menstrual hygiene products available, at no cost to the public, in each restroom facility that is situated within a State park and under the jurisdiction and control of the Department of Natural Resources. Defines "menstrual hygiene products" and "restroom facility". Effective immediately.
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 Property Tax Code. Provides that the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption also applies to persons with a disability. Amends the State Mandates Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Farm Fresh Schools Program Act. Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, provides that funds from the Farm Fresh Schools Program Fund or from other funding sources shall be used to match $1 for every $3 a school district spends to purchase produce or minimally processed fresh foods directly from a farmer, farmers' cooperative, farmers' market, or local food hub in this State, up to a maximum reimbursement of $1,000 per school district. Makes a corresponding change. Effective July 1, 2021.
Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Provides that no later than July 1, 2022, the Illinois Housing Development Authority shall establish and administer the Rehab Program to help reclaim vacant and abandoned properties in communities of concentrated poverty. Provides that the purposes of the Rehab Program are: to encourage private sector investment in acquiring, rehabbing, and placing on the market, vacant and abandoned properties located in communities of concentrated poverty; to provide low-income families with more affordable housing options in modern, safe buildings while redressing historic discrimination against African Americans in housing; and other stated purposes. Provides that within 45 days of the satisfactory completion of a qualified project, the Authority shall pay to the qualified developer responsible for the project a Rehab Program incentive fee. Provides that after the initial pilot of the Rehab Program ends, and continuing thereafter, the Authority may authorize qualified projects in any calendar year in an amount not to exceed either $50,000,000 for the year in question, or, if the Authority is then utilizing bond proceeds to pay Rehab Program incentive fees as permitted under the amendatory Act, more than $250,000,000 in aggregate bond indebtedness then outstanding for all such bonds. Provides that the Authority may from time to time adopt rules requiring qualified developers to hire a certain percentage of workers for the qualified project in question from the community in which the qualified project is located. Provides that initially the Rehab Program shall be piloted out in 10 communities identified by the Authority that span the State, to ensure the program generates economic benefits equitably across Illinois. Permits the Authority to issue bonds and notes for the payment of Rehab Program incentive fees to qualified developers. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Housing Development Authority) Fiscal impact could be-offset with administration funding that is not currently contemplated in HB4784. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 3805/14 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Provides that commencing State Fiscal Year 2023 (rather than no later than July 1, 2022), the Illinois Housing Development Authority shall establish and administer the Rehab Program to help reclaim vacant and abandoned properties in communities of concentrated poverty. Removes from the definition of "community of concentrated poverty" a community that is designated as or qualifies as a blighted or slum area under any federal, State, or local governmental authority or agency law, rule, regulation, or ordinance. Expands the definition of "project costs" to provide that the Authority shall issue regulations from time-to-time identifying what may be included within the rubric of reasonable costs for purposes of the amendatory Act, as well as the form and content of expense reporting a qualified developer must utilize. Makes a change to the definition of "qualified developer". In a provision concerning the administration of the Rehab Program, provides that within 45 days of the satisfactory completion of a qualified project, the Authority shall pay to the qualified developer responsible for such project a Rehab Program incentive fee in a dollar amount that is equal to: (i) the difference between the approved project costs for the qualified project in question and the fair market value of such completed qualified project; plus (ii) an amount equal to 5% of such approved project costs (rather than 5% of such fair market value). Removes a provision permitting the Authority to authorize qualified projects in any given calendar year in an amount not to exceed more than $250,000,000 in aggregate bond indebtedness then outstanding for all such bonds. Provides that the amount of Rehab Program incentive fees the Authority may issue during the pilot period shall be $30,000,000 (rather than $20,000,000). Removes a provision requiring the Authority to fund such incentive fees by issuing bonds if there are inadequate appropriations to cover the full fee amount during the pilot period. Instead provides that, to the extent authorized by the General Assembly and the Governor, the $30,000,000 appropriation for the pilot program shall be funded with proceeds the State receives under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Removes a provision permitting the Authority to issue bonds for the payment of Rehab Program incentive fees to qualified developers. Effective immediately.
Urges the Governor to refund the Business Interruption Grants (BIG) program in the next budget. Urges federal rulemakers to allow states to use up to 11% of COVID-19 relief money for small business aid.
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.
Urges the Governor to call a special session of the gaming board by March 1, 2021 to name the South Suburban casino license recipient. Details conditions that the license recipient is urged to follow after receiving the license.
Amends the Charitable Trust Stabilization Act. Provides that special attention shall be given to public and private entities with operating budgets of less than $2,000,000 (currently, $1,000,000) that are located within a depressed area. Provides that moneys in the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund may be used for grants for operational purposes of organizations participating under the Act (currently, grants for the start-up or operational purposes of participating organizations). Removes a provision requiring the transfer of moneys to and from the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
