Rep. Jeanne M Ives

Creates the Fair and Equitable Assessment of Property Task Force.

Creates the Local Government Bankruptcy Neutral Evaluation Act. Makes legislative findings. Defines terms. Authorizes a local public entity to initiate a neutral evaluation process if that entity is unable to meet its financial obligations. Provides for the selection and qualification of an evaluator, the evaluation process, cessation of an evaluation, declaration of a fiscal emergency, and definition of liabilities. Provides that records prepared for or used in connection with the Local Government Bankruptcy Neutral Evaluation Act are exempt from disclosure. Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold closed meetings related to the Local Government Bankruptcy Neutral Evaluation Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Makes a technical in a Section concerning compliance with the Local Government Prompt Payment Act.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. With respect to the 5 State-funded Retirement Systems: requires each System to implement a Tier 3 plan by July 1, 2018 that aggregates State and employee contributions in individual participant accounts which are used for payouts after retirement. Provides that a person who becomes a participant of a System on or after July 1, 2018 shall participate in the Tier 3 plan instead of the defined benefit plan. Authorizes a Tier 1 or Tier 2 participant to elect to participate in the Tier 3 plan instead of the defined benefit plan and to also elect to terminate all participation in the defined benefit plan and to have a specified amount credited to his or her account. Makes related changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. In the Downstate Teachers, State Employees, and State Universities Articles, authorizes a person to elect not to participate or to terminate participation in those Systems. In the General Assembly and Judges Articles, authorizes a participant to terminate his or her participation in the System. In the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), State Employees, State Universities, and Downstate Teachers Articles, for participants who first become participants on or after the effective date, prohibits payments for unused sick or vacation time from being used to calculate pensionable salary and unused sick or vacation time from being used to establish service credit. In the Downstate Teachers Article, prohibits an employer from making employee contributions on behalf of an employee, except to allow an employee to make pre-tax contributions. Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act to prohibit collective bargaining over that prohibition. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that physical education may (rather than shall) be provided to pupils. Makes related changes, including changes concerning physical fitness assessments. Removes a provision concerning the State Board of Education preparing and making available guidelines for the various grades and types of schools.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. For the 5 State-funded Retirement Systems: Requires implementation of a Tier 3 plan that aggregates State and employee contributions in individual participant accounts. Provides that a person who becomes a participant on or after July 1, 2019 shall participate in the Tier 3 plan. Authorizes a Tier 1 or Tier 2 participant to elect to participate in the Tier 3 plan. Repeals provisions relating to a hybrid benefit plan and makes related changes. Requires Systems to offer an optional accelerated benefit payment to certain members in lieu of receiving a pension and authorizes the issuance of bonds for those payments. Authorizes a person to elect not to participate or to terminate participation in the Systems. Restricts participation in the General Assembly Retirement System to current participants. In Articles 7, 14, 15, and 16, for new participants, prohibits unused sick or vacation time from being used to calculate pensionable salary or establish service credit. In Articles 15 and 16, requires an employer to pay the projected costs of the increase in pension benefits associated with an increase in salary. In Article 16, prohibits an employer from making employee contributions on behalf of an employee, except as specified. Amends other Acts to prohibit collective bargaining over that prohibition and make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Pledges eagerness of the House of Representatives to work tirelessly here in Springfield during the third full week of May 2018 to complete the work of the people of Illinois prior to Memorial Day. Urges the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives to recess the House for the duration of Memorial Day, May 28, 2018, and not to call the House back into session until the completion of this day of American remembrance.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Beginning with the 2020 registration year, allows vehicles owned or operated by or for a private or public university police department or a private or public college police department to be registered for a one-time fee of $8.00. Requires registration plates for vehicles owned or operated by or for a private or public university police department or a private or public college police department to contain the designation "university police" or "college police" and to be numbered and distributed as prescribed by the Secretary of State.

Amends the Coal Mining Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Makes numerous additions and changes concerning: employers giving medical providers addresses to which medical bills should be sent; payments by employers to medical providers; explanations of benefits; interest payments by employers to medical providers under specified circumstances; petitions by medical providers if interest has not been paid; duties of the Director of Insurance regarding compliance by health care providers with requests for records by employers and insurers for the authorization of the payment of workers' compensation claims and imposition of administrative fines if an employer or insurer has intentionally failed to comply or demonstrates a repeated pattern of failing to comply with the electronic claims acceptance and response process; utilization review; entry of judgments based on final awards or decisions; and other matters. Effective immediately.