Rep. Jeanne M Ives

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to withhold a school district's evidence-based funding for any given school year in which the chief county assessment officer for any portion of the district intentionally fails to properly and accurately prepare assessments under the Property Tax Code for property within the district for the preceding levy year until such time as the State Board determines that such assessments have been correctly prepared. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the maximum amount of the education expense credit to $1,500 (currently, $500). Adds athletic fees, driver's education fees, and fees and costs associated with certain out-of-school activities to the list of qualified education expenses. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Creates a pilot program for DuPage County that allows the election authority to obtain a driver's license picture and signature to help verify a voter's identity. Removes provisions that provide that an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote or a registered voter may submit a change of address form at any other early voting site beginning 15 days prior to the election, and provides that registration or changes to address may be submitted at a permanent polling place (rather than a polling place). Provides that certain election authorities may opt out of registration in the polling place if, among other requirements, the election authority establishes grace period registration and voting at a polling place in each municipality where 20% or more of the county's registered voters (rather than residents) reside. Requires any individual challenging the validity of petitions to notify the applicable election authority when a challenge is filed in court contesting the decision of the election authority. Provides that votes by mail may be processed as they arrive in the mail and that election authorities shall have more than 15 days to process votes by mail. Removes a provision that provides that any person entitled to vote early by personal appearance may do so at any polling place established for early voting. Effective immediately.

Amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act. Makes a technical change in the Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code. With regard to buildings for school purposes, provides that referendum approval is required for all school construction projects begun on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, including, but not limited to, (i) projects with funding derived from the school district's bonded indebtedness or tax levy or any other taxes, revenues, or debt instruments, (ii) projects that involve a building being leased by the school district, (iii) projects with funding derived from the sale or disposition of other property, or (iv) projects with funding received from a grant, gift, or lease payment; defines "school construction project". Requires the referendum language to include a description of the project, the estimated total cost of the project, the source of funding for the project, and any other relevant financial information about the project, as currently required by statute. Removes provisions allowing no referendum approval for the certain purchase, construction, or building of a building. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police and Downstate Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires an affirmative vote of at least 4 members of the board of a downstate police or downstate firefighter pension fund to award a disability pension under the Articles. Effective immediately.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall designate one or more public officials or employees of the public body (instead of "one or more officials or employees") to act as its Freedom of Information officer or officers.

Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for a person registered or required to be registered as a lobbyist under the Act to accept or agree to accept compensation from a State agency, regardless of whether or not such compensation would be for the purpose of lobbying legislative action.

Amends the Election Code. Creates a pilot program for DuPage County that allows the election authority to obtain driver's license pictures to help verify a voter's identity. Removes provisions that an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote or a registered voter may submit a change of address form at any other early voting site beginning 15 days prior to the election, and provides that registration or changes to address may be submitted at a permanent polling place (rather than a polling place). Provides that certain election authorities may opt out of registration in the polling place if, among other requirements, the election authority establishes grace period registration and voting in a polling place in each municipality where 20% or more of the county's registered voters (rather than residents) reside. Requires any individual challenging the validity of petitions to notify the applicable election authority when a challenge is filed in court contesting the decision of the election authority. Provides that votes by mail may be processed as they arrive in the mail, and that election authorities shall have more than 15 days to process votes by mail. Removes provision that any person entitled to vote early by personal appearance may do so at any polling place established for early voting. Effective immediately.

Amends the Title Insurance Act. Provides that the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation may refuse to grant and may suspend or revoke a certificate of authority, registration, or license issued under the Act or impose a fine if the Secretary determines that the holder of or applicant for a certificate of authority, registration, or license is both a holder of a registration as a title insurance agent and an attorney and has acted as the attorney for any party to a real property transaction in which the person has also acted as a registered title insurance agent. Effective immediately.