Rep. Diane Pappas

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, if the amount of the credit for residential real property taxes exceeds the taxpayer's liability, that amount shall be refunded if the taxpayer is 65 years or older and has a federal adjusted gross income of not more than $50,000. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act if and only if Senate Bill 1 of the 101st General Assembly becomes law. Provides that a withholding tax credit for full-time equivalent employees created in Senate Bill 1 applies for reporting periods that begin on or after January 1, 2020 (in the bill, reporting periods that begin on or after January 1, 2020 and end on or before December 31, 2027). Provides that the maximum credit is determined by the Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan area of the State that is the base of operations of the employee, as those areas are determined as of May 2017. Makes changes concerning the amount of the credit based on the Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan area of the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority may make personally identifiable information of a person available to a law enforcement agency only pursuant to a search warrant. Provides that, absent a search warrant to the contrary, the Authority shall immediately, but in any event within no more than 5 days, notify the person that his or her records have been obtained and shall provide the person with a copy of the search warrant and the identity of the law enforcement agency or peace officer to whom the records were provided. Effective immediately.

Creates the Council on Efficient Government Act. Creates the Council and sets forth its duties, including review of whether goods and services provided by State agencies should be privatized or outsourced to obtain cost savings or best value. Requires reports. Requires business case analyses. Sets forth outsourcing contract requirements. Requires the Council to establish an accounting method. Exempts transportation construction. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2030. Effective immediately.

Encourages the adoption and utilization of XBRL by all Illinois municipalities and state agencies in their financial reporting to increase transparency, decrease costs, and more easily permit comparison of financial data. Encourages the Office of the Comptroller and the Department of Innovation and Technology to investigate the feasibility of the development of an official XBRL taxonomy for use by Illinois municipalities and state agencies and to make adoption of XBRL by those entities easier and ensure comparability.

Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that "permanent resident" means any person who occupied or has the right to occupy a room in a hotel for at least 90 (currently, 30) days. Provides that a "permanent resident" does not include: (1) a corporate entity that occupies a room unless the same person or persons occupying the room have exclusive use of the room for at least 90 consecutive days; or (2) an individual that is temporarily or permanently occupying a room because of a natural disaster or emergency that made his or her home uninhabitable. Effective immediately.

Amends the Ivory Ban Act. Renames the Act the Animal Parts and Products Ban Act. Makes the Act applicable to animal parts or products. Defines "animal part or product" as, in addition to ivory and rhinoceros horn, any item that contains, or is wholly or partially made from, the following animal family, genus, or species: cheetah, elephant, giraffe, great ape, hippopotamus, jaguar, leopard, lion, monk seal, narwhal, pangolin, ray or shark, rhinoceros, sea turtle, tiger, walrus, or whale, insofar as the species, subspecies, or distinct population segment is listed on specified endangered species lists. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to permit the transfer of covered animal parts or products to or from a museum. Makes changes concerning exemptions for certain antiques.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires the passenger of a motorcycle to be capable of resting a foot on the footrest while the motorcycle is in motion.

Amends the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act. Adds student loan borrowers to the definition of "consumer". Adds to the definition of "debt settlement provider" any person or entity engaging in, or holding itself out as engaging in, or any person who solicits for or acts on behalf of such person or entity engaging in or holding itself out as engaging in, the business of student loan debt relief services in exchange for any fee or compensation assessed against or charged to a consumer. Excludes institutions of higher education from the definition of "debt settlement provider". Defines other terms. Requires a specified notice and disclosure to student loan borrowers to be included in advertising and marketing communications concerning student loan debt relief services. Requires providers of student loan debt relief services to provide a specified notice and disclosure before a student loan borrower signs a contract. Provides that any fees charged to a student loan borrower in exchange for student loan debt relief shall comply with a provision concerning fees. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that an applicant enrolled in a certificate program offered by a public community college is eligible for a Monetary Award Program grant until he or she completes the certificate program. Effective immediately.