Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Changes the definition of "recurrent requester" to mean a person who, in the 12 months immediately preceding the request, has submitted to the same public body (i) a minimum of 40 (instead of 50) requests for records, (ii) a minimum of 10 (instead of 15) requests for records within a 30-day period, or (iii) a minimum of 5 (instead of 7) requests for records within a 7-day period. Requires a public body to either comply with or deny a request for public records, or to invoke its right to an extension of the deadline to produce the records, within 15 (instead of 5) business days after its receipt of the request. Extends the deadline to respond to a request made for a commercial purpose from 21 to 30 days. Exempts from disclosure records related to the location or operation of an automated license plate recognition system and records containing data generated or stored by those systems.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the tax bill shall include a statement of the percentage of the taxpayer's total tax bill that is attributable to a ballot initiative or referendum. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable years 2024 and thereafter, the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption is $85,000 for all qualified property. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if property qualifies for the senior citizens homestead exemption, but the property owner fails to apply for the exemption during the application period, then the property owner may apply to any or all of the taxing districts in which the property is located to receive a refund of that taxing district's share of the excess property taxes extended against the property as a result of the failure to apply the exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Local Library Act and the Public Library District Act of 1991. Requires competitive bidding for contracts in excess of $30,000 (rather than $25,000) for specified improvements and equipment purchases. Effective immediately.

Creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. On and after January 1, 2025, requires each employer to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day. Provides that the employee must provide notice to the employer that he or she intends to take time off on Veterans Day and must provide the employer with documentation verifying that he or she is a veteran. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran as a result of the paid day off required under the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Increases the amount of the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities from $2,000 to $4,000 beginning in tax year 2024. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Restores language concerning how the terms of elected commissioners are to be determined for a forest preserve district having boundaries that are coextensive with the boundaries of a county having a population of more than 800,000 but less than 3,000,000. Specifies that the changes made by the amendatory Act are to be deemed to have been in continuous effect since November 15, 2021 (the effective date of the Public Act that deleted language concerning how the terms of elected commissioners of such a district are to be determined) and are to remain in effect until lawfully repealed. Provides that all actions that were taken on or after 2021 and before the effective date of the amendatory Act by a downstate forest preserve district or any other person and that are consistent with or in reliance on the changes made by the amendatory Act are validated. Effective immediately.

Amends the License to Read Act. Defines terms. Provides that no contract or license agreement entered into between a publisher and library shall preclude, limit, or restrict the library from performing customary operational functions or lending functions, restrict the library from disclosing any terms of its license agreements to other libraries, or require, coerce, or enable the library to violate the Library Records Confidentiality Act. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act affects existing contracts that are in effect on the effective date of the amendatory Act. Sets forth remedies. Contains a severability provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that 20% of the lesser of (rather than the lesser of): (i) the purchase price or (ii) the fair market value shall constitute the rate base associated with the water or sewer utility as acquired by and incorporated into the rate base of the district designated by the acquiring large public utility, subject to any adjustments that the Illinois Commerce Commission deems necessary to ensure such rate base reflects prudent and useful investments in the provision of public utility service. Provides that the difference between the rate base and the purchase price or fair market value shall be borne by the shareholders of the acquiring large public utility. In provisions concerning the acquisition of a water or sewer utility, provides that, at the next election following the public meeting and notice requirements, a referendum shall be placed on the ballot for all electors within the area the water or sewer utility operates. Provides that, if a majority of the electors voting on the referendum within the service area of the water or sewer utility vote in favor of the referendum, then the acquisition may continue. Provides that, if less than a majority of the electors voting on the referendum within the service area of the water or sewer utility vote in favor of the referendum, the Commission shall not approve the large public utility's acquisition of the water or sewer utility. Removes a provision that provides that the Commission may authorize a water or sewer utility to file a surcharge which adjusts rates and charges to provide for recovery of costs associated with an investment in qualifying infrastructure plant, independent of any other matters related to the utility's revenue requirement. Makes other changes.