Rep. Dan Didech

Amends the Community Mental Health Act. Authorizes any public library district to construct, repair, operate, maintain, and regulate community mental health facilities. Provides that a public library district authorized to levy an annual tax under the Act shall establish a community mental health board whose members are appointed by the president of the public library district's board of trustees.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Requires a person to have a currently valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card issued in his or her own name by the Illinois State Police in order to acquire or possess a flamethrower. Exempts certain military, law enforcement, and other specified persons. Defines flamethrower. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony to deliver a flamethrower to a person, incidental to a sale, without withholding delivery of the flamethrower for at least 72 hours after application for its purchase has been made.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Authorizes a supervisor or trustee of a township with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants, during the term of office for which the supervisor or trustee is elected, to hold the office of school board member for a school district. Amends the Township Code. Provides that a township board may not direct a distribution to be made from the township's general fund to a school district if a supervisor or trustee of the township is concurrently serving as a school board member of that school district. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. With respect to identification, evaluation, and placement, provides that, beginning no later than the first annual review meeting after a child turns 13 years of age, the individualized education program (IEP) team shall determine at each annual review meeting whether it would be appropriate for the child to participate in IEP meetings with the child's IEP team.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction in an amount equal to the taxpayer's losses from certain wagering transactions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In provisions concerning volunteer emergency workers, provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, "volunteer emergency worker" also includes a community policing volunteer, a volunteer auxiliary police officer, or a volunteer auxiliary deputy. Effective immediately.

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Defines the terms "bona fide emergency" and "exigent circumstances". Provides that, if a quorum of the members of a public body is physically present at a meeting, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of, among other things, exigent circumstances concerning a family member (rather than because of, among other things, a family or other emergency). Makes technical changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities and veterans of World War II, provides that, if the veteran has a permanent and total disability rating from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, then the property is exempt from taxation under the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that any public school employee who is a member of a statewide association and is appointed to a State board, advisory council, committee, commission, or task force to represent the association in State work may spend up to 10 days during a school term representing the association in State work. Provides that no deduction of wages may be made for such absence. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Defines "public library". Provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is authorized to make grants to public libraries and not-for-profit organizations (rather than just not-for-profit organizations).