Rep. Sonya Harper

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit for taxpayers who (i) own residential rental property in the State and (ii) enter into or renew a lease agreement with a qualified renter during the taxable year. Provides that the credit shall be equal to 15% of the annual rent paid to the taxpayer by that qualified renter. Provides that the term "qualified renter" means any person who has been convicted of a crime in this State or any other jurisdiction. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person also commits use of a scanning device or reencoder to defraud when the person knowingly possesses, sells, or delivers a scanning device or reencoder, other than for the purpose of processing information to facilitate a lawful financial transaction. Increases the penalties for use of a scanning device or reencoder to defraud from a Class 4 felony for a first offense to a Class 3 felony and for a second or subsequent offense from a Class 3 felony to a Class 2 felony. Provides that the knowing sale or delivery of the device or reencoder is a Class 2 felony for a first offense and a Class 1 felony for a second or subsequent offense.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires managed care organizations (MCOs) to publish, at least quarterly for the preceding quarter, on their websites: (1) the total number of claims received by the MCO; (2) the number and monetary amount of claims payments made to a service provider; (3) the dates of services rendered for the claims payments made under item (2); (4) the dates the claims were received by the MCO for the claims payments made under item (2); and (5) the dates on which claims payments under item (2) were released. Effective July 1, 2019.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for a vendor to decide on the basis of unlawful discrimination which candidates are required to take a test required for application or consideration of the government job. Provides that if a vendor violates the Act, then the vendor is subject to a $1,000,000 civil penalty for each violation. Provides that any government contract with a vendor that violates the Act shall be terminated. Provides that a government entity shall not contract with a vendor for one year after a determination that the vendor has violated the new provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the county board or county board of commissioners may establish an urban agricultural area after receipt of an application by a qualified farmer or partner organization. Provides for the formation of an urban agricultural area committee that shall conduct the activities necessary to advise the county board or county board of commissioners on the designation, modification, and termination of an urban agricultural area. Provides that a county may provide for abatements of property taxes levied against real property located within an urban agricultural area that is used by a qualifying farmer for processing, growing, raising, or otherwise producing agricultural products. Provides that a county may authorize an entity providing water, electricity, or other utilities to an urban agricultural area to allow qualified farmers or partner organizations in the urban agricultural area to pay wholesale or otherwise reduced rates or pay reduced or waived connection charges. Limits restrictions, regulations, special assessments, and levies that a county may place on property in urban agricultural areas. Amends the Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules consistent with the purposes of the new provisions, including, at a minimum, rules defining specified terms. Provides that upon request from a county, the Department shall issue opinions regarding the consistency of applicants covered under these definitions. Amends the Property Tax Code and Illinois Municipal Code making conforming changes.

Creates the 2020 Census Grant Program Act. Creates the 2020 Census Grant Program for the purpose of issuing matching grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to support the accurate counting of the population of the State and its local jurisdictions, and the collection of basic demographic and housing information of the population of this State for the 2020 Census. Creates the 2020 Census Grant Program Panel and provides for its membership. Provides administrative support for the Grant Panel. Provides for the awarding of funds under the Grant Program. Requires notice to be given to units of local government and nonprofit organizations concerning the Grant Program. Provides that for fiscal year 2020, the Governor shall include in the annual State budget for the 2020 Census Grant Program an appropriation of $33,000,000. Provides legislative findings. Defines terms. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2022. Effective immediately.

Creates the Abandoned Residential Property Act. Imposes requirements on first lien mortgage holders concerning the inspecting, securing, and maintaining of abandoned residential property. Provides exceptions. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall maintain a statewide abandoned property registry electronic database. Provides that the Department shall establish and maintain a toll-free hotline that neighbors of residential property that is, or appears to be, abandoned may use to report hazards, blights, or other concerns related to the property. Provides that violations of the provisions may be heard before a hearing officer or a court of competent jurisdiction and that the violations may be enforced by the Secretary of the Department or the municipality where the residential property is located. Provides that if the mortgagee violates the provisions, a civil penalty may be issued in the amount of up to $500 per day per property for each day the violation persisted. Provides rulemaking powers to the Division of Banking of the Department to implement the provisions. Limits home rule powers. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In a Section concerning the credit for wages paid to ex-felons, provides that, if the taxpayer is a business located in a census tract with a high rate of unemployment and violent crime, then (i) the amount of the credit shall be 10% (currently, 5%) of qualified wages paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year to the qualified ex-offender and (ii) the total credit allowed to that taxpayer with respect to each qualified ex-offender may not exceed $3,000 (currently, $1,500) for all taxable years. Provides that, in the case of those taxpayers, the requirement that the ex-felon must be hired by the taxpayer within 3 years after being released from an Illinois adult correctional center does not apply. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. With respect to the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, provides that, beginning in assessment year 2019, the taxpayer's household income shall be reduced by any amounts paid as Medicare premiums. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Property Control Act. Provides that the Director of Central Management Services as Administrator may convey any surplus real property covered by the State Property Control Act, by sale or lease, to a duly incorporated, charitable, non-profit organization or association for the cultivation and sale of fresh fruits and vegetables on a tract of land of less than 5 acres within any local governmental unit, provided that the non-profit organization or association is not controlled, directly or indirectly, by any agricultural, commercial, or other business. Provides that the non-profit organization or association shall be authorized to sell fresh fruits and vegetables either on the land that was conveyed, off that land, or both, provided, that the sales are related or incidental to the non-profit purposes of the organization or association, and the net proceeds received by the non-profit organization or association are used to further the non-profit purposes of the organization or association. Provides that the lease of any real property to any duly incorporated non-profit organization or association shall be in accordance with the Illinois Procurement Code. Amends the Property Tax Code to provide a property tax exemption for non-profit organizations using land for the cultivation and sale of fresh fruits and vegetables.