Rep. Sonya Harper

Amends the Department of Agricultural Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Agriculture, or his or her designee, shall convene a working group between persons in both rural agricultural areas and urban agricultural areas. Provides that the working group shall collaborate to improve farming development in the State, develop plans for a voluntary farmer-to-farmer assistance and mentorship program, and develop a proposal to include urban farming in agricultural educational programs. Amends the Agricultural Areas Conservation and Protection Act. Defines "county board" as the county board of any county in this State (rather than, the county board of any county in this State except those counties with a population of 1,000,000 or more). Removes acreage requirements for the proposal of an agricultural area. Provides that county boards, county committees, or planning commissions, with respect to the formation of any agricultural area shall consider whether the proposed agricultural area is within an urban agricultural area and eliminates the consideration of the nature and extent of land uses other than active farming within the proposed area. Defines "urban agricultural area". Makes other 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 Election Code. Allows for the automatic voter registration of persons released from the Department of Corrections and issued standard Illinois Identification Cards by the Secretary of State. Includes the Department of Corrections as a "designated automatic voter registration agency" and a "designated government agency" for the purposes of registering voters under the Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall be considered a designated government agency until the designated automatic voter registration agency provisions of the Code are fully implemented, at which point, the Department of Corrections shall be considered a designated automatic voter registration agency, and cease to be a designated government agency. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that upon the release of a committed person on parole, mandatory supervised release, final discharge, pardon, or release for wrongful imprisonment, the Department of Corrections shall provide such person with information concerning voter registration. Makes a conforming change in the Code. Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act to make a conforming change.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Defines "auditing official", "employee", "improper governmental action", and "retaliation". Provides that it is prohibited for a unit of local government, any agent or representative of a unit of local government, or another employee to retaliate against an employee who (1) reports an improper governmental action, (2) cooperates with an investigation by an auditing official related to a report of improper governmental action, or (3) testifying in a proceeding or prosecution arising out of an improper governmental action if the employee files a report with the auditing official regarding improper governmental action. Provides that the reports are confidential as allowed by law. Provides for procedures for the auditing official to process reports. Provides for remedies available to an employee who has been subject of an improper governmental action. Provides for penalties for retaliation against a report of improper governmental action.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to increase rates by 7% to purchase services from other agencies that provide professional child welfare services, including intact family services, substitute care services, residential treatment services, transitional living services, and independent living services. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to allow the Department of Children and Family Services to adopt emergency rules for specified purposes.

Declares the month of March of 2018 as "Social Work Month" in the State of Illinois.

Creates the Employee Targeted Tax Credit Act. Provides provisions regarding: powers of the Department of Employment Security; a pilot program; a certificate of eligibility for tax credit; the tax credit, which shall not be less than $10,000 and shall not exceed $15,000; the determination of the amount of the credit; the maximum amount of credits allowed; the application for award of tax credit and a tax credit certificate; submission of tax credit certificate to the Department of Revenue; noncompliance; rules; the elimination of mandatory minimums in sentencing; and applicability. Defines terms. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Makes changes regarding appropriate dispositions; terms for Class X, Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, and Class 4 felonies; felony fines; misdemeanor sentences; and habitual criminals. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a resident low-income assessment freeze homestead exemption. Provides that the maximum income limitation is $75,000 for applicants who have occupied the residence in a low-income area 5 years or more. Indexes the maximum limitation to the Consumer Price Index. Effective immediately.

Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Increases the minimum wage to $15 per hour on October 1, 2017. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Violence Reduction Funding Act of 2018. Requires the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to make grants to community-based organizations for the purpose of carrying out community-based violence reduction programs. Provides that the programs shall reflect strong community involvement and provide specified services including: (i) youth services; (ii) trauma-informed counseling services; (iii) public awareness campaigns; and (iv) job readiness training programs. Contains provisions concerning eligible activities; selection criteria; eligible entities; application requirements; and reporting requirements. Effective July 1, 2018.