Rep. Rita Mayfield

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a veterans' standard homestead exemption. Provides that the exemption applies only for the first taxable year after the veteran acquires an ownership interest in the property. Provides that the amount of the exemption is a reduction from the property's equalized assessed value in the amount of: (1) $5,000 if the property has an equalized assessed value of $250,000 or less; or (2) $10,000 if the property has an equalized assessed value of more than $250,000. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a veterans' standard homestead exemption. Provides that the exemption applies only for the first taxable year after the veteran acquires an ownership interest in the property. Provides that the amount of the exemption is a reduction from the property's equalized assessed value in the amount of: (1) $5,000 if the property has an equalized assessed value of $250,000 or less; or (2) $10,000 if the property has an equalized assessed value of more than $250,000. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the provision of the Code that makes it an offense for a person who possesses or acquires a firearm and thereafter loses the firearm, or if the firearm is stolen from the person, to fail to report the loss or theft to the local law enforcement agency within 72 hours after obtaining knowledge of the loss or theft is a Class 4 felony for a third offense (rather than a Class A misdemeanor) and a Class 3 felony for a fourth or subsequent offense. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, a student in kindergarten may not receive an out-of-school suspension of 3 days or less for the student's disruption to other students' learning opportunities and may not receive an out-of-school suspension of longer than 3 days for substantially disrupting, impeding, or interfering with the operation of a school. Effective immediately.

Amends the Instructional Materials Article of the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning furnishing free textbooks to students.

Appropriates $9,700,000 from the Tourism Promotion Fund to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for payments to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals a provision providing for the collection of an annual commercial distribution fee on vehicles of the second division weighing more than 8,000 pounds. Makes conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2017.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction in an amount equal to the wages paid to an Illinois-licensed teacher attributable to his or her employment as a teacher in any grade from pre-K through grade 12 at an Illinois public school. Provides that the deduction is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $12,500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for grants to the Illinois YouthBuild Coalition. Effective July 1, 2017 .

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals a provision providing for the collection of an annual commercial distribution fee on vehicles of the second division weighing more than 8,000 pounds. Makes conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2019.