Rep. Rita Mayfield

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Imposes a 3.75% surcharge on firearms and firearm component parts. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Human Services Youth Programming Fund. Provides that the 3.75% surcharge shall be deposited into the Fund. Sets forth the purposes for which moneys in the Fund may be used. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a taxing district may abate a portion of its taxes on property upon which affordable housing has been or will be constructed in a development mixed with commercial property. Provides that the value of the abatement may not exceed $500,000.

Amends the Employment Article and the Real Estate Transactions Article of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation: (1) for any employer, employee, agent of any employer, employment agency, labor organization, or public employer to inquire about a job applicant's gender; and (2) for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman, to inquire about a buyer's or renter's gender.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the alternative retirement annuity provisions apply to a Tier 2 State highway maintenance worker. Authorizes a Tier 2 State highway maintenance worker to convert up to 8 years of certain service credit established before the effective date of the amendatory Act into eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity provisions upon application and payment of a specified contribution. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase".

Amends the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act. Provides that a landlord is not prohibited from requesting information or documentation necessary to determine or verify the financial qualifications of a prospective tenant, so long as the landlord requests the same information or documentation of all prospective tenants regardless of immigration or citizenship status. Provides that a landlord who is also the tenant's employer is not prohibited from lawfully collecting information required to complete any employment form requested by State or federal law. Prohibits a landlord from demanding, requesting, or collecting information regarding or relating to the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant or prospective tenant.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that every public school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the civil rights movement in the United States from 1954 to 1968, the natural law and natural rights principles that the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., drew from and that informed his leadership of the civil rights movement, and the tactics and strategies of nonviolent resistance that he championed in response to the Jim Crow laws of that era. Provides that the curriculum shall include an additional unit of instruction studying other acts of discriminatory injustice, such as genocide, elsewhere around the globe. Provides that the State Board of Education shall prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines for development of the units of instruction. Allows a school board to determine the minimum amount of instructional time required. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2023, an annuitant may accept employment as a teacher without impairing his or her retirement status if that employment is not within the school year during which service was terminated and does not exceed 150 (instead of 100) paid days or 750 (instead of 500) paid hours in each school year. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for a grant to LEARN 9 Waukegan for facility renovation. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that the Illinois Liquor Control Commission or local liquor commissioner may not refuse to issue a retail license based on an applicant's noncitizen status if the applicant otherwise meets the qualifications for licensure and the applicant has a valid Illinois driver's license or Illinois identification card; the applicant undergoes a criminal history records check and has no record of an offense that would disqualify him or her from licensure; the applicant resides in the jurisdiction in which the license will be issued; the applicant is in good standing with the community in which the license will be issued; and the applicant is in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Revenue, his or her creditors, applicable credit bureaus, and any other similar financial agencies. Preempts home rule powers. Effective immediately.

Honors and thanks State Representative Frances Ann Hurley for her years of dedicated service. Wishes her the best on her future success.