Rep. Joyce Mason

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits unlawful use of an animal (currently, this provision only covers elephants) in a traveling animal act when he or she knowingly allows for the participation of an animal in a traveling animal act. Unlawful use of an animal in a traveling animal act is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines "animal". Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an apprentice who is hired by the taxpayer through the United States Department of Defense SkillBridge internship program is considered a qualifying apprentice for the purpose of the apprenticeship education expense credit. Provides that, in the case of an employee participating in the SkillBridge program, the credit shall be equal to $3,500 per qualifying apprentice. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Removes provisions of the introduced bill providing that, in the case of an employee participating in the SkillBridge program, the credit shall be equal to $3,500 per qualifying apprentice.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Repeals provisions allowing the taking of bobcats by hunting or trapping in this State. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Limited Liability Company Act. Reduces fees payable to the Secretary of State and the Illinois Supreme Court by 50%. Applies to registration fees, copy fees, expedited service fees, and attorney certificate of registration fees.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that child care expenses for minor children of an officeholder or candidate are customary and reasonable expenses of an officeholder in connection with the performance of governmental and public service functions and that nothing in provisions concerning the use of political committee and other reporting organization funds prohibits the expenditure of funds of a political committee controlled by an officeholder or by a candidate to defray these expenses.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct continuous fence line air monitoring, using air canisters, of ethylene oxide at any facility emitting ethylene oxide in a densely-populated area. Provides that the Agency shall publicly post the results of the monitoring on its website within 30 days after each sample is taken. Requires the Agency to establish fence line monitoring of ethylene oxide limits at 0.02 micrograms per cubic meter. Provides specified civil penalties for emitting facilities with different specified annual revenues. Contains other provisions.

Creates the Commission on Interstate and Intrastate Trafficking of Firearms Act. Creates the Commission on Interstate and Intrastate Trafficking of Firearms within the Illinois State Police to assess the current needs relating to firearms trafficking and advise the Governor and General Assembly on necessary strategies to reduce illegal firearms trafficking. Provides for the membership of the Commission. Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act if an applicant is applying for or renewing a Firearm Owner's Identification Card he or she must submit evidence to the Illinois State Police that he or she has completed at least 8 hours of handgun safety training approved by the Director of the Illinois State Police. Provides that notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, each local law enforcement agency shall issue a firearm permit to an applicant who seeks the purchase of a firearm to verify the identity of the purchaser and shall complete a full criminal background check of the applicant that includes obtaining fingerprints from the prospective firearm purchaser. Provides that each local law enforcement agency shall keep records of those permits and make them available to the Illinois State Police through the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). Provides that the duration of the permit shall be 10 days after its issuance. Provides that the local law enforcement agency may deny a permit to purchase a firearm to an applicant if the agency, in its discretion, believes it is in the interest of public safety. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to make conforming changes. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for testing for the detection or the diagnosis of COVID-19 without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement or a prior authorization requirement on the coverage provided if the purpose of the testing is for individualized diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19, in accordance with the requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Provides that a testing site that provides services for testing for the detection or the diagnosis of COVID-19 shall collect accident and health insurance information from patients.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an insurer or producer authorized to issue policies of insurance in the State may not make a distinction or otherwise discriminate between persons, reject an applicant, cancel a policy, or demand or require a higher rate of premium for reasons based solely upon the basis that an applicant or insured has been convicted of a felony.

Amends the Township Code and Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a warming center shall be established and maintained in each township and municipality with a population over 5,000, except in a township and municipality coterminous or substantially coterminous, where one warming center may be established and maintained jointly. Limits municipal home rule powers. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.