Rep. Tom Weber

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the COVID-19 Small Business Relief Act. Creates the COVID-19 Immunity Act. Provides that an employer shall not be liable in a civil action claiming an injury from exposure or potential exposure to COVID-19 if the act or omission alleged to violate a duty of care of the employer was in compliance or consistent with guidance applicable at the time of the alleged exposure. Creates the COVID-19 Business Operation Compliance Act. Provides that a qualified employer may lawfully operate his or her business in the State by adhering to any health and safety guidance that is in place during a time when there is a COVID-19-related public health emergency. Creates the Temporary Employment Tort Moratorium Act. Provides that any lawsuit against a small business for wrongful termination that occurred in the calendar years of 2020 or 2021 shall be stayed until January 1, 2022. Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that the Governor's 30 days of emergency powers shall not be extended, renewed, or successively issued by any subsequent disaster proclamations for the same disaster. Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county board, board of county commissioners, or a city council may waive any fees or costs associated with a business license or registration required by law to operate a place of business upon a demonstration of financial hardship at any point in a tax year in which the county board has declared a local disaster related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that for an annual administrative fee not to exceed $5, an employer subject to the payment of contributions may pay its quarterly contributions due for wages paid during the first 3 quarters of a calendar year in equal installments. Provides that the Director of the Department of Employment Security may establish a temporary unemployment tax holiday for the purposes of providing temporary tax payment relief to an eligible employer in the State. Allows for the development and implementation of an unemployment benefits claims-processing and contribution-management model pilot program that is operated by a responsible private entity or administrator. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, upon a resolution passed by the county board, if a person has been granted the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities or the senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption, then the person qualifying need not reapply for the exemption. Provides that the resolution may contain any criteria deemed necessary to ensure that the qualification requirements for the exemption allowed under this Section are met by the applicant or can be reasonably believed to be met by the applicant in any subsequent tax year or years. Effective immediately.

Amends the Infectious Disease Testing Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any requirement for a person to demonstrate proof of COVID-19 vaccination shall be deemed to be met if proof of the presence of COVID-19 antibodies is provided by that person. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Assembly Operations Act. Provides that no person may serve more than 10 consecutive years in any of the following leadership roles: Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and Minority Leader of the Senate. Provides that the limitations imposed by the amendatory Act apply to service beginning on and after the second Wednesday in January of 2023.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to allow the Governor to prohibit or restrict a religious group from conducting a religious service or a resident of the State from attending such services in person.

Supports the continued and increased development and delivery of oil derived from North American oil reserves to American and Illinois refineries. Urges Congress to support continued and increased development and delivery of oil from Canada to the United States. Urges approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project to ensure America's oil independence, improve our national security, reduce the cost of gasoline, create new jobs, and strengthen ties between the United States and Canada.

Urges Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois Department of Public Health to reinstate local control and allow duly elected school board members to make decisions on COVID-19 mitigation efforts that best fit the community and school districts in which they serve.

Directs the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of the Department of Children and Family Services' response to the tragic deaths of any and all children who have died as a result of the agency's failure to live up to its own mission statement as well as the Department's actions to identify appropriate placement options and avoid further contempt citations.

Amends the Title Insurance Act. In provisions concerning choice of title insurance company, provides that it is the public policy of the State that consumers obligated to pay for title insurance services are afforded the opportunity to make an informed decision and, in so doing, have the option to consult with legal counsel before title insurance payment obligations are effective.

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority may make personally identifiable information of a person available to a law enforcement agency only pursuant to a search warrant. Provides that, absent a search warrant to the contrary, the Authority shall immediately, but in any event within no more than 5 days, notify the person that his or her records have been obtained and shall provide the person with a copy of the search warrant and the identity of the law enforcement agency or peace officer to whom the records were provided. Effective immediately.