Rep. Maurice West

Creates the Faith Behind Bars Act. Provides that a person committed to a correctional institution or facility has a constitutional right to practice his or her faith in the correctional institution or facility absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Provides that a committed person belonging to a faith group in a correctional institution or facility shall have access to pastoral and spiritual care absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Provides that a correctional institution or facility shall provide reading materials for diverse faith groups, including, but not limited to, spiritual, religious texts, prayer manuals, prayer mats, and other requested material from committed persons. Provides that all correctional institutions and facilities in the State shall provide committed persons the ability to pray by facilitating time and clean location, fast by allowing a committed person to abstain from food when appropriate, and respect for dietary restrictions absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make a conforming change.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. In a provision concerning expedited licensure for service members and spouses, provides that a department shall waive any application, examination, or licensure fee for a service member or the service member's spouse. Removes references to fees.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person is not legally accountable for the conduct of another, unless the statute defining the offense provides otherwise, if he or she was subjected to specified and credible coercion, compulsion, or duress related to domestic abuse as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Provides that a person is not guilty of an offense (deletes other than an offense punishable by death) by reason of conduct that he or she performs under the compulsion of threat or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great bodily harm, if he or she reasonably believes death or great bodily harm will be inflicted upon him or her, or upon his or her spouse or child, if he or she does not perform that conduct. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Includes in the relief from judgment provisions if the allegations in the petition establish each of the following by a preponderance of the evidence: (1) the movant was convicted of a forcible felony; (2) the movant's participation in the offense was related to experiencing or the effects of gender-based violence; (3) no substantial evidence or incomplete evidence of gender-based violence against the movant was presented at the movant's sentencing hearing; and (4) the evidence of gender-based violence against the movant is material and noncumulative to other evidence offered at the sentencing hearing, or previous hearing filed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, and is of such a conclusive character that it would likely change the sentence imposed by the original trial court. Defines "gender-based violence".

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that any marketing materials from a mortgage company not connected to the consumer's mortgage company must comply with specified requirements.

Creates the Digital Forgeries Act. Provides that an individual depicted in a digital forgery has a cause of action against any person who, without the consent of the depicted individual, knowingly distributes a digital forgery, creates a digital forgery with intent to distribute, or solicits the creation of a digital forgery with the intent to distribute: (1) in order to harass, extort, threaten, or cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; (2) with reckless disregard for whether such a creation, distribution, reproduction, or manipulation will cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; or (3) in order to incite violence or interfere with an official proceeding. Allows a prevailing plaintiff to be awarded damages, costs, and additional relief. Allows the court to grant injunctive relief maintaining the confidentiality of a plaintiff using a pseudonym.

Creates the Tenants Radon Protection Act. Provides that, before a lease is signed, a landlord shall provide each tenant in a dwelling unit with any records or reports that pertain to radon concentrations within the dwelling unit and that indicate a radon hazard exists and shall furnish each prospective tenant with a prescribed radon hazard disclosure form. Provides that, if a tenant performs a radon test, the tenant shall provide the test results to the landlord within 10 days after receiving them. Provides that nothing in the Act implies an obligation for a landlord or tenant to conduct any radon testing. Provides that a lease may be terminated under specified circumstances involving radon hazards. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Radon Awareness Act. Repeals a provision requiring landlords to give certain disclosures to tenants. Effective January 1, 2024.

Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Establishes, subject to appropriation, the Division of Certified Youth Firesetter Interventionists within the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Provides that the Division shall consist of certified youth firesetter interventionists who conduct youth firesetter interventions when local authorities cannot do so on their own or when multiple local authorities in separate jurisdictions are involved. Describes the duties of the Division. Contains other provisions.

Amends the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article of the School Code. With respect to a school district's teacher evaluation plan, provides that a teacher does not need to undergo the last evaluation cycle before the teacher retires if the teacher has notified the school district of the teacher's intent to retire. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. In provisions concerning an exemption for materials, parts, equipment, components, and furnishings incorporated into or upon an aircraft, removes language excluding materials, parts, equipment, components, and consumable supplies used in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants. Removes language providing that the exemption applies only to property used by persons who hold an Air Agency Certificate, have a Class IV Rating, and conduct operations in accordance with certain Federal Aviation Administration regulations. Effective immediately.