Rep. Joe Sosnowski

Amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that subject to appropriations, the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer a statewide suspicion-based substance abuse screening and testing pilot program for all applicants for and recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits. Provides that at the time of application and annual redetermination of eligibility, the Department shall screen applicants for and recipients of TANF benefits for suspicion of substance abuse using an empirically validated substance abuse screening tool. Provides that if the results of the substance abuse screening gives the Department a reasonable suspicion to believe that the applicant or recipient has engaged in the use of a controlled substance, the applicant or recipient shall be required to take a substance abuse test and shall be ineligible for benefits if he or she refuses to take the test.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the prohibition on a person or entity in the State using an electronic tracking device to determine the location or movement of a person does not apply when the vehicle is under the control of a State agency and the electronic tracking device is used by the agency, or an Inspector General (rather than the Inspector General appointed under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act) who has jurisdiction over that State agency, for the purpose of tracking vehicles driven by employees or contractors of that State agency. Provides that the prohibition on a person or entity in the State using an electronic tracking device to determine the location or movement of a person does not apply when the vehicle is owned, leased, or under the control of a local government agency and the electronic tracking device is used by the Inspector General who has jurisdiction over that local government agency, for the purpose of tracking a vehicle driven by an employee or contractor of that local government agency. Provides that a violation of this provision is a Class A misdemeanor. Effective immediately.

Amends the Notice By Publication Act. Provides that if a governmental unit, community college district, or school district is required to provide notice by publication in a newspaper by law, order of court, or contract, the governmental unit may publish the notice on an official government website instead of in a newspaper. Provides conditions concerning the availability and format of the notice webpage. Repeals a Section concerning the placement of published notices on a statewide website and makes corresponding changes throughout the Act and in the Newspaper Legal Notice Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act to limit the required subjects of collective bargaining under those respective Acts to employee wages. Exempts specified security employees, peace officer units, and units of fire fighters or paramedics from provisions limiting the subjects of collective bargaining to employee wages. Defines "wages". Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Reinstates the graphic arts machinery and equipment exemption and the corresponding Manufacturer's Purchase Credit on and after January 1, 2019. Provides that those credits are exempt from the Acts' automatic sunset provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the strike provisions of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. With respect to the conditions that must be met in order for educational employees to engage in a strike, provides that the condition that at least three-fourths of all bargaining unit employees who are members of the exclusive bargaining representative must have affirmatively voted to authorize the strike applies to all educational employees (not just those employed in the Chicago school district). Effective July 1, 2017.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that each election precinct shall contain 1,500 voters (now, 500 voters in counties, 600 voters in a municipality with a board of election commissioners and fewer than 500,000 inhabitants, or 400 voters in a municipality with a board of election commissioners and more than 500,000 inhabitants). Provides that, in a city with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants, if any election precinct casts more than 1,500 votes (now, 800 votes) at 2 consecutive general elections, the state's attorney shall apply to the Circuit Court to compel the board to divide the precinct. Provides that, in a city with more than 500,000 inhabitants, if any election precinct casts more than 1,500 votes (now, 600 votes) at 2 consecutive general elections, the state's attorney shall apply to the Circuit Court to compel the board to divide the precinct. In provisions concerning the appointment of judges of election, provides that a county board or board of election commissioners may appoint or select, respectively, 3 or 5 judges of election for any general election (currently, 5 judges of election must be appointed or selected). Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Transfers the reporting requirement by the State's Attorney under the Criminal Code of 2012 concerning the use of consensual eavesdropping devices under certain circumstances to the consensual eavesdropping reporting provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that the report shall be due on February 1 of each year, with State's Attorney submitting this report to the Department of State Police (rather than the General Assembly). Requires the eavesdropping reports by the Department of State Police to be filed with the General Assembly on March 1 of each year (rather than April 1) and include the consensual eavesdropping report of the State's Attorneys.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that pay to a participant in any pension fund or retirement system under the Code for overtime performed on or after July 1, 2017 shall not be considered for purposes of determining pensionable salary, earnings, or compensation.