Rep. Joe Sosnowski

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that money from excess toll revenues remaining after the required expenditures under the Act shall be deposited into the State Construction Account Fund to be used on statewide road projects (rather than only for reasonable and necessary Authority purposes). Provides that money deposited into the State Construction Account Fund shall not exceed that of the required expenditures or expenditures made to the Toll Highway Authority's Capital Construction Plan. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Economic Development Corporation Act. Creates the Illinois Economic Development Corporation. Creates the board of directors of the Corporation and sets forth the membership of the board. Provides that the board shall develop and implement economic programs to provide business support and expertise and financial assistance to companies that are investing and creating jobs in Illinois and to support new business start-ups and business expansion and growth in Illinois. Sets forth the powers of the board. Creates the Illinois Small Business Development Center within the corporation to provide business counseling and educational programs developed at the local, regional, and State level to support Illinois small business creation and growth. Provides that the Center shall provide assistance, in the form of training, counseling, and information resources, to startup businesses and job-creator firms regarding the startup process. Provides that the board shall submit annual reports to the members of the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that a federally licensed firearms dealer is exempt from the applicant firearm training requirements under the Act. 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, 2015.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the unlawful use of weapons violation prohibiting a person from selling, manufacturing, purchasing, possessing, or carrying a rifle having one or more barrels less than 16 inches in length does not apply to a rifle with a barrel or barrels less than 16 inches in length if the overall length of the weapon as modified is less than 26 inches and the person selling, manufacturing, purchasing, or possessing such a rifle has been issued a Dealer in Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices license or a Manufacturer of Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices license from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the prohibition of a licensee from knowingly carrying a firearm into any building, real property, and parking area under the control of a public or private elementary or secondary school does not apply to a person employed as a school administrator or school district administrator who has been issued a currently valid license under the Act carrying a handgun while actually engaged in the performance of the duties of his or her employment or commuting between his or her home and place of employment.

Proposes to amend the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Constitution. Repeals a provision that specifies that membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof shall be an enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the Time Standardization Act. Provides that daylight saving time shall be the year-round standard time of the entire State. Effective July 1, 2016.

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 Illinois Income Tax Act. Extends the statute of limitations for claims for refunds from 3 years to 5 years. Effective immediately.