Rep. Dan Swanson

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes language providing that the examination of an applicant for a driver's license or permit who is 75 years of age or older or, if the Secretary of State adopts rules to raise the age requirement for actual demonstrations, the examination of an applicant who has attained that increased age or is older shall include an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control of the operation of a motor vehicle. Effective January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes a minor technical adjustment to the short title within the Illinois Forestry Development Act. It does not change any laws, regulations, or policies affecting forestry operations or conservation efforts. The primary effect is to update the name used to refer to the legislation, with no impact on daily activities or legal obligations.

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the 100 Club of Illinois Fund. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Secretary of State to issue special registration plates designated as 100 Club of Illinois license plates to residents of this State upon receipt of an application made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State. Provides that the design and color of the plates is wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. Provides that an applicant shall be charged a $45 fee for original issuance in addition to the appropriate registration fee, if applicable. Requires all money in the 100 Club of Illinois Fund to be paid, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and distribution by the Secretary, as grants to the 100 Club of Illinois for giving financial support to children and spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty and mental health resources for active duty first responders.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable year 2024, the maximum income limitation for the senior freeze shall be $73,700 for all qualified property (currently, $65,000). Provides that the maximum income limitation shall be adjusted each year according to the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 1855, titled the Illinois Forestry Fix, makes a technical correction to the Illinois Forestry Development Act by updating the short title of a specific section. This procedural change does not alter the existing laws or programs regarding forest management cost-sharing, land eligibility, or reporting requirements that are currently in effect. The bill was passed by both houses of the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor on August 9, 2024.

Amends the Rescue Squad Districts Act, which is becoming the Emergency Services District Act on January 1, 2024. Increases the amount of the levy that a district may initially levy upon formation of the district from .20% to .40%. Provides that districts organized before January 1, 2024 may, by ordinance or resolution, increase the tax rate authorized by their organizational proposition by up to .20% (but no more than a .40% tax rate in the aggregate, including the amount levied under the organization proposition). Provides that the aggregate amount of all district tax levies may not exceed .80% (with no more than .40% authorized by the organizational referendum and .40% authorized by an ambulance service tax referendum). Provides that the board of trustees of a district may fix, charge, and collect fees not exceeding the reasonable cost of the service for ambulance services rendered by the district within or outside of the district (rather than fix, charge, and collect fees against persons who are not residents of the district and against businesses and other entities that are not located within the district). Removes a provision setting fee amounts at a rate not to exceed $250 per hour and not to exceed $70 per hour per ambulance worker responding to a call for assistance. Provides that the fee that may be charged to reimburse the district for extraordinary expenses of materials used in rendering ambulance services may be up to the reasonable cost of the materials. Effective immediately.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that a qualified child care director must be present at the open or close of the facility. Provides that a qualified early childhood teacher who has been employed by the facility continuously for at least 24 months may otherwise be present for the first or last hour of the workday.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes the names of the offenses of unlawful use of weapons, unlawful use of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections facilities, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful use of firearm projectiles, and unlawful use of a firearm in the shape of a wireless telephone to unlawful possession of weapons, unlawful possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections facilities, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, persistent unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of firearm projectiles, and unlawful possession of a firearm in the shape of a wireless telephone. Provides that if any person before the effective date of the amendatory Act has been arrested, charged, prosecuted, convicted, or sentenced for unlawful use of weapons, unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections facilities, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful use of firearm projectiles, or unlawful use of a firearm in the shape of a wireless telephone, the changes of the names and the defendants to unlawful possession of weapons, unlawful possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections facilities, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, persistent unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of firearm projectiles, and unlawful possession of a firearm in the shape of a wireless telephone, shall retroactively be made in any criminal background records maintained by the Illinois State Police, law enforcement agencies, clerks of the circuit court, and any other State agencies providing criminal background information to the public under specified timelines. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that the Department of Veterans Affairs shall create, and the Department of Labor shall make available, at no cost, a veterans and service members' benefits, services, and protections poster. Requires the poster to include, but not be limited to, information regarding free veterans' benefits and services provided by the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and other veterans service organizations, tax benefits, the Illinois veteran driver's license and non-driver veteran identification card, and Illinois protections for survivors of sexual violence in the military. Requires the poster to also include contact information for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs; and the Veterans Crisis Line. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Human Remains Protection Act. Provides that if remains that are over 100 years old are identified as veteran's remains, the Department of Natural Resources shall permit a veterans' organization to place a marker to designate that grave, if not already designated, as the grave of a veteran. Provides that if the grave is damaged or destroyed, the veterans' organization may fix, add, install, or refurbish the grave or replace a broken or damaged headstone. Before the veterans' organization may repair, refurbish, place a marker, or otherwise repair a broken headstone on the grave, the veterans' organization must make a good faith effort to contact the next of kin of the person whose grave has been identified and receive no response from the next of kin within a reasonable period of time as determined by the Department, by rule. Provides that the Department shall, by rule, determine what relationship to a person whose grave has been identified as a veteran's grave must be contacted by the veterans' organization.