Rep. Jed Davis

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. In the offense of theft of labor or services or use of property, provides that the notification of failure to return the vehicle, equipment, or other personal property may be made through electronic means, including email, text, or email and text. Provides that if the notification is made by electronic means, the return must be made within 24 hours after notification. Provides that the offense includes placing the vehicle, equipment, or any other personal property for sale during the rental period or thereafter. Provides that the court may order that a person convicted of the offense to reimburse the victims or the victims' representatives for court filing costs, attorney's fees, and such other related costs.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction for 100% of the income of a qualified new business. Provides that the term "qualified new business' means a business that has its principal place of business in the State and first begins operating in the State during the taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if property was granted a homestead exemption for persons with disabilities for any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and if the property remains eligible for the exemption in a subsequent consecutive taxable year, then the total property tax liability for the property for the applicable taxable year may not exceed the total property tax liability for (i) taxable year 2025 or (ii) the first year in which the property became eligible for the exemption, whichever occurs later, unless the chief county assessment officer finds that there were substantial improvements made to the property during the previous taxable year or years. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, provides that the term "household" does not include an exempt family member who uses the residence as his or her principal place of residence for less than 12 months during the taxable year and that the term "household income" does not include the income of an exempt family member if the exempt family member used the residence as his or her principal place of residence for less than 12 months during the calendar year preceding the taxable year. Provides that the term "exempt family member" means the applicant's son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter and the spouse of the applicant's son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Allows a METT Educator District License for teaching a course in manufacturing, engineering, technology, or a trade (METT) to be issued to an applicant who has at least 10,000 working hours in a trade. Provides that a METT Educator District License may be issued to qualified individuals who have not obtained a bachelor's degree or an equivalent number of hours in an educational program at an institution of higher education. Provides that a METT Educator District License is valid until June 30 immediately following 5 years of the license being issued and may be renewed. Provides that a METT Educator District License is valid only for the teaching of a course that the State Board of Education has identified as related to the work experience of the licensee. Sets forth other provisions regarding the license. Amends the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. Provides that the State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or the Department of Labor, shall expand a database to identify METT labor shortages. Provides that by July 1, 2028, school districts in identified regions shall be notified by the State Board and shall participate in a College and Career Pathway Endorsement program and offer a METT endorsement. Makes other changes.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to provide an applicant for licensure with an asynchronous education or training option instead of the current course of education or training requirements under each licensing Act administered by the Department. Provides that the asynchronous education option may be completed online. Provides that the provisions concerning an asynchronous education option shall not interfere with the provided time frame to complete the education or training requirements under any licensing Act administered by the Department. Provides that the Department may adopt rules for the implementation of the asynchronous education option provisions.

Creates the Professional Licensure Apprenticeship Recognition Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall grant a license to any applicant who has: (1) completed a qualifying licensure apprenticeship program; (2) passed any examination required by the applicable licensing Act; (3) paid any applicable fees; and (4) met any other criteria unrelated to training and education requirements under the licensing Act. Sets forth provisions concerning the denial of an apprenticeship program, the determination of a passing score on a licensing examination, and licensing fees. Provides that the Department may work with relevant agencies, including the State Board of Education, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Department of Employment Security, to ensure that licensure apprenticeship programs that qualify under the Act are available and known to secondary and postsecondary students. Provides that the Department may consider licensure apprenticeship programs for professions that do not have a corresponding licensing Act as a path to licensure if, in the discretion of the Department, apprenticeship is appropriate. Provides that the Department shall not exempt a license obtained pursuant to the Act from any continuing training or education requirements required for license holders under the licensing Act to maintain or renew an existing license. Effective January 1, 2026.

Creates the Curriculum Transparency Act. Requires each school that is operated by a school district or as a public charter school to disclose, not more than 10 days after the first use, on a publicly accessible portion of the school's website or the school district's website: (1) the procedures or processes in effect for the school principal or other staff to document, review, or approve lesson plans or the learning materials and activities used for student instruction at the school; (2) a listing of the teacher and staff training materials and activities used at the school in the current school year; and (3) a listing of the learning materials and activities used for student instruction at the school in the current school year. Provides that neither the State Board of Education nor the school district's school board or public charter school's governing body nor any staff acting in the course of their official duties shall purchase or contract for copyrighted learning materials to be used for student instruction at a school, unless provision is made to allow the parents and guardians of enrolled students to review the materials within 10 school days after the submission of a written request to the school. Sets forth ways a party may enforce the Act. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code to make a related change.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Requires an agency in a proposed rulemaking to carry out, before moving to the second notice period, a good-faith analysis of the net new costs to be imposed upon (i) entities in the private sector and (ii) units of local government and taxing bodies other than the State of Illinois. Provides that if the proposed rulemaking is found to impose net new costs upon those entities, the text of the proposed rule must contain reliefs to balance the net new costs. Prohibits the adoption or filing of any rule or modification or repeal of any rule that imposes net new costs upon any of those entities. Provides that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules shall scrutinize compliance with these requirements and that any failure of an agency to comply shall trigger the prohibition or suspension of a proposed rule. Creates a private cause of action for a party injured by the adoption of a rule in violation of the requirements added by the amendatory Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person charged with involuntary sexual servitude of a minor or trafficking in persons if the victim is under 18 years of age shall not be permitted to plead down to lesser offenses. Provides that no person charged with grooming shall be permitted to plead down to lesser offenses. Provides that prosecutors are prohibited from offering plea bargains to lesser offenses to those individuals charged with grooming. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to knowingly operate, manage, be employed by, volunteer at, be associated with, or knowingly be present at any facility providing entertainment exclusively directed toward persons under the age of 18.