Rep. Kathleen Willis

Amends the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the candidate receiving the highest number of votes who is from a fire protection district shall be elected if the candidate or candidates who are mayors, presidents, chief executive officers, chief financial officers, or other officers, executives, or department heads of municipalities or fire protection districts receiving the highest number of votes would result in there being no trustee who is from a fire protection district. Effective immediately.

Single TIF extension only: Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Extends the estimated date of completion of a redevelopment project and the retirement of obligations issued to finance redevelopment project costs for an ordinance adopted on September 27, 2007 by the Village of Melrose Park to create the Lake Street Corridor TIF District. Effective immediately.

Creates the Vapor Products Regulatory Act. Provides that on and after January 1, 2022 no person may engage in business as a retailer of vapor products in this State without first having obtained a vapor products retail license from the Department of Revenue. Provides that applications shall be made to the Department and submitted electronically with the name and address of the applicant, the address of the proposed retailer of vapor products in this State, and any other information the Department may lawfully require. Provides that the annual license fee shall be $150. Provides that specified felons, corporations, and persons are ineligible to receive a retailer's license under the Act. Provides that acting as a retailer without a license is a punishable offense. Requires retailers to keep records for at least 3 years. Prohibits the distribution of vapor products to, and possession by, persons under minimum legal age. Defines "person under minimum legal age". Provides penalties for distribution of vapor products to, and possession by, persons under minimum legal age. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Vapor Products Compliance Fund. Effective January 1, 2022.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop a written, strategic plan that comprehensively addresses improving timely access to quality in-state residential treatment and evidence-based alternatives for youth in the care of the Department. Requires the planning process to be transparent and allow for stakeholder input. Requires the strategic plan to be finalized and made public no later than one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that the plan shall be revised within 6 months after the conclusion of a rate study and available to incorporate the recommendations of the rate study. Provides that the plan shall include: (1) benchmarks and a timeline for implementing each provision of the plan; (2) strategy for obtaining resources needed to implement each provision of the plan; and (3) ongoing stakeholder engagement during the implementation of the plan. Requires the Department to contract with a rate consultant to study and develop potential new rates and rate methodologies using objective, publicly available data sources, standard administrative cost reporting, and provider-reported costs in order to determine the resources necessary to create and maintain a sufficient number of quality in-state residential treatment resources for youth in the Department's care.

Amends the Instructional Materials Article of the School Code. Provides that a Section of the Article may be referred to as the Pierce Twins Law. Provides that a school district (including a charter school) shall require that books that are included as a part of any course, material, instruction, reading assignment, or other school curricula related to literature during the school year or that appear on summer reading lists must include books that are written by diverse authors, including, but not limited to, authors who are African American, women, Native American, LatinX, and Asian. Provides that reading material may not perpetuate bias against persons based on specified categories. Provides that for any school district utilizing federal funds under Title I, Part A of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the selection of each book to be included in a reading assignment, course material and instruction, or other school curricula related to literature must first receive prior approval from the school board before the book may be included. Provides that the criteria for the approval or denial of a book shall be determined by school board policy, but the minimum requirement is that the book may not be approved by the school board if the book contains language or material that is derogatory or racist or incites hate against any persons. Provides for rulemaking and guidelines. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $3,500,000 to the Department of Public Health to be used for the safe gun storage public awareness campaign required under specified provisions of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the Dissolution of Townships in McHenry County Article of the Township Code. Makes the Article applicable to all counties. Amends the Counties Code and the Motor Fuel Tax Law making conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Changes provisions requiring road districts in townships in Lake County and McHenry County to be abolished if the roads of the road district are less than 15 miles in length to require all townships to abolish such road districts. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $6,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department on Aging for services provided under the Family Caregiver Act. Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Petroleum Equipment Contractors Licensing Act. Provides that, if a corporation or business entity does not have evidence of current registration, such as a Secretary of State issued Certificate of Good Standing, the Office of the State Fire Marshal has the authority to deny or revoke the license of such a corporation or business entity. Provides that a lapsed license may not be reinstated until an application (rather than a written application) is filed. Removes language providing that, if a license or certificate is lost, a duplicate shall be issued upon payment of the required fee. Removes language providing that licensees shall be subject to disciplinary action for being a habitual drunk or having a habitual addiction to the use of morphine, cocaine, controlled substances, or other habit-forming drugs. Allows the Office of the State Fire Marshal to adopt rules to permit the issuance of citations for certain violations of the Act or the rules adopted under the Act. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Extends the repeal date of the Petroleum Equipment Contractors Licensing Act from January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2032. Effective January 1, 2022, except provisions amending the Regulatory Sunset Act take effect immediately.

Amends the School Visitation Rights Act. Provides that an employer that terminates an employee for absences to attend school conferences is liable in a civil action for damages resulting to the employee. Imposes upon the employer the burden of proof to demonstrate that termination is not related to an employee's absence for attendance at a school conference, behavioral meeting, or academic meeting. Effective August 1, 2021.