Creates the Industrial Hemp Act. Provides that a person desiring to grow, cultivate, or process industrial hemp or industrial hemp products must be licensed by the Department of Agriculture. Provides that the application for a license shall include the name and address of the applicant and the legal description of the land area, including Global Positioning System coordinates, to be used to cultivate industrial hemp. Provides that the Department may determine, by rule, the duration of a license and the requirements for license renewal. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Noxious Weed Law. Provides that "noxious weed" does not include industrial hemp. Amends the Cannabis Control Act. Provides that "cannabis" does not include industrial hemp. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a person who participated as a chief of police in a fund under the Downstate Police Article and returns to work in any capacity with the police department, with any oversight of the police department, or in an advisory capacity for the police department with the same municipality with which that pension was earned, regardless of whether he or she is considered an employee of the police department or is eligible for inclusion in the municipality's downstate police fund, is not considered an employee under the IMRF Article. Effective January 1, 2019.
Amends the Technology Development Act. Provides that the State Treasurer may segregate a portion of the Treasurer's State investment portfolio that at no time shall be greater than 5% (rather than 2%) of the portfolio, in the Technology Development Account IIa. Provides further requirements regarding investment in Technology Development Account IIa. Provides that the Treasurer may solicit proposals from entities to manage and be the general partner of a separate fund consisting of investments from private sector investors that must invest, at the direction of the general partner (rather than Treasurer), in tandem with Technology Development Account IIa in a pro-rata portion. Provides that moneys in Technology Development Account IIa may be invested by the State Treasurer to provide venture capital to technology businesses, including co-investments. Provides that in no case shall more than 15% (rather than 10%) of the capital in the Technology Development Account IIa be invested in firms based outside of Illinois. Requires any Technology Development Account II-Recipient Fund to report the specified additional information to the Treasurer on a quarterly or annual basis as determined by the Treasurer. Removes language prohibiting the State Treasurer from investing more than one-third of Technology Development Account II in any given calendar year. Modifies the purpose of the Act. Makes conforming and technical changes. Defines terms.
Amends the School Code. Provides that, by January 1, 2019, the State Board of Education shall implement a program and adopt rules to allow school districts to supplement their substitute teacher recruitment for elementary and secondary schools with the use of recruiting firms. Defines "recruiting firm". Specifies program requirements. Prohibits school districts from using recruiting firms to circumvent collective bargaining agreements or laws. Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the term "teacher" or "substitute teacher" does not include and service credit may not be granted to an individual employed by an entity that provides substitute teaching services under the program and is not a school district. Effective immediately.
Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. In a provision that allows a manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor to provide signs to a retailer if certain conditions are met, including a limitation on the dollar value of the signs that may be provided, provides that the cost adjustment factor applied to the limitation on the dollar value of the signs is 5% annually (rather than the change in the consumer price index or 5%, whichever is greater). Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish and maintain the Growing Future Educators Program to train high school graduates who at one time have been identified as English learners and who are enrolled in an approved educator preparation program, among other qualifications, to become secondary language educators. Provides that each school district that chooses to participate in the Program shall partner with one public, regionally accredited institution of higher education in this State that offers a pre-approved educator preparation program and each qualified high school graduate participating in the program through the district must be enrolled at that institution in its educator preparation program. Provides that for each semester that a qualified high school graduate is participating in the program, the State Board shall issue the person a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations and the person must be employed as a part-time employee by the participating district as a paraprofessional working under the supervision of a district employee with a Professional Educator License. Sets forth provisions concerning funding, submitting program data, reporting to the General Assembly, and rulemaking. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Repeals a provision concerning cross-agency master service agreements between State agencies and human service providers. Effective immediately.
Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that a manufacturer of beer that imports beer into this State must obtain a non-resident dealer's license and comply with certain provisions concerning recordkeeping and taxation. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an Illinois licensed distributor from offering credit or a refund for unused, salable alcoholic liquors to a holder of a special event retailer's license or special use permit license or the special event retailer's licensee or special use permit licensee from accepting the credit or refund of alcoholic liquors at the conclusion of the event specified in the license. Makes changes to provisions concerning signage, including raising the limit on the cost of signs that may be provided to a retailer and removing the cost adjustment factor for the limit on the cost of signs that may be provided to a retailer. Provides that all permanent inside signs, except alcohol lists and menus, are the property of the manufacturer, distributor, or the importing distributor and shall be returned to the manufacturer, distributor, or the importing distributor upon request. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Drainage Code. Provides that the Lake County Board may dissolve the Seavey Drainage District with a resolution that states: that the district has not imposed a levy for at least 10 years; that there are no outstanding debts of the district that have been filed with the county clerk of Lake County; that no federal or State permit or grant will be impaired by dissolution of the district; and the date of dissolution of the district. Provides that on the date of dissolution of the district, the powers of the former district shall be exercised by the respective municipalities where the various parts of the former district are located and by Lake County for any unincorporated areas contained in the former district. Provides that no later than 60 days after the date of dissolution of the district, Lake County shall notify the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency of the dissolution of the district.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that the publication requirement in a petition for change of name shall be waived if: (i) the petitioner is 18 years of age or older; (ii) concurrent with the petition, the petitioner files with the court a statement, verified under oath, attesting that the petitioner is or has been a person protected under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, the Stalking No Contact Order Act, the Civil No Contact Order Act, the stalking provisions of the Criminal Code of 2012, or a similar provision of a law in another state or jurisdiction; (iii) the petitioner attaches to the statement any supporting documents, including relevant court orders; and (iv) the circuit court, after reviewing the statement and supporting documents, enters an order waiving publication. Provides that, under certain circumstances, the petitioner's address may be omitted from court documents and the petitioner may designate an alternative address for service. Provides that court administrators may allow domestic abuse advocates to assist petitioners in the preparation of certain name change petitions. Provides that if publication requirements have been waived, the circuit court shall enter an order providing that any system operated by the judiciary that is designed to provide public case information electronically shall not make the petition publicly available.