Rep. Nicole La Ha

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold is exempt from the taxes imposed under those Acts. Provides for a transfer from the General Revenue Fund to certain local tax funds of amounts that would have been deposited into those funds if the tax on those items had been imposed at the rate of 1%. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that when the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, or trafficking in persons and related offenses may be commenced at any time (rather than within 25 years of the victim attaining the age of 18 years).

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes the statute of limitations for grooming to provide that when the victim is under 17 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for grooming may be commenced within 10 years after the victim or the person with a disability attains 17 years of age. Changes the name of the offenses of child sexual abuse material to child sexual abuse material. Changes the penalty for grooming from a Class 4 to a Class 3 felony. Deletes references to criminal transmission of HIV in various statutes. In the Sex Offenses Article of the Criminal Code of 2012, provides a definition for "unable to give knowing consent". Provides that a person commits sexual exploitation of a child if in the presence or virtual presence, or both, of a child and with knowledge that a child or one whom he or she believes to be a child would view his or her acts, that person knowingly entices, coerces, or persuades a child to participate in the production of the recording or memorializing a sexual act of persons ages 18 or older. Provides that a violation of this provision of sexual exploitation of a child is a Class 4 felony for a first offense; and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense, or if the person has been previously convicted of a sex offense. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that the court may set any conditions it finds just and appropriate on the taking of testimony of a victim or witness who is under 18 years of age or an intellectually disabled person or a person affected by a developmental disability (rather than a victim who is a child under the age of 18 years or a moderately, severely, or profoundly intellectually disabled person or a person affected by a developmental disability) involving the use of a facility dog in any criminal proceeding. Makes other changes concerning the admissibility of evidence in cases involving involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, and trafficking in persons. Amends various Acts to change references from "child pornography" to "child sexual abuse material".

Mourns the death of Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall establish and administer a program to award property tax relief grants to school districts in this State. Provides that, in exchange for receiving a grant, a school district's maximum aggregate property tax extension for the taxable year that begins on January 1 of the fiscal year for which the grant is awarded may not exceed an adjusted maximum aggregate property tax extension for that taxable year. Creates the Education Property Tax Relief Fund as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose of awarding grants. Sets forth provisions concerning the Education Property Tax Relief Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning an exemption for veterans with disabilities who qualify for Specially Adapted Housing, increases the maximum assessed value of the property from $100,000 to $150,000. Effective immediately.

Creates the Maternal Health and Well-being Workgroup Act. Sets forth the purpose, findings, and definitions. Requires the Department of Public Health's Office of Women's Health and Family Services' Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health Services to create the Maternal Health and Well-being Workgroup to research and highlight the disparities between maternal health care throughout various geographic areas in the State, as well as work on making recommendations on connecting pregnant women and new mothers, particularly in rural and underserved areas, with resources for the health and well-being of the mother and child. Establishes members, appointments, quorum, meeting frequency, compensation, and administrative support. Requires the Workgroup to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by July 1, 2025. Dissolves the Workgroup and repeals the Act on January 1, 2027.

Creates the Online Age Verification for Material Harmful to Minors Act. Requires any commercial entity that knowingly or intentionally publishes or distributes material harmful to minors on the Internet from a website that contains a substantial portion of such material to verify that any person attempting to access such material is 18 years of age or older. Provides that verification must be done through the use of (i) a commercially available database that is regularly used by businesses or governmental entities for the purpose of age and identity verification or (ii) another commercially reasonable method of age and identity verification. Provides that any commercial entity that violates the Act shall be subject to civil liability for damages resulting from a minor's access to such material harmful to a minor and reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Exempts from liability providers or users of an interactive computer service on the Internet, as defined.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Increases the amount of the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities from $2,000 to $4,000 beginning in tax year 2024.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that licensed day care facilities that are actually and exclusively used for charitable or beneficent purposes are exempt from taxation under the Code.