Rep. Stephanie Kifowit

Amends the Illinois Notary Public Act. Defines "e-mail communication", "government employee", "public body", and "recorded". Makes changes to the definition of "remote notarial act" to allow notarial acts to be performed by email. Authorizes surety bonds to be obtained through email. Allows a public body to establish a signature depository wherein signatures may be used by the public body notaries for future notarization.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Daniel Capuano Memorial Act. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Creates the offense of first responder endangerment. Provides that a person commits the offense when he or she knowingly creates a dangerous condition and intentionally conceals the dangerous condition in a commercial property under his or her management or operational control and the dangerous condition is found to be the primary cause of the death or serious bodily injury of a first responder in the course of his or her official duties. Provides that a violation is a Class 4 felony. Defines various terms.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes language providing that examination of an applicant 75 years of age or older for a driver's license or permit 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, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes changes to Tier 2 benefits for members or participants under the 5 State-funded retirement systems and the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund, including changes to automatic annual increases, age and service requirements for retirement, and limits on the amount of salary for annuity purposes. Establishes an accelerated pension benefit payment option for the General Assembly and Judges Articles of the Code. Makes changes to the funding formula beginning in fiscal year 2025 for the 5 State-funded retirement systems. In the 5 State-funded retirement systems, provides for a deferred retirement option plan for certain participants under which a participant may continue in active service for up to 3 years while having his or her retirement pension paid into a special account, to be distributed to the participant upon retirement. Provides that any benefit increase that results from this Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the General Obligation Bond Act. Provides that each fiscal year after certain State pension funding bonds and income tax proceed bonds are retired, the State Treasurer and the State Comptroller shall transfer $500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Pension Unfunded Liability Reduction Fund each fiscal year, which shall be used for making additional contributions to the pension funds and retirement systems established under the General Assembly, State Employee, State Universities, Downstate Teacher, Chicago Teacher, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Repeals provisions concerning optional benefits for certain Tier 2 members. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective immediately.

Creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. On and after January 1, 2025, requires each employer to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day. Provides that the employee must provide notice to the employer that he or she intends to take time off on Veterans Day and must provide the employer with documentation verifying that he or she is a veteran. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran as a result of the paid day off required under the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Restores language concerning how the terms of elected commissioners are to be determined for a forest preserve district having boundaries that are coextensive with the boundaries of a county having a population of more than 800,000 but less than 3,000,000. Specifies that the changes made by the amendatory Act are to be deemed to have been in continuous effect since November 15, 2021 (the effective date of the Public Act that deleted language concerning how the terms of elected commissioners of such a district are to be determined) and are to remain in effect until lawfully repealed. Provides that all actions that were taken on or after 2021 and before the effective date of the amendatory Act by a downstate forest preserve district or any other person and that are consistent with or in reliance on the changes made by the amendatory Act are validated. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the property tax bill shall include information notifying taxpayers of each exemption that is available to a specific category of taxpayer and the deadlines for applying for those exemptions. Provides that the information must conform with certain stylistic requirements.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any personal property belonging to the vehicle owner in a vehicle subject to a lien under the provisions shall not be subject to that lien. Provides that a commercial relocator that removes a vehicle subject to a lien shall allow the owner access to the vehicle to retrieve any personal property left inside of the vehicle without charge. Removes provisions concerning the types of personal property that could be removed from a vehicle subject to a lien after it has been towed.

Creates the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program Act. Makes findings. Provides that the Paraprofessional Fast Track to Teaching Degree Pilot Program is created for a 2-year degree pathway by which paraprofessional educators may enroll to achieve the education requirements to attain a professional educator license in this State, which shall comply with the standards of the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education. Provides that, subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year or, if funds are not appropriated for the Program that academic year, beginning with the academic year in which funds are appropriated for the Program, the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education shall coordinate with each other to assign a qualified individual to serve as a Program director to develop the curriculum for the Program. Provides that one public elementary or public secondary school and one public university in this State shall be chosen to develop a program for transitioning paraprofessionals to teachers. Includes the core components of the Program. Provides that the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education must submit a report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Legislative Reference Bureau detailing the impact of the Program and then the Program is dissolved and the Act is repealed. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, after certain deposits have been made, 0.25% of the remainder of the proceeds shall be deposited into the Partners for Conservation Fund. Effective July 1, 2024.