Rep. Larry Walsh

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires permitting and construction to commence prior to July 1, 2027 (rather than 2025) before a pilot project allowing for a pyrolysis or gasification facility is permitted for a locally zoned and approved site in either Will County or Grundy County. Makes a conforming change to language regarding repealing the provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. Makes various changes to the definitions. Provides that owners or operators of underground utility facilities are required to be members of the One-Call Notice system (rather than the State-Wide One-Call Notice System). Provides that if, upon notice from the One-Call Notice system, an underground utility facility owner or operator determines there is a critical underground utility facility within the proposed excavation area and the underground utility facility owner or operator desires to have an authorized representative present during excavation near the critical underground utility facility, the underground utility facility owner or operator shall contact the excavator prior to the dig start date and time provided on the notice to schedule a date and time for the underground utility facility owner or operator to be present when excavation will occur near the critical underground utility facility. Provides for the following: a positive response system; a planning design notification; and a joint meet notification. Requires geographic information system data to be provided to the One-Call Notice system. Makes changes in provisions concerning: required activities; emergency excavation or demolition; damage or dislocation; liability or financial responsibility; negligence; record of notice and marking of facilities; penalties, liability, and fund; emergency telephone system outages and reimbursement; noncompliance and enforcement action time frames; mandamus or injunction; and home rule. Provides that if any previously unmarked underground utility facility is exposed during excavation or demolition, emergency or nonemergency, the excavator responsible for excavation or demolition operations shall immediately notify the One-Call Notice System. Repeals the definition of "person" and a provision concerning notice of preconstruction conference. Makes technical and other changes.

Amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Provides that a day and temporary labor service agency must provide an application receipt to applicants who seek a work assignment. Provides that a day or temporary laborer has the right to refuse an assignment to a place where a strike, a lockout, or other labor trouble exists. Provides that a day or temporary laborer who is assigned to work at a third party client for more than one week shall be paid not less than the average rate of pay and equivalent benefits as directly hired employees of the third party client performing the same or substantially similar work. Provides for a right of action by interested parties for civil penalties against a day and temporary labor service agency. Provides for protections against abusive contracts. Makes changes in provisions concerning recordkeeping; wage payment and notices; work restrictions; registration; violations; enforcement; penalties; third party clients; retaliation; and private rights of action. Defines terms. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Balanced Budget Note Act. Specifies that the Pension Stabilization Fund is a general fund for purposes of identifying supplemental appropriation bills. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the monthly reports on State liabilities submitted to the Comptroller by the Department on Aging, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Central Management Services, and the Department of Revenue shall also include certain supplemental information. Amends the Budget Stabilization Act. Modifies provisions placing limits on amounts that may be appropriated, transferred, or diverted by the General Assembly from general funds. Modifies provisions concerning requirements for and transfers into the Budget Stabilization Fund and the Pension Stabilization Fund based on the State's accounts payable. Makes changes to the definition of "estimated general funds revenues". Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Adds to the definition of "brownfield site photovoltaic project", photovoltaics that meet the criteria that the project is interconnected to an electric utility, a municipal utility, a public utility as defined in the Public Utilities Act, or an electric cooperative as defined in the Public Utilities Act and is located on any part of the site, and within the property boundaries, of a coal-fueled electric generating plant in this State that was retired as of January 1, 2023, or that the generating plant owner commits to retire prior to the commercial operation date of the project. In provisions concerning renewable energy credits from new projects in the long-term renewable resources procurement plan, the Agency shall procure 55% from photovoltaic projects where at least 44% (rather than 47%) are from utility-scale solar projects and at least 3% are from projects that meet specified criteria. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Provides that the State of Illinois ratifies and approves the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact. Provides that the purpose of the Compact is to facilitate interstate practice of physical therapy with the goal of improving public access to physical therapy services, and states that the Compact preserves the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licensure. In the Compact, contains provisions concerning definitions, state participation in the Compact, active duty military personnel and their spouses, adverse actions, establishment of the Physical Therapy Compact Commission, a data system, rulemaking, oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement, date of implementation, withdrawal, construction, and severability.

Amends the Counties Code. Repeals a provision which specifies that the office of county treasurer shall become vacant if, in certain circumstances, the county treasurer neglects or refuses to render an account or make settlement at any time when required by law, refuses to answer any question regarding the operation of the county treasurer's office propounded by the county board, or refuses to provide the county board with any requested information concerning the accounts maintained by the county treasurer's office. Provides that the office of county treasurer shall become vacant if the county treasurer dies or resigns or the office otherwise becomes vacant.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2024, the exemption for farm machinery and equipment also includes electrical power generation equipment used primarily for production agriculture. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that if a full-time firefighter or firefighter/paramedic employed by a city, village, incorporated town, or township that meets certain requirements is not eligible to participate in a retirement fund created under the Downstate Firefighters Article of the Code, then he or she is eligible to participate, as a sheriff's law enforcement employee, under the IMRF Article of the Code. Specifies survivor and occupational disease disability benefits that are available to the qualifying firefighters. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Creates the Investing in Illinois Works Tax Credit Act. Authorizes owners and operators of facilities that are used for petrochemical refining and chemical manufacturing and that emit or may emit certain regulated air pollutants to claim an income tax credit for each individual from an underrepresented population who is employed by the owner or operator and has successfully completed a preapprenticeship program through the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program and who either is a registered apprentice under the Illinois Hazardous Materials Workforce Training Act or has successfully completed a registered apprenticeship program. Caps the amount of the credit at $2,500 per qualified employee per year. Contains provisions concerning the process of applying for the credit, the award of the credit, and penalties for false or fraudulent claims. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to adopt rules necessary to implement and administer the Act. Creates the Access to Apprenticeship Act. Provides that no application for a preapprenticeship or apprenticeship program may require a recommendation from a union member or any other person as a condition of acceptance to the preapprenticeship or apprenticeship program. Creates the Illinois Hazardous Materials Workforce Training Act. Provides that the owners and operators of the facilities described above, when contracting for performance of construction work at those facilities, shall require their contractors and subcontractors to use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all onsite work within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades and to include that requirement in all contracts executed between the owner or operator and a contractor or subcontractor. Contains various other provisions, including provisions concerning exemptions, penalties, and enforcement of the Act's requirements. Requires the Department of Labor to adopt rules necessary to implement and administer the Act. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Revenue emergency rulemaking powers. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2024.