Directs the Auditor General to conduct a management audit of the Department of Human Services' Division of Developmental Disabilities oversight of the CILA program and the awarding of competitively-procured grants.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Restores the death penalty for the first degree murder of a peace officer killed while performing his or her official duties. Enacts the Capital Crimes Litigation Act of 2021. Provides specified funding and resources for cases in which a sentence of death is an authorized disposition. Creates the Capital Litigation Trust Fund. Provides that all unobligated and unexpended moneys in the Death Penalty Abolition Fund are transferred into the Capital Litigation Trust Fund. Amends the State Appellate Defender Act. Provides that in cases in which a sentence of death is an authorized disposition, the State Appellate Defender shall provide trial counsel with legal assistance and the assistance of expert witnesses, investigators, and mitigation specialists from funds appropriated to the State Appellate Defender specifically for that purpose by the General Assembly. Provides that the Office of State Appellate Defender shall not be appointed to serve as trial counsel in capital cases. Amends the Freedom of Information Act, the State Finance Act, and the Criminal Code of 2012 to make conforming changes.
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body shall not conduct a closed meeting by audio or video conference, and shall conduct such meetings only with the physical presence of a quorum of the members of the public body. Makes conforming changes.
Creates the COVID-19 Religious Exemption Act. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person, public or private institution, or public official to discriminate against any person in any manner because of such person's refusal to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination contrary to his or her belief. Requires all health care facilities to adopt written access to care and information protocols that are designed to ensure that belief-based objections do not cause impairment of patients' health and that explain how belief-based objections will be addressed in a timely manner to facilitate patient care. Provides that it is unlawful for any public or private employer, entity, agency, institution, official, or person to deny admission because of, to place any reference in its application form concerning, to orally question about, to impose any burdens in terms or conditions of employment on, or to otherwise discriminate against, any applicant, in terms of employment, admission to or participation in any programs for which the applicant is eligible, or to discriminate in relation thereto, in any other manner, on account of the applicant's refusal to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination that is against the applicant's beliefs. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, guardian, agency, institution, or entity to deny any form of aid, assistance, or benefits, or to condition the reception in any way of any form of aid, assistance, or benefits, or in any other manner to coerce, disqualify, or discriminate against any person, otherwise entitled to such aid, assistance, or benefits, because that person refuses to obtain, receive, or accept a COVID-19 vaccination contrary to the person's belief. Allows any person injured by any public or private person, association, agency, entity, or corporation by reason of any action prohibited by the Act to bring an action. Provides that a person who brings an action shall recover threefold the actual damages, the costs of the action, and reasonable attorney's fees, but in no case shall recovery for each violation be less than $2,500 plus costs of the action and reasonable attorney's fees. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act and the Invest in Kids Act. Provides that the Invest in Kids credit applies permanently (currently, the credit applies for taxable years ending before January 1, 2023). Effective immediately.
Amends the Bees and Apiaries Act. Defines terms. Provides that, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., a commercial applicator shall not apply to blooming crops pesticides labeled as toxic to bees when the commercial applicator is located within one mile of a registered apiary. Provides that a commercial applicator shall be responsible for maintaining the one mile distance from apiaries that are registered and listed on the sensitive crop registry on the first day of each month. Provides that a commercial applicator must notify the registrant in writing at least 24 hours prior to application as to date and time of application in case there is need to move the hives. The commercial applicator shall provide upon request a copy of the label for the products being applied. This same type of protection applies to all specialty crops.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon the payment by the applicant of the lesser of a $100 penalty or a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed (rather than a $500 penalty). Effective immediately.
Creates the Fund the Police Act. Creates the Fund the Police Grant Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that from appropriations to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board from the Fund, the Board must make grants to units of local government and Illinois public universities for the purpose of: (1) hiring law enforcement officers; (2) providing mental health care for law enforcement officers; (3) providing for hiring, retention incentives, and overtime payments for law enforcement officers; (4) purchasing public safety equipment designed to prevent gang violence, motor vehicle theft, vehicular hijacking, or the sale of contraband; and (5) training for law enforcement officers in preventing gang violence, motor vehicle theft, vehicular hijacking, or the sale of contraband. Provides that moneys in the Fund the Police Grant Fund may not be appropriated, assigned, or transferred to another State fund. Provides that, as soon as practical after the effective date of the Act, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the sum of $100,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Fund the Police Grant Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, instead of a distinctive electric vehicle registration plate, the Secretary may require an electric vehicle decal to be displayed on any registration plate otherwise available for motor vehicles of the same class as the electric vehicle.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that if the defendant is acquitted, the court shall order 100% of the defendant's bail deposit returned to the defendant or to the defendant's designee by an assignment executed at the time the bail amount is deposited. Deletes provision that in no event shall the amount retained by the clerk of the court as bail bond costs be less than $5 and deletes in counties with a population of 3,000,000 or more in no event shall the amount retained by the clerk of the court as bail bond costs exceed $100.
