Rep. Tony McCombie

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Blue Collar Jobs Act. Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Creates a High Impact Business construction jobs credit and an Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit against the taxpayer's Illinois income taxes based on the incremental income tax attributable to laborers or workers employed at certain construction sites located in Enterprise Zones. Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Creates a New Construction EDGE Credit based on the incremental income tax attributable to laborers or workers employed at construction sites associated with EDGE projects. Amends the River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act. Creates a River Edge construction jobs credit based on the incremental income tax attributable to laborers or workers employed at certain construction sites in a River Edge Redevelopment Zone. Requires contractors and subcontractors associated with projects that receive credits under the amendatory Act to file certified payroll information with the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that a person who willfully or maliciously tortures, mutilates, injures, disables, poisons, or kills any animal used by a law enforcement department or agency in the performance of the functions or duties of the department or agency of when placed off duty, any service animal, any search and rescue dog, any law enforcement, service, or search and rescue animal in training, or any accelerant detection canine used by a fire officer for arson investigations in the performance of his or her functions or while off duty, if the animal is not killed or totally disabled, the person is guilty of a Class 3 felony, and if the animal is killed or totally disabled, the person is guilty of a Class 2 felony. Provides that a person who kills or severely injures any animal used by a law enforcement department or agency in the performance of the functions or duties of the department or agency of when placed off duty, any service animal, any search and rescue dog, any law enforcement, service, or search and rescue animal in training, or any accelerant detection canine used by a fire officer for arson investigations in the performance of his or her functions or while off duty, while he or she is in the commission of a felony, is guilty of a Class 2 felony. Provides that if the offender is found guilty, the offender shall is responsible for any veterinarian bills for the animal that was injured and training costs for another animal, if the animal injured or killed is no longer able to be in service. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an employer may enter into an agreement with a community college in the State to establish a project. Provides that the term "project" means a program established by the community college to provide certain job training services. Provides that the employer is entitled to a credit against withholding tax payments in an amount equal to 1.5% of the wages paid by the employer to a participating employee during the first year of the employee's participation in the program. Provides that the employer shall remit the amount of the credit to the community college. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions and State Employees Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the alternative retirement annuity under the State Employees Article applies to a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions. Provides that a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions may convert up to 8 years of service credit established before the effective date of the amendatory Act as a conservation police officer under the State Employees Article into eligible creditable service by filing a written election with the Board under that Article, accompanied by a specified payment. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall establish and administer a competitive grant program for county sheriffs to receive appropriate training to allow county sheriffs to provide enhanced security and threat assessments for schools. Provides that sheriffs provided funding to attend this training shall then assist in the training of other local law enforcement agencies located within that county to aid in the continued efforts to protect the children in our communities.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Permits certain judicial officers, some with written consent required, to carry a concealed firearm to any building, parking area, or portion of a building under the control of an officer of the executive or legislative branch of government, any building designated for matters before a circuit court, appellate court, or the Supreme Court, or any building or portion of a building under the control of the Supreme Court and any building or portion of a building under the control of a unit of local government.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board may allow the motto "In God We Trust" to be displayed in a conspicuous location inside or outside each school building.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes the requirement that a motor carrier of property, in addition to possessing proof of continuous insurance or surety coverage in accordance with Commission regulations, have the proof on file with the Commission or its agents.

Amends the State Finance Act, the Motor Fuel Tax Law, the Emergency Telephone System Act, the Riverboat Gambling Act, and the Video Gaming Act. Provides that, in the absence of an appropriation for any State fiscal year, moneys that are required to be distributed to units of local government and other entities from the State and Local Sales Tax Reform Fund, the Motor Fuel Tax Fund, the State Gaming Fund, the Local Government Video Gaming Distributive Fund, and the Statewide 9-1-1 Fund are subject to a continuing appropriation. Effective immediately.

If and only if Senate Bill 337 of the 100th General Assembly becomes law, then the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act is amended. Provides that the provisions of the Act concerning the certification of the license of a Federal Firearms Licensee apply only to a Federal Firearms Licensee who has been found by the federal or State government to have 3 or more firearms used in the commission of criminal offenses sold or transferred by the licensee within the 5 years prior to his or her application for certification of his or her license. Effective upon becoming law or on the date Senate Bill 337 of the 100th General Assembly takes effect, whichever is later.