Rep. Mark Luft

Amends the Election Code. Requires the State Board of Elections to create a form to be used by an election authority to remove a voter from its roll. Provides that the county clerk of the county where a decedent last resided shall (rather than may) issue certifications of death records from an electronic reporting system for death registrations as provided in the Vital Records Act and shall (rather than may) use that system to cancel the registration of any person who died during the preceding month.

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 Election Code. Provides that collection sites for vote by mail ballots shall be established only on the grounds of a public building where normal business of a unit of local government is conducted and the building does not have a residential component. Provides that those collection sites shall be recorded by security cameras, and the recordings shall be retained by the election authority for a period of 90-days after each election. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to provide that those recordings are public records subject to inspection and copying by the public during that 90-day period. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to adopt a policy to (i) allow the parent or legal guardian of a child to notify the school principal or a designee in writing that the parent or legal guardian objects to the use of specific course material and (ii) allow the child to use alternative course material. Requires the alternative course material to be provided at the expense of the parent or legal guardian. Requires the content of the alternative course material to be sufficiently equivalent to the specific course material to enable the child to meet State standards in a particular subject area. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the State Mandates Act. Provides that any State mandate regarding any subject matter enacted on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act that necessitates additional expenditures from local government revenues shall be void and unenforceable unless the General Assembly makes necessary appropriations to implement that mandate. Provides that the failure of the General Assembly to make necessary appropriations shall relieve the local government of the obligation to implement any State mandate. Makes conforming changes. 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 Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the duration of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card shall be the lifetime of the holder of the Card (rather than 10 years). Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the duration of a concealed carry license is the lifetime of the licensee (rather than 5 years). Provides that a Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license issued before the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be valid during the Card holder's or licensee's lifetime regardless of the expiration date on the Card or license.

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that neither the Treasurer nor the Comptroller shall authorize payment of any increase in salary for a member of the General Assembly, including cost of living adjustment increases, as compared to a prior year, without the General Assembly voting on such increase in a stand alone appropriations bill. Provides that a member of the General Assembly who has held office any part of a month, but not for the entire month, is entitled to compensation only for those days during that month that he or she held office (currently, entitled to compensation for the entire month). Provides that no allowance for meals shall be provided to members of the General Assembly for any given day if meals have been provided to members on that day at the place of their meeting, without charge to the members, and the cost of the meal was paid for through any budget authority associated with the House, Senate, or State of Illinois. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code and the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that a person applying for a position in a fire department or fire protection district must disclose if he or she has been convicted, arrested, or charged with arson, aggravated arson, or criminal damage to property due to recklessly, by means of fire, damaging the property of another or knowingly starting a fire on the land of another. Provides that the person or board hiring an individual who has applied to a position in a fire department or fire protection district may take into consideration the disclosed convictions, arrests, or charges in the hiring or retention of the applicant. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities, provides that an otherwise qualified residence that is located upon 2 adjacent parcels in 2 different townships is entitled to the exemption. Provides that a portion of the maximum exemption amount shall be applied to each parcel according to each parcel's share of the total assessed value of the property. Effective immediately.