Rep. Travis Weaver

Amends the School Code. Provides that a request for part-time attendance may (rather than must) be submitted by the nonpublic school parents (rather than the nonpublic school principal) to the public school at any time (rather than before May 1). Provides that the school district that the student attends part-time shall receive State funding for the pupil's participation in the public school course or program. Provides that a part-time student shall not be required to pay fees for the part-time student's enrollment or participation in any public school program or course, except to the extent that a full-time student is required to pay the same fees. Allows the parent or guardian of a child of school age who is enrolled in a nonpublic school to enroll the child in any public school in the child's district of residence on a part-time basis for interscholastic extracurricular activities. Prohibits a local school board from discriminating against a child seeking enrollment in interscholastic extracurricular activities at a public school based on where the child attends school. Provides that a part-time student may participate in any interscholastic extracurricular activity available at the public school, subject to meeting the same eligibility requirements, responsibilities, and standards of behavior and performance as a resident student. Provides that a part-time student who participates in an interscholastic extracurricular activity shall pay any participating or activity fee in an amount equal to the fee charged to a full-time public school participant. Authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the provisions.

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Disability Benefits Maximization Program. Provides that, within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Central Management Services, in conjunction with the 5 State-funded retirement systems, shall enter into a contract with an administrator to establish and conduct a Disability Benefits Maximization Program to identify individuals eligible for but not enrolled in Medicare, and to assist those individuals with enrolling in Social Security and Medicare. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall conduct an annual audit of the State health benefits program for everyone covered under the State Employees Group Insurance Program, the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program, and the College Insurance Program for the purpose of identifying participants and their dependents who are eligible for Medicare under federal law and shall also ensure that those annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, and dependents who are eligible for Medicare are enrolled in Medicare with Medicare as their primary health care benefits coverage and the State health benefits program being the secondary provider of their health care benefits coverage. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall assist annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, and their survivors and dependents who become disabled and are not enrolled in Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare with enrolling in and obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Provides that the administrator of the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall provide the Department, the 5 State-funded retirement systems, and the General Assembly with an annual report. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, "production agriculture" also includes scouting crops, inspecting or repairing fences used to raise livestock, tile mapping, and herding or inspecting livestock.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that each applicant for issuance or renewal of a driver's license or identification card who is 16 years of age or older shall have his or her name included in the First Person Consent organ and tissue donor registry. Requires the Secretary of State to offer, to each applicant for issuance or renewal of a driver's license or identification card who is 16 years of age or older, the opportunity to have his or her name removed from (rather than included in) the First Person Consent organ and tissue donor registry. Makes conforming changes. 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, beginning on July 1, 2026, the 1% rate of tax on modifications to a motor vehicle for the purpose of rendering the motor vehicle usable by a person with a disability applies to tangible personal property that is installed in or on a motor vehicle before, during, or after the purchase of the motor vehicle for the purpose of rendering the motor vehicle usable by a person with a disability. Provides that the 1% rate of tax on that property applies only if the tangible personal property is separately itemized on the bill or invoice for the sale of the motor vehicle or if the tangible personal property is purchased separately from the motor vehicle and is separately itemized on a bill or invoice. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act. In provisions concerning goals of the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative related to the percentage of labor hours performed by apprentices, provides that, for contracts and grant agreements executed after January 1, 2029 and before January 1, 2031, at least 25% (instead of 50%) of the labor hours of each prevailing wage classification performed by apprentices shall be performed by graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program, the Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program, or the Highway Construction Careers Training Program. Provides that, on and after January 2031, at least 50% of the labor hours of each prevailing wage classification performed by apprentices shall be performed by graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program, the Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program, or the Highway Construction Careers Training Program. Removes provisions setting goals for those apprentices before January 1, 2029. Makes changes concerning circumstances under which the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may grant a reduction or a waiver of those goals. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall maintain a list of graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program for a period of not less than 3 years (instead of one year) after the participant graduates from the Program. Effective immediately.

Amends the New Markets Development Program Act. Provides that a credit under the Act may be transferred to an affiliate. Provides that the cap on credits is $37,000,000 for fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2029. Makes changes concerning the allocation schedule. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that qualifies for the senior citizens homestead exemption is exempt from taxation under the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish the School Resource Officer Grant Program to fund salaries and any other costs associated with the hiring of an active or a retired law enforcement officer as a school resource officer. In a provision concerning school resource officers, provides that a school or school district that hires an active or a retired law enforcement officer as a school resource officer shall be reimbursed for salary and additional costs through the School Resource Officer Grant Program.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026 and beginning before January 1, 2029, the amount of the credit for volunteer emergency workers shall be $1,000 per eligible individual (currently, $500 per eligible individual). Provides that the aggregate amount of volunteer emergency worker credits shall be $6,000,000 per year (currently, $5,000,000 per year). Effective immediately.