Sen. Rob Martwick

Amends the Chicago Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2023, the minimum widow's annuity shall be no less than 150% (rather than 125%) of the Federal Poverty Level for all persons receiving widow's annuities on or after that date, without regard to whether the deceased fireman is in service on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the General Assembly, State Employee, and Judges Articles, provides that certain survivors' and widows' annuities shall become payable on a specified date or December 1 of the calendar year in which the deceased spouse would have attained age 72 (instead of 70 1/2), whichever occurs last. In the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article, provides that retirement annuities shall be payable upon attainment of the required age of distribution under a specified provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (instead of age 70 1/2). In the State Universities Article, provides that if a participant is not an employee of an employer participating in the System or in a reciprocal system on April 1 of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which the participant attains the age specified under a provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (instead of the age of 70 1/2), the annuity payment period shall begin on that date. In a provision of the Downstate Teacher Article concerning the required distribution of monthly survivor benefits for certain persons, provides that the distribution shall become payable on certain dates or December 1 of the calendar year in which the deceased member or annuitant would have attained age 72 (instead of 70 1/2), whichever occurs latest. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not require prior approval for any medication appropriately prescribed to treat schizophrenia or related illnesses and their associated conditions, that is not used as a chemical restraint or as an unnecessary drug. Provides that antipsychotic prescription medications, including long-acting medications, that are covered under the State's fee-for-service or managed care medical assistance programs and that are prescribed by a licensed physician, licensed psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, licensed advanced practice registered nurse, or a licensed or certified mental health provider with prescriptive authority to treat a mental health condition or disorder shall be provided without imposition of any prior authorization, other utilization management requirements, or any other restriction as specified under the amendatory Act. Requires managed care entities to use a pharmacy formulary that at least meets the requirements of the amendatory Act.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the term of an appointed trustee shall terminate immediately upon becoming a member of the system or being sworn into an elective State office, and the position shall be considered to be vacant. Provides that an elected trustee who is incumbent on the effective date of the amendatory Act whose status as a participating employee or annuitant has terminated after having been elected shall continue to serve in the participating employee or annuitant position to which he or she was elected for the remainder of the term. Provides that trustees shall continue in office until their respective successors are appointed and have qualified, except that a trustee elected (instead of appointed) to one of the participating employee (instead of participant) positions after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be disqualified immediately upon the termination of his or her status as a participating employee (instead of participant) and a trustee elected (instead of appointed) to one of the annuitant positions after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be disqualified immediately upon the termination of his or her status as an annuitant receiving a retirement annuity. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that each qualified teacher is entitled to an income tax credit in an aggregate amount equal to 50% of the tuition costs incurred by that teacher at a public university in the State. Provides that each qualified teacher may take no more than 20% of his or her aggregate credit amount in any taxable year. Provides that the term "qualified teacher" means an individual who (i) graduated from a public university in the State, (ii) is employed as a teacher in this State during the taxable year, and (iii) has been employed as a teacher in the State for at least 5 consecutive years as of the first day of the taxable year. Effective immediately.

Authorizes the Department of Human Services to grant and convey a permanent conservation easement to the Chicago Park District, in addition to the Department of Natural Resources. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Requires the Department of the Lottery, beginning on July 1, 2021, to offer a special instant scratch-off game for child abuse prevention. Requires the net revenue from that game to be deposited into the Child Abuse Prevention Fund. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that the special instant scratch-off game for child abuse prevention shall be offered by the Department of the Lottery starting on July 1, 2022 (rather than July 1, 2021) and be discontinued on July 1, 2023 (rather than July 1, 2022).

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that if (1) three or more improved lots, blocks, tracts, or parcels of real property within a single redevelopment project area are purchased by a developer or a developer's parent company or wholly-owned subsidiary, or any combination thereof, within the 3 years prior to the date that the ordinance providing for the tax increment allocation was adopted by the municipality, and (2) an improvement on any of the lots, blocks, tracts, or parcels of real property is demolished or otherwise rendered uninhabitable, then the initial equalized assessed value for the lot, block, tract or parcel of real property shall be the equalized assessed value of the lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property on the date it was purchased by the developer, the developer's parent company, or the developer's wholly-owned subsidiary or purchased by any combination thereof. Limits the provisions to ordinances adopted after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the Downstate Firefighter Article, provides that an active member of the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) who is an arson investigator may apply to transfer to SERS his or her credits and creditable service accumulated in any downstate firefighter pension fund. In the IMRF Article, provides that an active member of SERS who is a Commerce Commission police officer may apply to transfer to SERS his or her credits and creditable service in IMRF as a sheriff's law enforcement employee, person employed by a participating municipality to perform police duties, or law enforcement officer employed on a full-time basis by a forest preserve district. In the State Employees Article, provides that a State policeman, arson investigator, or Commerce Commission police officer may elect to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity formula for up to 5 years of service as a person employed by a participating municipality to perform police duties under IMRF, a county corrections officer, or a court services officer under the Cook County Article by filing a written application with the Board and making a specified contribution. Provides that a State policeman may elect to convert service credit earned under the Article to eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity formula by filing a written election with the Board and making a specified contribution. Provides that the conversion of service credit to eligible creditable service is not subject to provisions that limit the amount of eligible creditable service that may be established to 12 years. Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the limit on salary for all purposes under the Code for Tier 2 firemen shall annually be increased by the annual unadjusted percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index-u (instead of the lesser of 3% or one-half the annual unadjusted percentage increase in the consumer price index-u) for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, including all previous adjustments. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.