Sen. Mike Porfirio

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, on and after October 1, 2025, the default speed limit is 20 (instead of 30) miles per hour within an urban district, and 10 (instead of 15) miles per hour in an alley within an urban district. Requires, by September 1, 2025, the Secretary of State to communicate the speed limit change to every licensed driver in the State via direct postal mail and a broad statewide communications campaign. Provides that a county, municipality, or township with speed enforcement authority may only issue warnings for violations during the first 60 days after the change of the speed limit is enacted. Effective immediately.

Amends the Veterans Preference in Private Employment Act. Expands the definition of "veteran" to include a member of the United States Armed Forces Reserves who has never been deployed but separated under conditions other than dishonorable as noted on the individuals' service (rather than NGB-22) discharge form. Effective immediately.

Amends the Animal Control Act. Provides that nothing in the Act may be interpreted as preventing units of local government from apprehending dangerous animals, including dangerous dogs, on a street or other public space.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that it is a mitigating factor in sentencing that the defendant is convicted of a felony and is a combat veteran who is a qualified service-disabled veteran who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Amends the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act. Provides that if a combat veteran who is a resident of Illinois is a qualified service-disabled veteran and is believed to have committed an offense or is in need of assistance as a result of a suspected incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder, a peace officer or an ambulance service shall transport the veteran to a Department of Veterans Affairs' hospital to be evaluated by a physician, psychiatrist, or clinical psychologist, or other medical professional that the hospital deems qualified to determine whether the veteran is a danger to himself, herself, herself, or others. Provides that if it is determined by the hospital staff who evaluated the veteran that the veteran is not a danger to himself or others, the person shall be released unless that person is subject to law enforcement agency custody for commission of an offense that requires pretrial detention under the Pretrial Release Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. If the veteran requires detention, the veteran shall be released to law enforcement agency custody. Provides that if a combat veteran who is a qualified service-disabled veteran is charged with a criminal offense, the case shall be tried by a veterans and servicemembers court located in the veteran's county of residence, or if the veteran's county of residence does not have a veterans and servicemembers court located in that county, the case shall be tried in a veterans and servicemembers court located in the nearest county of the veteran's residence.

Amends the Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act. Provides that each targeted methamphetamine precursor package shall contain no more than 3,600 (rather than 3,000) milligrams of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, their salts or optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers. Deletes a provision which specifies that no retail distributor operating a pharmacy, and no pharmacist or pharmacy technician, shall knowingly distribute to a single person more than 2 targeted packages in a single retail transaction. Amends the Methamphetamine Precursor Tracking Act. Provides that, on and after October 1, 2025, any manufacturer of products containing methamphetamine precursors sold in or brought into the State must, on a monthly basis, pay fees to the Central Repository. Provides that the Central Repository shall be responsible for setting the fee levels required. Provides that at the request of the Illinois State Police, manufacturers required to pay fees shall be required to provide written documentation demonstrating that they have paid such fees. Provides that the sale of methamphetamine precursors in or brought into the State by a manufacturer who has failed to pay fees required by the provision is guilty of a petty offense and subject to a fine of $500 for a first offense; $1,000 for a second offense occurring within 3 years of the first offense; and $5,000 for a third or subsequent offense occurring within 3 years of the prior offenses. Effective immediately.

Amends the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Provides that a public safety agency may, in lieu of paid leave, pay a first responder that is employed by the public safety agency the equivalent of the first responder's hourly rate of pay multiplied by the number of hours of paid leave that the first responder is entitled to under the Act. Provides that a first responder is eligible for the payment if the first responder has been continuously employed by the public safety agency for at least 60 days. Provides that the payment shall be paid to a first responder in its entirety once per calendar year. Provides for notice requirements. Makes conforming changes. Defines "first responder" and "public safety agency".

Amends the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act. Provides that if a veteran with a service-connected disability is arrested for or charged with a criminal offense and there is prima facie evidence that the veteran was suffering from an episode of post-traumatic stress disorder or a related mental health condition during the commission of the offense, there is a rebuttable presumption that the veteran is eligible to participate in a veterans and servicemembers court program, and after the arrest or charge, the following procedures shall take place: (1) the veteran shall be evaluated and treated as soon as practicable by a qualified medical professional for post-traumatic stress disorder and any other mental health condition or disorder; and (2) the court shall order a screening and clinical needs assessment and risk assessment and a mental health and substance use disorder screening and assessment. Provides that if a veteran with a service-connected disability is charged for the first time with a criminal offense, including a felony, except certain offenses that would make him or her ineligible to participate in a veterans and servicemembers court program, and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder or a related mental health condition during the commission of the offense, then, upon successful completion of the terms and conditions of a court program, the court shall dismiss the original charges against the veteran or successfully terminate the veteran's sentence or otherwise discharge the veteran from any further proceedings against the participant in the original prosecution. Establishes certain procedures to be followed when a combat veteran who is a disabled veteran has an episode of post-traumatic syndrome disorder and needs assistance.

Amends the Tobacco Products Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act of 2003. Provides that, upon a distributor's failure to submit certain information, the Attorney General may send a notice of violation to the distributor and provide 10 days to cure the violation. Provides that, if the distributor does not cure the violation, the Attorney General may notify the Director of Revenue of the violation, and, upon receiving the Attorney General's notice, the Director of Revenue shall revoke the distributor's license. Amends the Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act. Provides that a tobacco product manufacturer that elects to place funds into escrow may make an irrevocable assignment of its interest in the funds to the benefit of the State.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Creates the Illinois War and Veterans Memorials and Monuments Commission in preparation of the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence. Provides that the Commission shall study and evaluate all the war and veterans memorials and monuments located within the State and: (1) create a comprehensive list of all war and veterans memorials and monuments located within the State to highlight the service and sacrifice of the State's military veterans; (2) establish criteria for the designation of war and veterans memorials and monuments with unique historical significance, and designate the war and veterans memorials and monuments with unique historical significance; (3) identify war and veterans memorials and monuments that are in need of restoration or other forms of aid, and match them with grants and other sources of funding to repair and maintain them; and (4) highlight the need for historical markings or signage to designate war and veterans memorials and monuments for public education and public awareness. Provides that to the extent possible, the Commission shall reflect the geographic diversity of the State and shall include members who represent each branch of the United States military and members who participated in one or more major armed conflicts while serving in the United States armed forces. Contains provisions concerning membership appointments; the appointment of public members; Commission meetings; and other matters. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to provide administrative support to the Commission. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that a "disruption event" includes any planned or unplanned work on or damage to a fire hydrant. Changes the term "health care facility list" to "disruption notification list". Requires a public water distribution entity to also notify all affected fire departments and all affected dispatch centers on the public water supply's disruption notification list not less than 14 days before any known, planned, or anticipated disruption event or that are served by the public water supply and affected by any unplanned disruption event in the public water supply's water distribution system. Requires a fire department and a dispatch center to designate an email address to receive electronic notifications from the public water distribution entity concerning planned or unplanned disruption events.