Sen. Emil Jones

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning instruction.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a participating gas utility may elect to recover its natural gas utility service costs through a formula rate approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Provides that the Commission shall have the authority to conduct hearings concerning the prudence and reasonableness of the service costs incurred by the utility to be recovered. Provides that a gas public utility may apply for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to increase its gas service territory and extend its gas distribution system to serve a designated hardship area. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall, after notice and hearing, grant a certificate of public convenience and necessity if, based upon the application filed with the Commission and the evidentiary record, the Commission finds that specified criteria are satisfied. Provides that the Commission shall issue its decision with findings of fact and conclusions of law granting or denying the application no later than 120 days after the application is filed. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Creates the Plastic Straw Ban Act. Provides that no bar, restaurant, or any business that sells food to the public may provide to a customer a single-use plastic straw unless requested by the customer. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall enforce the Act. Provides penalties for violations. Defines terms.

Urges the U.S. Congress to expand the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program so that it includes farming as an applicable career for loan forgiveness.

Amends the Livestock Management Facilities Act. Provides that the owner or operator of a livestock management facility of less than 1,000 animal units shall be (rather than shall not be) required to prepare and maintain a waste management plan. Requires the owner or operator of an existing livestock management facility that has or will exceed more than 5,000 animal units to file its waste management plan with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture (rather than only the Department of Agriculture). Provides that a waste management plan shall be submitted electronically to both the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture. Provides that any person who is issued a warning from the Department for failure to submit a waste management plan shall have 15 working days (rather than 30 working days) to prepare a waste management plan. Provides that following the second violation, the Department shall (rather than may) issue an operational cease and desist order until compliance is attained.

Amends the Livestock Management Facilities Act. Provides that livestock waste may continue to be applied to the soil if the average Bray P1 or Mehlich test result for soil phosphorus is 70 pounds (rather than 300 pounds) or less of elemental phosphorus per acre. Provides further that if the test result for soil phosphorus for an application field is greater than 70 pounds (rather than 300 pounds) of elemental phosphorus per acre, the owner or operator shall apply livestock waste until the test results indicate that there is less than 70 pounds (rather than 300 pounds) of elemental phosphorus per acre. States that the Illinois Department of Agriculture may reduce the application field to less than 70 pounds (rather than 300 pounds) of elemental phosphorus per acre in any county if the Department determines that this change is necessary to protect local waterways. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall protect the rights of residents to produce, consume, and store their own energy without discriminatory repercussions from a utility company. Provides that the Commission shall adopt rules that protect specified resident rights related to electricity production and storage. Provides that a resident who produces, consumes, and stores his or her own energy shall not face discriminatory rate design, treatment, or excessive compliance requirements as provided for in the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Department of Juvenile Justice assuming the duties of the Juvenile Division of the Department of Corrections. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 730 ILCS 5/3-2.5-15 Adds reference to: 730 ILCS 5/5-8A-3 from Ch. 38, par. 1005-8A-3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that electronic monitoring may not be used for persons on mandatory supervised release or parole, except for certain sex offenders or under the domestic violence surveillance program. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that applications for electronic monitoring or home detention may include parole or mandatory supervised release, but only for individuals who: (1) are subject to mandatory electronic monitoring; (2) were convicted for an offense before January 1, 2007 that would have otherwise qualified the accused as a sexual predator under the Sex Offender Registration Act, but only if expressly ordered by the Prisoner Review Board; (3) were convicted for an offense, committed before August 11, 2009, of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, or ritualized abuse of a child when the victim was under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense and the defendant used force or the threat of force in the commission of the offense, but only if expressly ordered by the Prisoner Review Board; or (4) are ordered to be placed on electronic monitoring as part of a graduated sanctions program when all other less restrictive alternative sanctions have been exhausted. Makes other changes.

Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act. Provides that an income share agreement provider shall clearly and conspicuously disclose specified information in an income-based financing transaction no later than 3 business days before the consummation of the transaction. Requires an income share agreement provider to disclose a borrower's effective annual percentage rate under specified scenarios. Requires an income share agreement provider to provide a borrower with a monthly statement within 15 days before a payment due date, and to provide a borrower with an annual statement. Provides that the contractual payment percentage of an agreement may not exceed 5% of a borrower's qualified income, and no income share agreement term may exceed 60 months. Provides that an income share agreement provider shall not contract for a payment cap that exceeds 1.10 times the amount of the advance or extend an advance that exceeds $5,000. Provides that no payment may be collected under the terms of an income share agreement when a borrower is enrolled in a covered educational program, or during the 6-month grace period after a borrower leaves such a program. Provides that an income share agreement provider shall not engage in unfair or deceptive practices toward a borrower or misrepresent or omit any material information in connection with an income-based financing transaction. Provides that a borrower must exhaust all sources of federal student loans and state grants for which the borrower is directly eligible before entering into an educational income share agreement. Requires an income share agreement provider to provide readily accessible methods for consumers to submit a request for assistance to the provider, and to implement a process by which a borrower can escalate any request for assistance. Makes other changes. Defines terms.

Amends the Payday Loan Reform Act. Provides that lenders must verify the identity of borrowers before making a loan under the Act. Requires inspection and copying of a government-issued identification document. Allows identifications to be made by licensees under the Currency Exchange Act and other licensees approved by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on behalf of lenders under the Payday Loan Reform Act.