Sen. Elgie Sims

Amends the Collateral Recovery Act of 1934. Provides that no repossession agency employee may be issued a recovery permit if the person has been convicted of specified crimes. Makes changes concerning which crimes the Illinois Commerce Commission may require a repossession agency licensee, a recovery manager licensee, or a recovery permit holder to disclose and which crimes the Commission may use in denying or disciplining a licensee or permit holder. Effective January 1, 2019.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Act. Provides that the Program Board created to administer the grant program authorized by the Act shall be comprised of 11 (rather than 21) members. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court shall not deny a sealing or expungement petition because the petitioner has not satisfied an outstanding financial obligation established, imposed, or originated by a court, law enforcement agency, or a municipal, State, county, or other unit of local government, including, but not limited to, any cost, assessment, fine, or fee. Makes changes to the definition of "terminate". Effective immediately.

Amends the State Police Act. Provides that on and after the effective date of the bill, the Director of State Police shall not appoint auxiliary State policemen. Repeals provisions concerning auxiliary State policemen to make conforming changes.

Amends the Child Passenger Protection Act. Provides that when any person is transporting a child in this State who is under the age of 2 years in a motor vehicle of the first division or motor vehicle of the second division weighing 9,000 pounds or less, he or she shall be responsible for properly securing the child in a rear-facing child restraint system, unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.

Amends the School Code. Provides that course material and instruction in a sex education course shall include, with an emphasis on the workplace environment and life on a college campus, material and discussion on what constitutes sexual consent and what may be considered sexual harassment or sexual assault. Effective July 1, 2018.

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that a trafficking victim as defined by the Criminal Code of 2012 shall be eligible to petition for the immediate sealing of his or her criminal record upon the completion of his or her last sentence if his or her participation in the underlying offense was a direct result of human trafficking under the Criminal Code of 2012 or a severe form of trafficking under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Provides that a petitioner under this provision, in addition to other requirements provided by law, shall include in his or her petition a clear and concise statement that: (1) he or she was a victim of human trafficking at the time of the offense; and (2) that his or her participation in the offense was a direct result of human trafficking under the Criminal Code of 2012 or a severe form of trafficking under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Provides that if an objection is filed alleging that the petitioner is not entitled to immediate sealing, the court shall conduct a hearing and the court shall determine whether the petitioner is entitled to immediate sealing under the provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a department foreign fire insurance board shall be created within the fire department of all municipalities (rather than municipalities with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants) that have an organized fire department. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 and the Protective Orders Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. To the list of protected persons, adds any of the following persons abused by a family or household member of a child: (1) a foster parent of that child if the child has been placed in the foster parent's home by the Department of Children and Family Services or by another state's public child welfare agency; (2) a legally appointed guardian or legally appointed custodian of that child; (3) an adoptive parent of that child; or (4) a prospective adoptive parent of that child if the child has been placed in the prospective adoptive parent's home pursuant to the Adoption Act or pursuant to another state's law. Includes these persons in the list of persons permitted to file a petition for an order of protection. Provides that, for purposes of the provisions of the amendatory Act, individuals who would have been considered "family or household members" of the child before a termination of the parental rights with respect to the child continue to meet the definition of "family or household members" of the child.