Sen. Cristina Castro

Creates the Short-Term Rental Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Imposes a tax upon persons engaged in the business of short-term rental at the rate of 5% of 94% of the gross rental receipts from such renting, leasing or letting. Imposes an additional tax at the rate of 1% of 94% of the gross rental receipts from such renting, leasing or letting. Provides that operators of short-term rentals shall obtain a business license from the Department of Revenue. Effective October 1, 2020.

Amends the Election Code. Prohibits the distribution, with malice, of campaign material that contains a picture into which a candidate for public office or another person is superimposed. Prohibits, within 60 days of an election at which a candidate for elective office will appear on the ballot, the distribution, with actual malice, of materially deceptive audio or visual media of the candidate with the intent to injure the candidate's reputation or to deceive a voter into voting for or against the candidate. Provides remedies and exceptions for violating the provisions. Amends the Circuit Court Act. Provides that proceedings in cases involving the registration or denial of registration of voters, the certification or denial of certification of candidates, the certification or denial of certification of ballot measures, and election contests shall be placed on the calendar in the order of their date of filing and shall be given precedence.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that "general funds" or "State general funds" as used under the Act includes the Pension Stabilization Fund. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that for fiscal year 2022 and subsequent fiscal years, any transfers into the Budget Stabilization Fund may be transferred to the General Revenue Fund in order for the Comptroller to address outstanding vouchers, and shall not be subject to repayment into the Budget Stabilization Fund if the bill backlog as determined by the Comptroller on June 30 of that fiscal year exceeds $4,000,000,000. Amends the Budget Stabilization Act. Modifies provisions concerning requirements for and transfers into the Budget Stabilization Fund and the Pension Stabilization Fund regarding the State's backlog of bills. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the County Jail Act. Provides that the Cook County Department of Corrections, the Illinois Department of Corrections, and the county sheriffs shall provide training relating to medical and mental health care issues applicable to pregnant prisoners to: (1) each correctional officer employed by the respective Department or sheriff at a facility in which female prisoners are confined; and (2) any other Department or sheriff employee whose duties involve contact with pregnant prisoners. Provides that the Department or sheriff shall develop and provide to each pregnant prisoner educational programming relating to pregnancy and parenting. Provides that the Department or sheriff shall ensure that, for a period of 72 hours after the birth of an infant by a prisoner: (1) the infant is allowed to remain with the prisoner, unless a medical professional determines doing so would pose a health or safety risk to the prisoner or infant; and (2) the prisoner has access to any nutritional or hygiene-related products necessary to care for the infant, including diapers. Provides that the Department or sheriff may not place in administrative segregation a prisoner who is pregnant or who gave birth during the preceding 30 days unless the Director or sheriff or the Director's or sheriff's designee determines that the placement is necessary based on a reasonable belief that the prisoner will harm herself, the prisoner's infant, or any other person or will attempt escape. Provides that the Department or sheriff may not assign a pregnant prisoner to any bed that is elevated more than 3 feet above the floor. Effective January 1, 2021.

Amends the Employee Sick Leave Act. Removes language exempting from coverage under the Act an employee of an employer subject to the provisions of Title II of the federal Railway Labor Act.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property on which a solar energy system is installed is entitled to a 25% reduction in all property taxes levied against the property for the year in which the system is installed. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that posting a copy of the municipal treasurer's annual account of moneys received and expenditures incurred during the preceding fiscal year on a website that is maintained by the municipality satisfies the requirement for publication.

Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides that a change in rates of the privilege tax imposed on casinos and riverboats begins on January 1, 2020 (rather than the first day the new casino conducts gambling operations). Requires the Illinois Gaming Board to calculate the amount of privilege taxes collected from each owners licensee from January 1, 2020 until the effective date of the amendatory Act under the current tax rate and the amount of privilege taxes owed under the new tax rate from January 1, 2020 until the effective date of the amendatory Act and to calculate the difference between the rates and credit any overpaid amount of privilege taxes against the future privilege tax obligations of the owners license. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the medical assistance program shall provide coverage for routine care costs that are incurred in the course of an approved clinical trial if the medical assistance program would provide coverage for the same routine care costs not incurred in a clinical trial. Defines "approved clinical trial" to mean a phase I, II, III, or IV clinical trial involving the prevention, detection, or treatment of cancer or any other life-threatening disease or condition. Defines "routine care cost" to mean the cost of medically necessary services related to the care method that is under evaluation in a clinical trial, including the cost of services related to the detection and treatment of any complications arising from the patient's medical care and any complications related to participation in the clinical trial. Defines other terms.

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that beginning with the first payroll of the 102nd General Assembly, the compensation to be paid per year to members of the General Assembly, including additional sums payable per year to officers of the General Assembly, shall be paid bi-monthly. Provides that members who resign before completing the entire term in office shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Provides that members completing the term of a vacancy shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Makes conforming changes.