Sen. Thomas Cullerton

Declares the dates of October 9 of 2019 and 2020 as PANS and PANDAS Awareness Day in the State of Illinois.

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that, if the acquisition, construction, relocation, operation, regulation, or maintenance of a toll highway requires the relocation of public utilities due to the elimination of a tollway oasis bridge, the Illinois Highway Authority must conduct an assessment in order to determine the most cost-effective means of providing utility service to associated tollway property that remains. Provides that such an assessment shall include an estimate of the total cost of the required relocation of the utilities, an examination of alternative options for the provision of utilities to the relevant tollway property, and the associated costs of each. Provides that, if the assessment indicates that the most cost-effective means of providing utility service to tollway property is via the adjacent municipality, the Authority shall require that the relevant utilities be provided to the tollway property by the adjacent municipality, which shall be appropriately compensated from the sales tax proceeds generated from the subject tollway property. Provides for an intergovernmental agreement to effectuate adequate compensation for the adjacent municipality. Provides that, when a tollway oasis bridge is eliminated, the Authority must conduct an assessment in order to determine the impacts the modification will have on adjacent municipalities and whether, in the interest of equity, such adjacent municipalities should share in any sales tax revenues. Provides that the analysis shall consider several specific criteria relating to pollution, private nuisance, frequency of usage, and the need for public services. Provides that, if the Authority determines that any municipality adjacent to the tollway property is substantially impacted by activities or businesses conducted on the property, it shall be appropriately compensated. Provides that the Authority, the municipality wherein the tollway property is located, and the impacted adjacent municipality shall enter into an intergovernmental agreement to effectuate the requirements and provide for adequate compensation.

Opposes any effort to divert water from Lake Michigan, or the other Great Lakes, to outside of the Great Lakes Basin. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes everything. Replaces it with similar language supporting the Great Lakes Basin Compact.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Creates the Veterans' Disability Compensation Task Force. Provides specified objectives for the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall consist of 15 members appointed by the chairs of the Veterans Affairs Committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Provides that the members of the Task Force shall be members of different Illinois counties' Veterans Assistance Commissions, Veteran Service Officers, VITAS officials, and AMVETS officials. Provides that the Task Force shall meet once each month and that joint hearings of the Veterans Affairs Committees of the House of Representatives and Senate shall be held once each month. Provides that the Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall prepare a report of its findings and recommendations and submit it to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before May 1, 2020. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Creates the Veterans' Disability Compensation Task Force to assess ways the State of Illinois can improve the rate at which disability compensation claims are approved by the federal government and correct the disparity between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' approval of disability compensation for Illinois veterans and that which is approved for veterans in other states. Provides that the Task Force shall consist of the chair and minority spokesperson of the Veterans' Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives, the chair and minority spokesperson of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the Senate, and 15 members appointed by the chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and the chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the Senate. Requires those appointed to the Task Force to be members of different Illinois counties' Veterans Assistance Commissions, Veteran Service Officers, and VITAS officials. Provides that Task Force members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for any travel expenses incurred in attending meetings. Provides that within 60 days of the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Task Force shall meet, and thereafter shall meet at least quarterly. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to prepare a report that summarizes its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study. Provides that the Task Force shall submit the report of its findings and any recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before July 1, 2020. Repeals the amendatory Act's provisions on July 1, 2021. Effective immediately.

Directs the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Deletes everything. Replaces it with language directing the Illinois State Police to review and evaluate its varied duties and responsibilities to determine the most effective and efficient use of Rapid DNA technology and to recommend improvements to Illinois' DNA submission laws with the goal of taking full advantage of Rapid DNA technology throughout Illinois.

Mourns the death of William Dennis "Bill" Hancock Sr.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish reimbursement rates that build toward livable wages for front-line personnel in residential and day programs and service coordination agencies serving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities under the Act, including, but not limited to, intermediate care for the developmentally disabled facilities, medically complex for the developmentally disabled facilities, community-integrated living arrangements, community day services, employment, and other residential and day programs for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities supported by State funds or funding under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act. Provides that on or before July 1, 2019, the Department shall increase rates and reimbursements and on or before that date, direct support persons shall earn a base wage of not less than $5.25 per hour above the highest applicable federal, State, county, or municipal minimum wage, and on or before that date, other front-line personnel shall earn a commensurate wage. Provides that on or before July 1, 2021, the Department shall increase rates and reimbursements and on or before that date, direct support persons shall earn a base wage of not less than $6.75 per hour above the highest applicable federal, State, county, or municipal minimum Wage, and on or before July 1, 2021, other front-line personnel shall earn a commensurate wage. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Defines "servicemember" and "veteran". Provides that a person commits aggravated assault or aggravated battery when he or she commits an assault or a battery against a servicemember or veteran. Provides that an aggravated assault committed against a servicemember or veteran is a Class A misdemeanor. Provides that an aggravated battery committed against a servicemember or veteran is a Class 3 felony. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Reorganizes and makes technical changes to provisions concerning aggravated assault or aggravated battery against a servicemember or veteran.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if a veteran with a surviving spouse was in the process of review to receive the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities, but the veteran died before the exemption was approved, then the application process shall continue and any subsequent approval granted to the veteran shall carry over to the spouse as long as the spouse meets the requirements for carry over.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for a violation of child pornography if the child is a household or family member of the defendant. Provides that the court shall sentence the offender to not less than the minimum term of imprisonment for this offense, and may order a fine or restitution or both in conjunction with the term of imprisonment. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 730 ILCS 5/5-5-3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill. Deletes language providing that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for a violation of child pornography if the child is a household or family member of the defendant. Provides that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for a violation of child pornography where the person possesses any film, videotape, photograph, or other similar visual reproduction or depiction by computer of any child or person with a severe or profound intellectual disability whom the person knows or reasonably should know to be under the age of 18 or to be a person with a severe or profound intellectual disability engaged in sexual activity if the victim is a household or family member of the defendant.