Sen. Mark Walker

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that June 27 of each year is to be recognized as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Day to bring awareness to the brave men and women who received post-traumatic stress injuries while risking their lives to protect our freedom, health, and welfare and to recognize those who have suffered post-traumatic stress injuries for their gallantry, commitment, devotion, and sacrifice for our communities.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the month of April of each year is designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month to be observed throughout the State to promote the awareness and prevention of child abuse in the State.

Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that a local government may submit a request to the Grant Accountability and Transparency Unit to be exempt from certain audit requirements if the local government is unable to meet the audit requirements due to circumstances beyond the local government's control, including, but not limited to, a natural disaster in which financial records of the local government are destroyed or alleged employee misconduct involving the destruction or withholding of financial records. Effective immediately.

Declares March 29, 2023 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day in the State of Illinois.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Deletes language that provides that no construction shall commence on any new nuclear power plant to be located within the State, and no certificate of public convenience and necessity or other authorization shall be issued therefor by the Illinois Commerce Commission, until the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency finds that the United States Government, through its authorized agency, has identified and approved a demonstrable technology or means for the disposal of high level nuclear waste, or until such construction has been specifically approved by a statute enacted by the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that, on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, when a person commits an offense and the person is under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense, the court, at the sentencing hearing, shall consider certain additional factors in mitigation in determining the appropriate sentence. Provides, that notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the defendant is under 18 at the time of the commission of the offense and convicted of first degree murder and would otherwise be subject to sentencing under certain provisions, the court shall impose a sentence of not less than 40 years of imprisonment. Provides that, in addition, the court may, in its discretion, decline to impose the sentencing enhancements based upon the possession or use of a firearm during the commission of the offense.

Amends the Illinois Banking Act. In provisions concerning customer financial records and confidentiality, provides that the language does not prohibit the furnishing of financial information to the executor, executrix, administrator, or other lawful representative of the estate of a customer. Amends the Savings Bank Act. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit the furnishing of financial information to the executor, executrix, administrator, or other lawful representative of the estate of a customer. Amends the Illinois Credit Union Act. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit the furnishing of financial information to the executor, executrix, administrator, or other lawful representative of the estate of a member. Amends the Illinois Trust and Payable on Death Accounts Act. Provides that any holder of an account may elect a per stirpes distribution option to the descendants of a natural person beneficiary if the beneficiary predeceases the last surviving holder of the account. Makes other changes. Amends the Financial Institutions Electronic Documents and Digital Signature Act. In provisions concerning electronic notices, provides that consent to electronic transactions given by the customer pursuant to the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act shall satisfy applicable consent requirements. Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that any person doing business or performing transactions on behalf of or at the direction of an executor or administrator with a will annexed shall be entitled to the presumption that the executor or administrator with the will annexed is lawfully authorized to conduct the business or perform the transaction without such person investigating the source of the authority and without verifying that the actions of the executor or administrator with the will annexed comply with a will or any order of the probate court, unless such person has actual knowledge to the contrary.

Amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Provides that a day and temporary labor service agency must provide an application receipt to applicants who seek a work assignment. Provides that a day or temporary laborer has the right to refuse an assignment to a place where a strike, a lockout, or other labor trouble exists. Provides that a day or temporary laborer who is assigned to work at a third party client for more than one week shall be paid not less than the average rate of pay and equivalent benefits as directly hired employees of the third party client performing the same or substantially similar work. Provides for a right of action by interested parties for civil penalties against a day and temporary labor service agency. Provides for protections against abusive contracts. Makes changes in provisions concerning recordkeeping; wage payment and notices; work restrictions; registration; violations; enforcement; penalties; third party clients; retaliation; and private rights of action. Defines terms. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act. Repeals a provision excluding certain minors accused of committing specified crimes from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. In provisions concerning presumptive transfers, provides that a State's Attorney may file a petition for transfer to criminal court for a minor who is at least 16 years of age and charged with first degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or specified instances of aggravated battery with a firearm.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that for any person applying a pesticide that results in exposure to the pesticide by a human, the penalty shall be $2,500. Provides that an additional penalty of $1,000 shall be assessed for each individual human exposed to the pesticide. Effective immediately.