Sen. Craig Wilcox

Amends the Counties Code, Township Code, and Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a veteran with a disability or the veteran's caregiver shall not be charged any building permit fee for improvements to the residence of the veteran with a disability if the improvements are required to accommodate a disability of the veteran. Provides that the applications, forms, and other paperwork required to obtain a building permit must still be submitted. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Provides that a school district shall waive tuition costs for a non-resident pupil who was previously a resident of the district if the pupil submits a letter stating that the pupil no longer resides in the district because the pupil has made allegations of domestic violence, abuse, or sexual abuse against the pupil's parent or guardian and the Department of Children and Family Services has removed the pupil from the parent's or guardian's home.

Maddy summaryHB 681 is a technical amendment to the Criminal Code that updates the short title of a specific section. This change does not alter any criminal laws or affect the behavior of individuals. The bill involves only a clerical adjustment to the document's naming convention rather than introducing new rules or penalties.

Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Modifies the provisions of the Act to apply to veterans and veteran-owned businesses. Modifies a Section concerning the short title. Changes the title of the Act to the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, Veterans, and Persons with Disabilities Act, and makes conforming changes throughout various statutes referencing the title of the Act. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Removes a provision concerning procurement preferences for veterans and veteran-owned businesses. Applies administrative penalties for falsely certified businesses to minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and businesses owned by persons with a disability. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes in various statutes concerning minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and businesses owned by persons with a disability. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act in Illinois to strengthen the information and support services provided to victims throughout the criminal justice process. It requires law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and corrections officials to notify victims about case status, court dates, plea negotiations, and the final outcomes of their cases. Additionally, the legislation mandates that victim advocates inform individuals about available social services, financial assistance, and their legal rights to have support persons or translators present at proceedings. The bill also ensures victims are informed about the potential release of defendants and how to access information regarding the defendant's imprisonment duration.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners of homes, hotels, dormitories, and children's facilities to install fuel gas detectors in any room containing a gas appliance. The detectors must be approved by a testing lab and capable of sounding an alarm when they sense propane, natural gas, or liquefied petroleum gas. Landlords must provide working detectors to tenants at the start of a lease and repair them promptly if issues are reported, while tenants are responsible for keeping the devices charged and functional. The law also protects building owners from liability if they inspect the detectors regularly and fixes violations within 30 days of notice. These requirements take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to update the short title of the Child Passenger Protection Act. It does not create new laws or change existing driver licensing requirements, such as testing frequencies or exam content. The primary change is a technical correction to the bill's official name, and if passed, it would take effect on January 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. In respect to a "qualified veteran-owned small business", provides that business must have annual gross sales of less than $150,000,000 (rather than $75,000,000) as evidenced by the federal income tax return of the business.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that notwithstanding the pretrial release and denial of pretrial release provisions of the Code, if the defendant is charged with any of the following offenses, then the burden is on the defendant to show by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant's pretrial release does not pose a real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community, based on the specific articulable facts of the case: (1) a violation of an order of protection issued under the Code or the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, a stalking no contact order under the Stalking No Contact Order Act, or of a civil no contact order under the Civil No Contact Order Act; or (2) domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery under the Criminal Code of 2012.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a commercial wind energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or both may not be approved by a county within an unincorporated area of the county that is within a 3-mile radius surrounding a municipality unless both the county board and the city council of the municipality approve the facility, regardless of whether or not the municipality has adopted zoning ordinances or is regulating wind farms and electric-generating wind devices. Effective immediately.