Sen. Craig Wilcox

Amends the Constitutional Revision Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that amendments to the Illinois Constitution (currently, Article IV of the Constitution only) may be proposed by a petition signed by a number of electors equal in number to at least eight percent of the total votes cast for candidates for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election. Provides that the initiative process shall not be used for the proposal, modification, or repeal of any portion of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution or to modify the initiative process for proposing amendments to the Constitution. Makes conforming changes. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Repeals the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Requires the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of the management by the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Department of Public Health of the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans' Home. Provides that the performance audit shall include specified determinations. Provides that the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Department of Public Health, and any other State agency or other entity or person that may have information relevant to the audit shall cooperate fully and promptly with the Auditor General in the audit. Requires the Auditor General to commence the audit as soon as practical and report its findings and recommendations upon completion in accordance with the Illinois State Auditing Act. Repeals the provisions on December 31, 2021. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Mandates Act. Provides that any State mandate regarding any subject matter enacted on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act that necessitates additional expenditures from local government revenues shall be void and unenforceable unless the General Assembly makes necessary appropriations and reimbursements to implement that mandate. Provides that the failure of the General Assembly to make necessary appropriations and reimbursements shall relieve the local government of the obligation to implement any State mandate. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. Provides that a taxing district shall reduce its aggregate extension base for the purpose of lowering its limiting rate for future years upon referendum approval initiated by the submission of a petition by the voters of the district. Provides that the extension limitation shall be: (a) the lesser of 5% or the average percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the immediately preceding 10 years; or (b) the rate of increase approved by the voters. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases distributions into the Local Government Distributive Fund on and after August 1, 2022. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides limitations concerning lobbying by a member of the General Assembly or his or her spouse or any immediate family member living with that member of the General Assembly. Provides that no legislator may, during his or her term of office, negotiate for employment with a lobbying entity. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides a revolving door prohibition on former members of the General Assembly lobbying the General Assembly within a specified period of time. Amends the Election Code. Provides for candidate political committee restrictions and makes related requirements. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Expands the definition of "predicate activity" to include bribery, official misconduct, solicitation misconduct (State government), solicitation misconduct (local government), and legislative misconduct. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Expands the authority of the State's Attorney to seek a court order authorizing the interception of a private communication under specified circumstances concerning activity under the Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Law. Amends the Statewide Grand Jury Act. Expands the authority of a Statewide Grand Jury to investigate and indict offenses involving the corruption of a public official, to include theft, fraud, extortion, or a violation of the Official Misconduct and Public Contracts Article of the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that venue for purposes of trial for any offense involving the corruption of a public official may be in any county in which any portion of the offense occurred. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an amount equal to the sum of (i) 8% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, estates, and electing pass-through entities and (ii) 9.11% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund (currently, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 6.06% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates and (ii) 6.85% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund). Amends the State Revenue Sharing Act to provide that amounts paid into the Local Government Distributive Fund are appropriated on a continuing basis. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that when a minor of the age of at least 13 years is adjudged delinquent for: (1) attempted first degree murder or (2) any offense involving the use or discharge of a firearm upon school grounds or any part of a building or grounds used for school purposes, including any conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by a school to transport students to or from school or a school related activity that results in bodily injury or death to any person (in addition to first degree murder), the court shall declare the minor a ward of the court and order the minor committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice until the minor's 21st birthday, without the possibility of aftercare release, furlough, or non-emergency authorized absence for a period of 5 years from the date the minor was committed to the Department, except that the time that a minor spent in custody for the instant offense before being committed to the Department shall be considered as time credited towards that 5-year period. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for enhanced sentencing for: (1) aggravated vehicular hijacking; (2) unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections facilities; (3) aggravated discharge of a firearm; (4) being an armed habitual criminal; and (5) use of a stolen or illegally acquired firearm in the commission of an offense. Adds additional protected classes of persons for which the offense of aggravated discharge of a firearm applies. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act and the Invest in Kids Act. Provides that the Invest in Kids credit applies permanently (currently, the credit applies for taxable years ending before January 1, 2023). Makes a formatting change to create a first priority group for eligible students who received a scholarship from a scholarship granting organization during the previous school year. Provides that qualified schools may establish a maximum scholarship amount, which may not exceed the necessary costs and fees for attendance at the qualified school. Provides that the qualified school shall notify the scholarship granting organization of its necessary costs and fees as well as any maximum scholarship amount set by the school. Effective immediately.

Amends the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides for a referendum to reject any Public Act by a petition signed by a number of electors. Provides signature and content requirements for the petition. Provides requirements for the validity and sufficiency of petitions. Provides that if a petition is valid and sufficient, the proposed referendum shall be submitted to the electors at the general election specified in the petition. Provides that if the voters in a specified election reject a Public Act, it shall cease to be in effect on the date specified in the referendum. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Illinois Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act. Provides legislative findings. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that moneys in the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund may be used to implement the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, including funding for specified needs. Provides that the State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall automatically transfer moneys from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund through June 30, 2027 (currently, 2021). Specifies the amount of moneys transferred from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund from 2022 through 2027 (currently, only for 2021). Provides that for years 2022 through 2027, funding from the Partners for Conservation Fund shall be provided to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Natural Resources annually in specified amounts and for specified uses. Effective immediately.