Sen. Mike Halpin

Creates the Service-Member Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Contains provisions concerning matters relevant to the employment rights of service-members, including employment protections, additional benefits for public employee members of a reserve component, prohibitions on discrimination, a notice of rights and duties, violations, enforcement, remedies, and rulemaking. Provides that the Attorney General shall appoint an Illinois Service-Member Employment and Reemployment Rights Act Advocate to carry out various duties related to the Act. Provides that in times of national or State emergency, the Governor may extend the protections of the Act. Limits the concurrent exercise of power by home rule units. Makes corresponding and related changes throughout the statutes. Repeals the Military Leave of Absence Act, the Public Employee Armed Services Rights Act, the Municipal Employees Military Active Duty Act, and the Local Government Employees Benefits Continuation Act. Amends the Service Member's Employment Tenure Act to change the short title to the Service Member's Tenure Act.

Creates the Illinois Home Grown Business Opportunity Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall develop an economic plan to assist businesses and municipalities located geographically close to bordering states. Provides that the plan shall take into account relevant economic data, including input from local economic development officials, and identify and develop specific strategies for utilizing the assets of those regions of the State located geographically close to bordering states, so that those regions may compete economically with bordering states. Requires the plan to include certain economic assessments, recommendations, and resources relevant to assisting businesses and municipalities located near bordering states. Requires that the information and resources collected and established under the plan shall be available to the public and posted on the Department's Internet website. Defines terms.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. In a provision that allows a manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor to provide signs to a retailer if certain conditions are met, including a limitation on the dollar value of the signs that may be provided, provides that the cost adjustment factor applied to the limitation on the dollar value of the signs is 5% annually (rather than the change in the consumer price index or 5%, whichever is greater). Effective immediately.

Creates the Uniform Powers of Appointment Act. Defines terms. Adds provisions concerning: governing law, common law and principles of equity; creation of power of appointment; nontransferability; presumption of unlimited authority; rules of classification; power to revoke or amend; requisites for exercise of power of appointment; intent to exercise; donor-imposed formal requirements; permissible appointment; the selective allocation doctrine; the capture doctrine; disposition of unappointed property; appointment to taker in default; the powerholder's authority to revoke or amend exercise; disposition of trust property subject to power; disclaimer; release; power to contract; creditor claims; and other matters. Makes corresponding changes in the Probate Act of 1975. Repeals the Power of Appointment Exercise Act and the Termination of Powers Act.

Creates the Pollinator Friendly Solar Site Act. Provides that an owner of a ground-mounted solar site may follow practices that: (1) provide native perennial vegetation and foraging habitat which is beneficial to game birds, songbirds, and pollinators; and (2) reduce storm water runoff and erosion at the solar site. Provides that an owner or manager of a solar site with a generating capacity of more than 40 kilowatts implementing site management practices under the Act may claim that the site is "pollinator-friendly" or provides benefits to game birds, songbirds, and pollinators only if the site adheres to guidance set forth by the pollinator friendly scorecard published by the Department of Natural Resources in consultation with stakeholders. Provides that an owner making a beneficial habitat claim shall make the solar site's pollinator score card, and where available, related vegetation management plans, available to the public and provide a copy to the Department of Natural Resources and a nonprofit solar industry trade association of the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. In provisions prohibiting a municipality from requiring police officers to issue a specific number of citations within a designated period of time, removes an exclusion for municipalities with their own independent inspector general and law enforcement review authority.

Amends "An Act to provide for the sale of the Kaskaskia Commons, upon the island of Kaskaskia, in the county of Randolph, and to create a permanent fund for the inhabitants of said island out of the proceeds of said sale, and to punish any person failing to comply with the provisions thereof", filed June 16, 1909 ("the 1909 Act"). Adds language transferring all powers and duties previously granted the Land Commissioners of the Commons of Kaskaskia, or of the Kaskaskia Commons Permanent Fund, to the Kaskaskia Island Drainage and Levee District. Provides that assets held by the Kaskaskia Commons Permanent Fund are transferred to the District, that the assets shall be used by the District for proper purposes as authorized and required by the Illinois Drainage Code or for specified educational purposes, and that following the transfer of all assets to the District, the Kaskaskia Commons Permanent Fund shall be closed. Repeals the existing substantive provisions of the 1909 Act. Amends the School Code by making conforming changes.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that a manufacturer of beer that imports beer into this State must obtain a non-resident dealer's license and comply with certain provisions concerning recordkeeping and taxation. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an Illinois licensed distributor from offering credit or a refund for unused, salable alcoholic liquors to a holder of a special event retailer's license or special use permit license or the special event retailer's licensee or special use permit licensee from accepting the credit or refund of alcoholic liquors at the conclusion of the event specified in the license. Makes changes to provisions concerning signage, including raising the limit on the cost of signs that may be provided to a retailer and removing the cost adjustment factor for the limit on the cost of signs that may be provided to a retailer. Provides that all permanent inside signs, except alcohol lists and menus, are the property of the manufacturer, distributor, or the importing distributor and shall be returned to the manufacturer, distributor, or the importing distributor upon request. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Removes a provision requiring taxpayers who have been granted a disabled veterans standard homestead exemption to reapply on an annual basis. Effective January 1, 2018.