Sen. Mike Halpin

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that in a county having a population of 3,000,000 or more, the county sheriff shall establish with other law enforcement agencies a vehicle theft hotline to facilitate the location of stolen vehicles via their installed existing global positioning systems, collaborate with vehicle manufacturers and dealers to provide information and assistance to law enforcement officers in the investigation of vehicle theft, and ensure that consumers are provided with information concerning the hotline and any new or used vehicle manufactured with a global positioning system by publishing the information in a conspicuous location on the county sheriff's website. Provides that the manufacturer of any vehicle sold in this State shall establish a hotline available to State, county, and local law enforcement agencies exclusively for the purposes of law enforcement information sharing and the electronic tracking of vehicles stolen in vehicular hijacking incidents or that have been used in the commission of kidnapping, aggravated battery with a firearm, attempted homicide, or homicide. Provides that the manufacturer's hotline shall relay vehicle location information, including real-time vehicle location information whenever possible, to the 9-1-1 call center or designated dispatch center for the responding agency, to the best of the manufacturer's technical capability. Requires State, county, and local law enforcement agencies to use their respective 9-1-1 system call centers or designated dispatch centers for the purpose of verification of law enforcement officers' identities and bona fide incident report numbers related to incidents. Requires manufacturers to prepare written statements detailing tracking and disabling system capabilities and make them available to State, county, and local law enforcement agencies upon request. Requires that, if a vehicle is not subscribed to the manufacturer's tracking service, the manufacturer of any vehicle sold in this State shall waive all fees associated with initiating, renewing, reestablishing, or maintaining the location, disabling, or alert service with which the vehicle is equipped during a law enforcement response or investigation of specified offenses.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Creates the Illinois Interagency Task Force on Homelessness. Provides that the State Homelessness Chief established in Executive Order 2021-21 shall chair the Task Force, co-chair the Community Advisory Council on Homelessness established within the Task Force, and lead the State's comprehensive efforts to decrease homelessness and unnecessary institutionalization in Illinois, improve health and human services outcomes for people who experience homelessness, and strengthen the safety nets that contribute to housing stability. Provides that the State Homelessness Chief shall serve as a policymaker and spokesperson on homelessness prevention, including coordinating the multi-agency effort through legislation, rules, and budgets and communicating with the General Assembly and federal and local leaders on this critical issue. Provides that the purpose of the Task Force is to (i) plan, develop, and implement a State Plan to address homelessness and unnecessary institutionalization; (ii) recommend policy, regulatory, and resource changes necessary to accomplish goals and objectives laid out in the State Plan; (iii) provide leadership for and collaborate with those developing and implementing local plans to end homelessness in Illinois; and other matters. Contains provisions on the composition of the Task Force; meetings; and other matters. Creates the Community Advisory Council on Homelessness within the Task Force to make recommendations to the Task Force regarding homelessness prevention. Contains provisions on the composition of the Advisory Council; meetings; and other matters. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act shall be construed to contravene any federal or State law or regulation. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act shall affect or alter the existing statutory powers of any State agency or be construed as a reassignment or reorganization of any State agency. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that any person engaged in the business of selling or offering to sell goods or services at retail to the public with an individual accepting in-person payments at a physical location shall not: (1) refuse to accept cash as a form of payment for sales of less than $2,000 made at the physical location; (2) post a sign on the premises stating that cash payment is not accepted; or (3) charge a higher price to customers paying with cash compared to the price charged to customers not paying with cash. Provides for specified exceptions. Provides that any person who violates the provisions commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act. Effective January 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow for the issuance of decals by the Department of Public Health for autism awareness license plate decals. Provides for the original and renewal fees and fee distribution for Universal special license plates with autism awareness decals issued by the Department.

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Removes language providing that in a proceeding involving the support, custody, visitation, allocation of parental responsibilities, education, parentage, property interest, or general welfare of a minor or dependent child, a guardian ad litem appointed by the court shall testify or submit a written report to the court regarding his or her recommendations in accordance with the best interests of the child. Provides instead that a guardian ad litem shall investigate the facts of the case and interview the child and the parties and, unless the court directs otherwise, the guardian ad litem shall submit to the court and the parties a written report, written recommendations, or a proposed parenting plan not less than 30 days before a final hearing or trial. Requires a guardian ad litem to be available for deposition before a final hearing or trial notwithstanding any other discovery cutoff. Allows a guardian ad litem to: (i) be present for all proceedings, including in camera examinations of the child; (ii) issue subpoenas for records as part of the guardian ad litem's investigation; and (iii) file pleadings relating to procedural matters.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Secretary of State to issue special registration plates designated as United States Submarine Veterans plates to each resident of this State who served in the United States Navy as a submariner.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Provides that statutory provisions concerning residency requirements for highway commissioners also apply to clerks. Deletes language providing that a board of trustees may contract with a neighboring township to provide highway commissioner or clerk services if the township has a population of less than 500.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Adds language to provide that if a resident of a community college district wants to attend the community college maintained by the district of his or her residence, but the student wants to enroll in a program that is not offered by that community college and the community college does not have a contractual agreement for such a program, then the student may attend any recognized public community college in any other district and shall pay tuition and fees at the rate of the sending college. Sets forth provisions concerning financial assistance; a program directory; programmatic differences; application; enrollment; completion of coursework; records and transcripts; the provision of services; athletic and other eligibility; and State grants. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the issuance of Lyme disease research decals by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that $10 of each original issuance and $23 of each renewal shall be deposited into the Tick Research, Education, and Evaluation Fund, and that $15 of each original issuance and $2 of each renewal shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Provides that money in the Tick Research, Education, and Evaluation Fund shall be paid as grants to the Illinois Lyme Association. Makes a corresponding change in the State Finance Act.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning Substitute Teaching Licenses, provides that if there is no licensed teacher under contract because of an emergency situation, then a district may employ a substitute teacher for no longer than 30 calendar days per each vacant position in the district if the district notifies the appropriate regional office of education within 5 business days after the employment of the substitute teacher in that vacant position (instead of employment of the substitute teacher in the emergency situation). Provides that a district may continue to employ that same substitute teacher in that same vacant position for one or more additional 30 calendar day periods if, prior to the expiration of the then-current 30 calendar day period, the district files a written request with the appropriate regional office of education for a 30 calendar day extension on the basis that the position remains vacant and the district continues to actively seek qualified candidates. Provides that each extension request shall be deemed granted unless denied in writing by the regional office of education. Provides that an emergency situation is one in which a vacancy has occurred (instead of an unforeseen vacancy has occurred) and (i) a teacher is unexpectedly unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications or vacancies are unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates, and the district is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the vacant position (instead of (i) a teacher is unable to fulfill his or her contractual duties or (ii) teacher capacity needs of the district exceed previous indications, and the district is actively engaged in advertising to hire a fully licensed teacher for the vacant position).