Sen. Mike Halpin

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision that requires an employer to make an additional contribution to the State Universities Retirement System for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude any earnings increase paid in an academic year beginning on or after July 1, 2020 (instead of any earnings increase) resulting from overload work performed in an academic year subsequent to an academic year in which the employer was unable to offer or allow to be conducted overload work due to an emergency declaration limiting such activities. Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Provides that within 40 days (instead of 28) after the regular election of directors, the directors shall meet and organize by appointing one of their number president and another as clerk. Provides that within 40 days (instead of 28) after the consolidated election, the board shall organize by electing its officers and fixing a time and place for the regular meetings. Effective immediately.

Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Provides that only railroad companies, street, suburban or interurban railroad companies, and pipeline companies are required to report deliveries of motor fuel (currently, railroad companies, street, suburban or interurban railroad companies, pipeline companies, motor truck or motor tank car companies, water transportation companies, and every person transporting reportable motor fuel to a point in this State from a point without this State). Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 505/7b from Ch. 120, par. 423b Adds reference to: 35 ILCS 505/15 from Ch. 120, par. 431 35 ILCS 505/7b rep. Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Repeals provisions concerning reports by railroad companies and street, suburban, or interurban railroad companies. Makes a conforming change.

Amends the School Code. Provides that any spouse, natural child, legally adopted child under the age of 18 at the time of adoption, minor child younger than 18 who is under a court-ordered guardianship for at least 2 continuous years prior to application, or step-child under the age of 18 at the time of marriage of an eligible veteran or serviceperson shall, upon application and proper proof, be awarded a MIA/POW Scholarship. Provides that the holder of a MIA/POW Scholarship shall not be required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period equivalent to 4 years of enrollment, including summer terms. Amends the Children of Deceased Veterans Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans' Dependents Educational Opportunity Grant Act. Requires the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs to provide, subject to appropriation, for matriculation and tuition fees, board, room rent, books and supplies for the use and benefit of any natural child, adopted child, minor child who is under a court-ordered guardianship for at least 2 continuous years prior to application, or step-child of an eligible veteran or serviceperson, if the child is not under 10 and not over 18 years of age. Requires the child to provide proof of compliance with Illinois compulsory attendance requirements as provided under the School Code. Defines "eligible veteran or service person". Requires the Department to adopt rules on how to render payments to eligible minor children of deceased veterans or servicepersons. Effective immediately.

Amends the Employee Sick Leave Act. Removes language exempting from coverage under the Act an employee of an employer subject to the provisions of Title II of the federal Railway Labor Act. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Employee Sick Leave Act. Provides that the rights afforded under the Act serve as the minimum standard in a negotiated collective bargaining agreement.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an investigator for the Department of Revenue or investigator for the Illinois Gaming Board may elect to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity formula for up to 5 years of service as a person employed by a participating municipality to perform police duties under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article, a county corrections officer, a court services officer under the Cook County Article, or a firefighter under the Downstate Firefighter Article by filing a written election with the Board within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act and paying to the System an amount to be determined by the Board equal to (i) the difference between the amount of employee and employer contributions transferred to the System and the amounts that would have been contributed had such contributions been made at the rates applicable to investigators for the Department of Revenue or investigators for the Illinois Gaming Board, plus (ii) interest thereon at the actuarially assumed rate for each year, compounded annually, from the date of service to the date of payment. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Makes conforming changes in the Downstate Firefighter, Cook County, and IMRF Articles. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that an investigator for the Department of Revenue, investigator for the Illinois Gaming Board, or arson investigator may elect to convert service credit earned under the Article to eligible creditable service under the alternative annuity formula by filing a written election with the Board within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act and paying a specified contribution. Senate Floor Amendment No. 4 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the bill as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1 with the following changes. Adds investigators for the Secretary of State and arson investigators to provisions that authorize a person to elect to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity formula for up to 5 years of certain service. Provides that an investigator for the Secretary of State may elect to convert service credit earned under the Article to eligible creditable service under the alternative annuity formula by filing a written election with the Board within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act and paying a specified contribution. In provisions requiring an investigator for the Department of Revenue, investigator for the Illinois Gaming Board, investigator for the Secretary of State, or arson investigator to pay a specified amount to the System to establish that eligible creditable service, provides that the amount shall include the difference between the amount of employee and employer contributions transferred to the System under the provisions and the amounts that would have been contributed had such contributions been made at the rates applicable to State policemen (rather than investigators for the Department of Revenue or investigators for the Illinois Gaming Board). Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the registration fee for cars and small trucks shall be reduced by $25 if the vehicle is manufactured in this State and the application for registration is made no more than one year after the month in which the vehicle was manufactured. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Adds reference to: 625 ILCS 5/3-113 from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-113 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 1, and makes the following changes: (1) removes language excluding motorcycles from the class of vehicles entitled to a rebate; and (2) further amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to provide that, beginning 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Secretary of State is authorized to impose a delinquent vehicle dealer transfer fee of $10 if the certificate of title is received by the Secretary from the dealer more than 45 days but less than 60 days after the date of sale; however, if the certificate of title is received by the Secretary from the dealer 60 or more days but less than 90 days after the date of sale, the delinquent dealer transfer fee shall be $20.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Provides that the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act is repealed on January 1, 2028 (instead of January 1, 2023). Amends the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Defines "email address of record". Provides that the definition of "clinical supervision" includes face-to-face video if the session is synchronous and involves verbal and visual interaction during supervision. Provides that licensees shall provide a valid email address to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and inform of any change of email address. Removes a provision that provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to limit licensed professional counselors from providing social services that do not fall within the definition of professional counseling. Provides that no person shall, without a valid license, hold one's self out to the public as a professional counselor by using the credential "L.P.C.". Removes a provision that the Department may maintain names and addresses of all licenses and all persons whose licenses have been suspended, revoked, or denied renewal for cause within the previous calendar year. Provides that the Professional Counselor Licensing and Disciplinary Board shall consist of 7 persons, one (instead of 2) of whom is licensed solely as a professional counselor and 4 (instead of 3) of whom are licensed solely as clinical professional counselors. Removes a provision that provides for an exception for an applicant who applied for licensure before a specified date where an approved baccalaureate program in human services approved by the Department and 5 years of supervised experience would count as a qualification for licensure. Provides that if the Department finds an individual unable to practice because of a substance-related violation, the Department may require that individual to submit to a substance abuse evaluation or treatment by programs approved by the Department as a condition, term, or restriction for continued, restored, or renewed licensure to practice. Makes other changes. Provisions amending the Regulatory Sunset Act are effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 5 ILCS 80/4.33 5 ILCS 80/4.38 225 ILCS 107/10 225 ILCS 107/11 new 225 ILCS 107/15 225 ILCS 107/18 225 ILCS 107/20 225 ILCS 107/25 225 ILCS 107/30 from Ch. 111, par. 8451-30 225 ILCS 107/45 225 ILCS 107/50 225 ILCS 107/80 225 ILCS 107/90 225 ILCS 107/100 225 ILCS 107/110 225 ILCS 107/130 225 ILCS 107/155 225 ILCS 107/165 225 ILCS 107/55 rep. 225 ILCS 107/125 rep. Adds reference to: 720 ILCS 5/24-2 730 ILCS 5/3-2-14 new 730 ILCS 125/26.1 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections and the County Jail Act. Provides that deputies, county correctional officers, and correctional officers of the Department of Corrections shall be deemed to be qualified law enforcement officers or, if retired, shall be deemed qualified retired or separated law enforcement officers in Illinois for purposes of coverage under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 and shall have all rights and privileges granted by that Act if they are otherwise compliant with the applicable laws of this State governing the implementation and administration of the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 in the State of Illinois. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to make conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no registration fee for a Gold Star license plate shall be required from a child (in addition to a surviving widow, widower, or parent) of a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and lost his or her life while serving on active duty (instead of "while in service while in wartime"). House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall issue Gold Star license plates to any Illinois resident who is a surviving widow, widower, parent, child, stepchild, child through adoption, brother, half-brother, sister, or half-sister (rather than only a surviving widow, sibling, daughter, son, or parent) of a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and lost his or her life while serving in peacetime or war. Provides that no registration fee for a Gold Star license plate shall be required from children of persons who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and who lost their lives while serving during time-specified armed hostilities, military operations, and terrorist attacks (instead of "while in service while in wartime").

Amends the Illinois Home Grown Business Opportunity Act. Provides for additional contents of the economic plan to assist businesses and municipalities located geographically close to bordering states as developed by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Provides that the Department shall create the Border Community COVID-19 Mitigation Grant Program. Provides that grants shall only be provided to businesses and municipalities located geographically close to bordering states. Provides for the adoption of rules.