Sen. Chuck Weaver

Amends the Article of the School Code concerning school districts from 100,000 to 500,000 inhabitants. Provides that a board of education member shall be elected for a term of 4 years (rather than 5 years) and shall serve until his or her successor is elected and has qualified. Provides that the term of a board of education member commences after (i) the election authority has canvassed the votes and proclaimed the results and (ii) the member-elect has taken the oath of office (rather than on July 1). Specifies that a board of education shall have all of the rights, powers, and duties as are provided for other school boards under the School Boards Article of the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that, as soon as possible after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the State Comptroller shall order transferred and the State Treasurer shall transfer the sum of $5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Traffic and Criminal Conviction Surcharge Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Removes obsolete language in provisions concerning behavioral interventions for students with disabilities who require behavioral intervention. Makes changes concerning a school board's policies and procedures on the use of behavioral interventions, including requirements related to the use of time outs and physical restraint. Allows for complaints to be filed with the State Superintendent of Education. Effective immediately.

Authorizes the Director of the Department of Natural Resources to deliver a quitclaim deed for a portion of real property in Peoria County to the Village of Dunlap for $1, subject to specified conditions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides that units of local government may enact ordinances to opt into a reduced minimum wage that is less than the wage otherwise required under the Law. Provides for minimum wages based upon a percentage of the otherwise required minimum wage depending upon the region of the State. Establishes 6 regions for purposes of determining the minimum wage. Provides that in regions where the minimum wage is reduced, the unit of local government must establish a procedure to increase the local minimum wage by at least 5% per year beginning January 1, 2026 and continuing until the local minimum wage is established at $15 per hour. Provides for reduced minimum wages for employees who have not worked 650 hours during a calendar year for an employer. Effective immediately.

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Removes the requirement for each Legislative District to be divided into 2 Representative Districts. Modifies provisions concerning legislative redistricting. Provides specified requirements for each Legislative District, Representative District, and Congressional District for redistricting purposes. Replaces the current method of legislative redistricting with a 17-member Commission, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the most senior Supreme Court Justice of a different political party in accordance with specified criteria. Specifies requirements for the Commission concerning redistricting plans. Adds provisions concerning the membership of the Commission and budgetary matters related to the Commission. Provides the Supreme Court with original and exclusive jurisdiction over redistricting matters. Defines terms. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective upon being declared adopted and applicable to redistricting beginning in 2021 and to the election of General Assembly members beginning in 2022.

Amends the School Code. Provides that in fixing the salaries of teachers, a school board shall pay those who serve on a full-time basis a rate not less than (i) $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year, (ii) $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year, (iii) $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year, and (iv) $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year. Provides that the minimum salary rate for each school year thereafter, subject to review by the General Assembly, shall equal the minimum salary rate for the previous school year increased by a percentage equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor for the previous school year. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that, on or before January 31, 2020, the Professional Review Panel must submit a report to the General Assembly on how State funds and funds distributed under the evidence-based funding formula may aid the financial effects of the changes made by the amendatory Act. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/24-8 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/21B-20 105 ILCS 5/21B-30 105 ILCS 5/27A-10 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code to allow a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to an applicant who, among other qualifications, has passed a paraprofessional competency test (instead of allowing the endorsement to be issued only if the applicant holds an associate's degree or a minimum number of higher education credits). Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the test. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the Code to require charter school employees in instructional positions to have passed a content area knowledge test. Makes changes concerning obsolete language. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police and Downstate Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Beginning municipal fiscal year 2022, provides that the annual levy and contribution to the fund are equal to (1) the normal cost of the pension fund for the year involved, plus (2) an amount sufficient to bring the total assets of the pension fund up to 100% of the total actuarial liabilities of the pension fund over a 30-year rolling amortization period. Provides that each municipal fiscal year through 2031, the rolling amortization period shall be reduced by one year for each municipal fiscal year after 2022. Provides a 20-year rolling amortization period for municipal fiscal year 2032 and each year thereafter. Provides that in making these determinations, the required minimum employer contribution shall be calculated each year as a level dollar amount over the amortization period, shall be determined under the entry age normal actuarial cost method, and shall be calculated using the most recent public retirement plans mortality table published by the Society of Actuaries. Provides that a municipality may not deviate from the amount of the contribution determined by the enrolled actuary and must use the actuarial rate of return recommended by the enrolled actuary. Provides that if a participating municipality fails to transmit to the fund contributions required of it for more than 90 days after the payment of those contributions is due, the fund shall (instead of may) certify to the State Comptroller the amounts of the delinquent payments, and the Comptroller must deduct and remit to the fund the certified amounts from payments of State funds to the municipality. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act. Provides that the penalty for failure to pay the tax shown due or required to be shown due on a return shall be 15% (instead of 20%) of any amount that is paid after the date the Department of Revenue has initiated an audit or investigation of the taxpayer. Provides that the penalty shall be abated if the taxpayer paid to the Department at least 95% of the total tax liability (including any additional liability resulting from the audit or investigation) prior to the initiation of the audit or investigation. Effective January 1, 2021.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena. Provides that any existing rule, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is void. Removes language providing that the Legislative Inspector General needs the advance approval of the Commission to issue subpoenas. Effective immediately.