Sen. Kimberly Lightford

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit for businesses that make contributions to (i) educational improvement organizations, (ii) qualified scholarship organizations, or (iii) qualified pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations. Sets forth the amount of the credit. Provides that educational improvement organizations, scholarship organizations, and qualified pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations must submit certain information to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning charter schools.

Amends the Communicable Disease Prevention Act. Repeals a Section requiring the Illinois Department of Public Health or a local public health department to give notice to a principal of the school in which a child is enrolled when a school aged child has acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex (ARC) or has been shown to have been exposed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or any other identified causative agent of AIDS. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State policy.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Adds a Section concerning recess. Contains only a caption.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides for issuance of Women Veteran license plates, at an additional initial charge of $15 with eligibility requirements to be determined by the Secretary of State. Provides that the $15 additional initial charge shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Agency Web Site Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning cookies and other invasive tracking programs.

Amends the School Code. Changes language concerning the suspension or expulsion of a pupil to provide that a school district must allow a suspended student to attend an alternative school program established under specified provisions of the Code, if available, for the duration of the suspension or expulsion. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. With respect to a county having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, provides that the county board has the duty to provide for the regional superintendent of schools a suitable office with necessary furniture and office supplies. Denies home rule powers. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Student Silent Reflection Act. Adds General Assembly findings. Provides that the period of silence that a teacher is required to observe must not exceed one minute. Provides that this period shall be an opportunity for silent reflection or meditation (instead of an opportunity for silent prayer or for silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day). Allows students to reflect or meditate on any topic of their choosing. Provides that, during the period of silence, students shall remain seated and must not engage in any activity that distracts or interferes with other students. Removes a caption to a Section concerning the right of a student to the free exercise of religion. Effective immediately.