Sen. Sally Turner

Amends the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides for a referendum to reject any Public Act by a petition signed by a number of electors. Provides signature and content requirements for the petition. Provides requirements for the validity and sufficiency of petitions. Provides that if a petition is valid and sufficient, the proposed referendum shall be submitted to the electors at the general election specified in the petition. Provides that if the voters in a specified election reject a Public Act, it shall cease to be in effect on the date specified in the referendum. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Directs the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Illinois Department of Public Health's management of the 2020 coronavirus outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans' Home.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Defines "outbreak". Provides that if a Veterans Home administrator or a member of the administrative staff is notified that an outbreak has occurred, the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Department of Public Health shall conduct an onsite visit to assess the status of the spread and determine if any additional actions can be taken to lessen exposure to the disease. Provides that the Department of Veterans' Affairs and Department of Public Health are to conduct the site visit as soon as practical, but in no event shall the visit be delayed later than the end of the next business day. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to post specific information on its website upon conducting a site visit.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Constitutional Revision Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that amendments to the Illinois Constitution (currently, Article IV of the Constitution only) may be proposed by a petition signed by a number of electors equal in number to at least eight percent of the total votes cast for candidates for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election. Provides that the initiative process shall not be used for the proposal, modification, or repeal of any portion of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution or to modify the initiative process for proposing amendments to the Constitution. Makes conforming changes. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that of the federal funds received by the State for purposes related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, 25% of any such funds received on or after March 1, 2021 shall be allocated for use by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Grant Program (BIG Program). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide each managed care organization with the quarterly fee-for-service facility-specific nursing component (rather than facility-specific RUG-IV nursing component) per diem along with any add-ons for enhanced care services, support component per diem, and capital component per diem effective for each nursing home under contract with the managed care organization. Provides that no managed care contract shall provide for a level of reimbursement lower than the fee-for-service rate in effect for the facility at the time service is rendered. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 305 ILCS 5/5F-35 Adds reference to: 305 ILCS 5/5-4 from Ch. 23, par. 5-4 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the amount and nature of medical assistance.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the County Jail Act. Permits currently employed and retired State correctional officers and county correctional officers to carry their own firearms off duty without being in violation of the unlawful use of weapons and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon statutes if they meet certain training requirements.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers who employ individuals working within the engineering sector who graduated from an accredited institution of higher learning with a Bachelor's degree or higher. Provides that the credit shall be equal to 10% of the compensation paid for the first through fifth years of employment in the engineering sector if the qualified employee graduated from an institution located in Illinois or 5% of the compensation paid for the first through fifth years of employment in the engineering sector if the qualified employee graduated from an institution not located in Illinois. Effective immediately.