Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Electricity Excise Tax Law. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall issue certificates of exemption to qualified Illinois data centers. Provides that qualified tangible personal property used in the construction or operation of a certified data center is exempt from the taxes imposed under the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that certified data centers are exempt from the tax imposed under the Electricity Excise Tax Law. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, as follows: General Funds $583,005,900; Other State Funds $5,805,700; Total $588,811,600.
Amends the Fiscal Note Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the vote upon the necessity of a fiscal note.
Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.
Creates the School Districts of Innovation Act, the purpose of which is to grant school districts greater autonomy to implement innovative practices that improve student academic performance and benefit the whole child by removing obstacles that currently exist in law or rules. Provides that school districts seeking to obtain designation as a district of innovation from the State Superintendent of Education must establish an innovation committee to develop an innovation plan; sets forth provisions concerning the committee and plan. Contains provisions concerning statutory and regulatory mandates; innovation plan submission and designation; financial support for innovation planning; district of innovation review, renewal, and revocation; reporting; and rulemaking. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois State Auditing Act. Requires the Auditor General to conduct a financial audit, a compliance audit, or other attestation engagement, as is appropriate to the agency's operations under generally accepted government auditing standards, of the Chicago school district at least once during every biennium. Amends the School Code. Requires the board of education of the Chicago school district to cooperate fully with the Auditor General and to be subject to any compliance requirements as required of any other State agency during the biennial audit. Effective immediately.
Amends the Use Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from public inspection certain information collected by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission from self-insureds and papers, documents, reports, or evidence relevant to a workers' compensation fraud investigation conducted by the Department of Insurance. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 regarding workers' compensation fraud penalties. Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Makes changes concerning: accidental injuries that shall not be considered to be "arising out of and in the course of the employment"; the maximum compensation rate for a period of temporary total incapacity; wage differential benefits to professional athletes; limitations on the number of chiropractic, occupational therapy, or physical therapy visits an injured worker may receive for injuries; compensation awards for injuries to the shoulder and hip; the maximum allowable payment for certain service categories; the assignment and reassignment of arbitrators to hearing sites; the creation of an evidence based drug formulary; additional compensation awards where there has been a vexatious delay of authorization of medical treatment; annual reports on the state of self-insurance for workers' compensation in Illinois; and other matters. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that if a defendant is accused of an offense of driving under the influence or aggravated driving under the influence as defined in the Illinois Vehicle Code, and if the defendant refused chemical testing requested by a law enforcement officer, evidence of the defendant's commission of another offense or offenses of driving under the influence or aggravated driving under the influence is admissible, and may be considered for its bearing on any matter to which it is relevant. Provides that in weighing the probative value of the evidence against undue prejudice to the defendant, the court may consider: the proximity in time to the charged or predicate offense; the degree of factual similarity to the charged or predicate offense; whether the predicate offense resulted in a finding of guilt; or other relevant facts and circumstances. Provides that if the prosecution intends to offer this evidence, it must disclose the evidence, including statements of witnesses or a summary of the substance of any testimony, at a reasonable time in advance of trial, or during trial if the court excuses pretrial notice on good cause shown. Provides that proof may be made by specific instances of conduct, testimony as to reputation, or testimony in the form of an expert opinion, except that the prosecution may offer reputation testimony only after the opposing party has offered that testimony.
Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides that no legislator may negotiate for employment with a lobbying entity that engages in lobbying with members of the General Assembly during the legislator's term of office. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that a member may not, within a period of one year immediately after termination of the member's most recent term of office, engage in lobbying with members of the General Assembly, if the member accepts compensation specifically attributable to that lobbying.