Sen. Andrew Chesney

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Requires proof that each party to the marriage has attained the age of 18 years in order to obtain a license to marry and a marriage certificate from the county clerk. Deletes language allowing proof that each party to the marriage will have attained the age of 18 years at the time the marriage license is effective or will have attained the age of 16 years and has either the consent to the marriage of both parents or his guardian or judicial approval. Makes corresponding changes. Repeals a provision regarding judicial approval of underage marriages. Effective immediately, except that specified provisions take effect 2 years after the Act becomes law.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits a petty offense if he or she is convicted of a violation for unlawful use of a weapon that would not be an offense if the person possessed a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person may operate an all-terrain vehicle or recreational off-highway vehicle on a roadway that is not a State highway, federal highway, or within the boundaries of an incorporated area and where the speed limit is 55 miles per hour or less (rather than 35 miles per hour or less).

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to allow the Governor to prohibit or restrict a religious group from conducting a religious service or a resident of the State from attending such services in person.

Creates the COVID-19 Workplace Vaccination Program Limitation Act. Provides that it is unlawful for an employer in the State of Illinois to create, implement, or otherwise enforce a workplace vaccination program that requires any employee to demonstrate to the employer that he or she has received a vaccine that was approved under emergency use authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Provides for repeal of the Act on January 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Urges Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois Department of Public Health to reinstate local control and allow duly elected school board members to make decisions on COVID-19 mitigation efforts that best fit the community and school districts in which they serve.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that an election authority shall appoint panels as needed of 3 election judges from the list of election judges submitted by the county parties to compare the voter's signature on the certification envelope of the vote by mail ballot with the signature of the voter on file in the office of the election authority. Provides the procedure for verifying or rejecting the signature. Provides that if a vote by mail ballot is rejected, the election authority shall notify the voter within 2 days after the rejection or within one day if the rejection occurs after election day and in all cases before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots. Allows a voter to submit a statement confirming the vote if the signature was rejected. Allows a voter to cast a new ballot if the vote by mail ballot was rejected because the envelope was delivered opened.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by discharge of a firearm, he or she knows the individual battered to be a health care worker (rather than a nurse) while in the performance of his or her duties as a health care worker (rather than a nurse). Defines "health care worker".

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that in any 12-month period the Governor shall have the authority to issue only one proclamation per disaster and that any further proclamation for the disaster that triggered the original proclamation shall be in force only after a two-thirds vote of each chamber of the General Assembly approves a joint resolution containing the exact language of the proclamation and which the Governor must follow. Provides that the Governor shall have no authority to amend or change the language of the proclamation as approved by joint resolution.

Amends the Election Code. Requires an election authority to record the number of vote by mail ballots received before election day, on election day, after election day postmarked on election day or before, and after election day postmarked after election day. Requires the State Board of Elections to create a statewide reporting system for election authorities to record the receipt of the vote by mail ballots.