Sen. Brian W. Stewart

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change. Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2023 (rather than January 1, 2022). Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Provides that a Section concerning circuit court clerk fees is repealed on January 1, 2023 (rather than January 1, 2022). Effective immediately.

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 shall be allocated as grants to businesses with less than 50 employees. Provides eligibility requirements for businesses seeking to receive such grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall award grants in the amount of $5,000 to eligible businesses. Provides that a business shall only be eligible for one such grant. Requires the Department to publish the names of the businesses that are awarded grants on its Internet website. Provides for the adoption of rules.

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 Public Employee Disability Act. Provides that "eligible employee" under the Act includes part-time law enforcement officers and part-time firefighters (currently, only full-time law enforcement officers and full-time firefighters included).

Amends the Attorney General Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that if a voter is a United States citizen and has never lived in the United States but has a parent or legal guardian who is a qualified elector, then that person is eligible to register and vote in federal elections where his or her parent is a qualified elector. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning a legislative declaration.

Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Removes provisions concerning conditions that the Business Investment Committee shall determine exist in order for the Committee to make its recommendation that an application for credit should or should not be accepted. Effective immediately.