Sen. Neil Anderson

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services, as the lead State agency responsible for administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to eligible Illinois residents, to submit a SNAP Food Restriction Waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service to modify allowable purchases under the SNAP program by excluding from the definition of "eligible food" candy, prepared desserts, carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks, certain fruit and vegetable juices containing 50% or less of natural fruit or vegetable, energy drinks, and other specified beverage mixes and concentrates. Provides that upon federal approval, the Department shall ensure that SNAP recipients are notified and informed of the SNAP Food Restriction Waiver, the specific food items and beverages restricted under the waiver, and the implementation date for the waiver. Requires the Department to also engage directly with SNAP-authorized retailers to prepare them to comply with the SNAP Food Restriction Waiver.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Reverts provisions regarding greenhouse gases to the language existing before changes made by amendment under P.A. 102-662. Repeals a provision defining "clean energy". Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Regional Generation Reliability Task Force Act. Sets forth findings of the General Assembly. Creates the Illinois Regional Generation Reliability Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall monitor the reliability of the Illinois power grid. Contains provisions concerning: the membership of the Task Force; duties of the Task Force; administrative support; and an annual report. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Provides that the Carbon Capture Infrastructure Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury and shall be administered by the Illinois Power Agency. Provides that $10,000,000 shall be transferred from the Illinois Power Agency Renewable Energy Resources Fund to the Carbon Capture Infrastructure Fund. Provides that the Agency shall award grants from the fund to carbon producing power plants for the construction of new carbon capture storage systems. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Carbon Capture Infrastructure Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Deletes provisions that prohibit the possession or use of any device or attachment of any kind designed, used, or intended for use in silencing the report of any firearm. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 to make conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows a unit of local government that engages in the operation of fleet of motor vehicles to register and license the fleet for operations in the State.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district may offer a firearm safety training course to students in grades 9 through 12, which may include instruction on hunting safety. Provides that if a school district offers the course, a student may not be required to take the course. Provides that if a school board intends to offer a firearm safety training course, it must develop a policy to implement the course and must publish that policy on the district's website.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of the denial of pretrial release statute to the contrary, a non-citizen of the United States who entered the United States without a legal visa issued by the United States Department of State and who has been charged in the State with an offense for which pretrial detention may be ordered by the court and, at the time of the commission of the offense, did not have a legal visa is not eligible for pretrial release and must be held in pretrial detention pending trial.

Amends the Invest in Illinois Act. Provides that no award of economic incentives may be made under the Act to an entity if (i) the entity is organized under the laws of or has its principal place of business in a foreign country of concern or (ii) the government of a foreign country of concern has a controlling interest in the entity.

Creates the Gun Crime Charging and Sentencing Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that in a criminal case, if a defendant is charged with an offense involving the illegal use or possession of a firearm and subsequently enters into a plea agreement in which the charge will be reduced to a lesser offense or a non-weapons offense in exchange for a plea of guilty, at or before the time of sentencing, the State's Attorney shall file with the court a written statement of his or her reasons in support of the plea agreement, which shall specifically state why the offense or offenses of conviction resulting from the plea agreement do not include the originally charged weapons offense. Provides that the written statement shall be part of the court record in the case and a copy shall be provided to any person upon request. Provides that in a criminal case in which the original charge is or was for an offense involving the illegal use or possession of a firearm, if a defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty of the original charge or lesser offense or a non-weapons offense, in imposing the sentence, the judge shall set forth in a written sentencing order his or her reasons for imposing the sentence or accepting the plea agreement. Provides that a copy of the written sentencing order shall be provided to any person upon request.

Amends the Illinois TRUST Act. Provides that certain limitations under the Act regarding actions that may be taken by law enforcement agencies and officials do not apply with respect to an individual who is not a citizen of the United States and who has been charged or convicted of a criminal offense under Illinois law. Directs a law enforcement agency or official to immediately notify an immigration agent whenever it has in its custody such an individual. Effective immediately.