Sen. Neil Anderson

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to $500 for individuals who serve as volunteer emergency workers for or on behalf of a volunteer fire protection association. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Provides that, to qualify for the credit, the volunteer emergency worker may not receive compensation for his or her services of more than $10,000 for the taxable year. Removes provisions concerning volunteer fire protection associations. Makes changes to the definition of "volunteer emergency worker". Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Secretary of State to issue Law Enforcement Medal of Honor license plates. Provides that the plates shall display the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that after an initial proclamation declaring that a disaster exists, the Governor may only extend that declaration or make further proclamations regarding the same disaster if the General Assembly passes a resolution within 5 calendar days that approves the extension or further proclamation. Provides that if, due to health or safety concerns, the General Assembly is unable to convene in either regular or special session to approve the extension or further proclamation, the extension or further proclamation may continue in effect until the General Assembly is able to convene in regular or special session if the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives submit written certification to the Governor that the General Assembly is unable to convene to provide the necessary approval of the extension or further proclamation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning the renewable portfolio standards, specifies the goals for procurement of renewable energy credits and cost-effective renewable energy resources that shall be included in the long-term renewable resources procurement plan and makes other changes concerning these procurements and provides for the calculation of the cost of equity for the purposes of recovering all reasonable and prudently incurred costs of energy efficiency measures from retail customers. Provides that savings of fuels other than electricity achieved by measures that educate about, incentivize, encourage, or otherwise support the use of electricity to power vehicles shall count towards the applicable annual incremental goal and shall not be included in determining certain limits. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that an electric utility that serves less than 3,000,000 retail customers but more than 500,000 customers in this State may plan for, construct, install, control, own, manage, or operate photovoltaic electricity production facilities and any energy storage facilities that are planned for, constructed, installed, controlled, owned, managed, or operated in connection with photovoltaic electricity production facilities without obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity subject to specified terms and conditions. Provides that a public utility that provided electric service to at least 1,000,000 retail customers in Illinois and gas service to at least 500,000 retail customers in Illinois may elect to recover its natural gas delivery services costs through a performance-based rate. Provides that, beginning in 2022, without obtaining any approvals from the Commission or any other agency, regardless of whether any such approval would otherwise be required, a participating utility that is a combination utility shall pay $1,000,000 per year for 10 years to the energy low-income and support program. Adds provisions authorizing certain utilities to plan for, construct, install, control, own, manage, or operate electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Amends the Prevailing Wage Act to include specified facilities financed in whole or in part with renewable energy resources in the definition of "public works". Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an apprentice who is hired by the taxpayer through the United States Department of Defense SkillBridge internship program is considered a qualifying apprentice for the purpose of the apprenticeship education expense credit. Provides that, in the case of an employee participating in the SkillBridge program, the credit shall be equal to $3,500 per qualifying apprentice. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Removes provisions of the introduced bill providing that, in the case of an employee participating in the SkillBridge program, the credit shall be equal to $3,500 per qualifying apprentice.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the prohibition against a licensee carrying a firearm into any building, parking area, or portion of a building under the control of an officer of the executive or legislative branch of government does not apply to any rest areas under the control of the Department of Transportation or to buildings located in rest areas under the control of the Department of Transportation. Eliminates a provision that a licensee shall not knowingly carry a firearm on any bus, train, or form of transportation paid for in whole or in part with public funds, and any building, real property, and parking area under the control of a public transportation facility paid for in whole or in part with public funds. Eliminates a provision that a licensee shall not knowingly carry a firearm in any public park, athletic area, or athletic facility under the control of a municipality or park district. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Assembly Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Restricts participation in the General Assembly Retirement System to persons who became participants before the effective date of the amendatory Act and provides that, beginning on that date, the System shall not accept any new participants. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Provides for the designation of counselors in training by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and sets forth qualifications for counselors in training. Provides that all billing for services provided by the counselor in training shall be under the license of the supervising licensed clinical professional counselor. Provides that the counselor in training designation shall expire one year after the date the person was designated as a counselor in training. Provides that the Department shall develop the requirements for supervision of counselors in training.

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.

Repeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.