Sen. Neil Anderson

Amends the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Office of the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator, in consultation with the Statewide 9-1-1 Advisory Board, shall revise any guidelines, rules, and standards governing the employment, training, certification, or testing necessary to classify public safety telecommunicators and emergency medical dispatchers as "first responders" and comparable in the State's occupational classification of emergency services personnel and public safety personnel. Amends various laws to include emergency medical dispatchers and public safety telecommunicators in references to first responders.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides in various provisions an exemption to carry a firearm on Department of Natural Resources property in accordance with the Firearm Concealed Carry Act.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the credit for for residential real property taxes from 5% to 10% of real property taxes paid by the taxpayer for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2022. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that full-time, sworn, compensated fire fighters are permitted to carry a pistol, revolver, stun gun, taser, or other firearm on his or her person in public or in a vehicle, if the fire fighter has a valid concealed carry license, is carrying on duty, and has been approved to carry on duty by the mayor, city council, village president, or village board of trustees.

Amends the Soil Amendment Act. Provides that the Act may be cited as the Soil, Plant, and Additive Act. Changes references in the Act from soil amendment to additive or amendment. Defines "solicitation", "additive", "amendment", "inert ingredient", and "plant amendment". Makes other changes.

Amends the Invest in Kids Act and the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, the Invest in Kids credit may be taken for qualified contributions for which the taxpayer claims a federal income tax deduction. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that a TRS benefit recipient who has overpaid shall be entitled to a refund of overpayments that shall become immediately payable to the benefit recipient regardless of when the initial overpayment was made (currently, entitled to only 7 years of past payments). Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall take every step to notify the benefit recipient of the overpayment and shall make every effort to process and make the payment as promptly as possible. Provides that the required payments are retroactive for any previously made overpayment that has not been paid out. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Deletes language providing that if in any case an error is made in billing a TRS benefit recipient under a provision concerning health benefits for TRS benefit recipients and TRS dependent beneficiaries, the Department shall identify the error and refund the overpaid amount as soon as practicable; and providing that a TRS benefit recipient who has overpaid shall be entitled to a refund of overpayments for up to 7 years of past payments. Provides that if, for any month beginning on or after January 1, 2013, a TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary was enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and such Medicare coverage was primary to coverage under certain provisions of the Act but payment for that coverage was made at a rate greater than the Medicare primary rate published by the Department of Central Management Services, the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary shall be eligible for a refund equal to the difference between the amount paid by the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary and the published Medicare primary rate. Provides that to receive a refund, the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary must provide documentation to the Department of Central Management Services evidencing the TRS benefit recipient's or TRS dependent beneficiary's Medicare coverage and the amount paid by the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary during the applicable time period. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that the Code does not apply to the leasing of State-owned facilities by a wireless carrier. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates credit for the cost of equipment and materials used in the business of providing broadband services in a county in the State with a population of fewer than 40,000 people or a township in the State with a population density of less than 50 households per square mile in a county with a population of less than 300,000 people. Provides that the credit does not apply to equipment and materials placed in service after December 31, 2026. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to exempt equipment and materials used to provide broadband services in a county in the State with a population of fewer than 40,000 people or a township in the State with a population density of less than 50 households per square mile in a county with a population of less than 300,000 people. Effective immediately.

Amends the Procurement of Domestic Products Act. Provides that all motor vehicles purchased or leased for one year or more by a State agency, on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act, shall have a Vehicle Identification Number that begins with the number 1, the number 2, the number 4, or the number 5. Provides that nothing shall require a State agency to stop using any vehicle that exists in the State fleet of motor vehicles on the effective date of this amendatory Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for enhanced sentencing for: (1) aggravated vehicular hijacking; (2) unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections facilities; (3) aggravated discharge of a firearm; (4) being an armed habitual criminal; and (5) use of a stolen or illegally acquired firearm in the commission of an offense. Adds additional protected classes of persons for which the offense of aggravated discharge of a firearm applies. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes.