Sen. Jil Tracy

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2023 registration year, the Secretary of State, at the option of the applicant, shall issue permanent registration plates for a one-time fee of $118 to the owner of a trailer having a gross weight of 3,000 pounds or less. Provides that a person who has been issued a permanent trailer plate is not required to pay the annual flat weight tax and registration fee. Lowers the annual flat weight tax and registration fee for trailers with a gross weight of 3,000 pounds or less from $118 to $18.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an amount equal to the sum of (i) 8% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, estates, and electing pass-through entities and (ii) 9.11% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund (currently, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 6.06% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates and (ii) 6.85% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund). Amends the State Revenue Sharing Act to provide that amounts paid into the Local Government Distributive Fund are appropriated on a continuing basis. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that when a minor of the age of at least 13 years is adjudged delinquent for: (1) attempted first degree murder or (2) any offense involving the use or discharge of a firearm upon school grounds or any part of a building or grounds used for school purposes, including any conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by a school to transport students to or from school or a school related activity that results in bodily injury or death to any person (in addition to first degree murder), the court shall declare the minor a ward of the court and order the minor committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice until the minor's 21st birthday, without the possibility of aftercare release, furlough, or non-emergency authorized absence for a period of 5 years from the date the minor was committed to the Department, except that the time that a minor spent in custody for the instant offense before being committed to the Department shall be considered as time credited towards that 5-year period. 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. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act and the Invest in Kids Act. Provides that the Invest in Kids credit applies permanently (currently, the credit applies for taxable years ending before January 1, 2023). Makes a formatting change to create a first priority group for eligible students who received a scholarship from a scholarship granting organization during the previous school year. Provides that qualified schools may establish a maximum scholarship amount, which may not exceed the necessary costs and fees for attendance at the qualified school. Provides that the qualified school shall notify the scholarship granting organization of its necessary costs and fees as well as any maximum scholarship amount set by the school. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Extends the term for a driver's license to 6 years (from 4 years). Increases the fee for an original or renewal driver's license from $30 to $45. Makes corresponding changes. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides for a referendum to reject any Public Act by a petition signed by a number of electors. Provides signature and content requirements for the petition. Provides requirements for the validity and sufficiency of petitions. Provides that if a petition is valid and sufficient, the proposed referendum shall be submitted to the electors at the general election specified in the petition. Provides that if the voters in a specified election reject a Public Act, it shall cease to be in effect on the date specified in the referendum. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions that limit the number of days and hours an annuitant may accept employment for without impairing retirement status, provides that the limitation does not apply to an annuitant who returns to teaching as a substitute teacher in a school district that has been granted a waiver by the System. Provides that a school district may apply for a waiver by providing to the System sufficient evidence that there is a substitute teacher shortage in the school district and an estimate of the number of paid hours in the school year that the annuitant will work. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that each individual who serves as a volunteer firefighter, a volunteer EMS provider, or a volunteer emergency worker during the taxable year is entitled to a credit in an amount equal to $500. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that for any 5-year renewal cycle that includes the 2021-2022 school year, each professional educator licensee shall complete a total of 100 hours of professional development during the 5-year renewal cycle in order to renew the license (rather than being required to complete a total of 120 hours). For the 2021-2022 school year only, provides that a licensee with an administrative endorsement who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day is not required to complete an Illinois Administrators' Academy course (rather than being required to complete one course). In provisions related to the content of evaluation plans, allows a school district to waive, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any teacher in contractual continued service whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either "excellent" or "proficient". In regard to rules adopted by the State Board of Education concerning educator evaluations, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, provides that factors related to methods of measuring student growth may not be used in any educator evaluation. In regard to the development of an evaluation plan for principals and assistant principals, allows a school district to waive, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any principal or assistant principal whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either "excellent" or "proficient". Effective immediately.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Illinois Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act. Provides legislative findings. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that moneys in the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund may be used to implement the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, including funding for specified needs. Provides that the State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall automatically transfer moneys from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund through June 30, 2027 (currently, 2021). Specifies the amount of moneys transferred from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund from 2022 through 2027 (currently, only for 2021). Provides that for years 2022 through 2027, funding from the Partners for Conservation Fund shall be provided to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Natural Resources annually in specified amounts and for specified uses. Effective immediately.