Sen. Chapin Rose

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides limitations concerning lobbying by a member of the General Assembly or his or her spouse or any immediate family member living with that member of the General Assembly. Provides that no legislator may, during his or her term of office, negotiate for employment with a lobbying entity. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides a revolving door prohibition on former members of the General Assembly lobbying the General Assembly within a specified period of time. Amends the Election Code. Provides for candidate political committee restrictions and makes related requirements. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Expands the definition of "predicate activity" to include bribery, official misconduct, solicitation misconduct (State government), solicitation misconduct (local government), and legislative misconduct. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Expands the authority of the State's Attorney to seek a court order authorizing the interception of a private communication under specified circumstances concerning activity under the Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Law. Amends the Statewide Grand Jury Act. Expands the authority of a Statewide Grand Jury to investigate and indict offenses involving the corruption of a public official, to include theft, fraud, extortion, or a violation of the Official Misconduct and Public Contracts Article of the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that venue for purposes of trial for any offense involving the corruption of a public official may be in any county in which any portion of the offense occurred. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that the intent of the Act is for the requirements of the Act to apply equally to the governing board of each public institution of higher education in this State unless the Act provides otherwise. Defines "governing board of each public institution of higher education" and "public institution of higher education". Prohibits a public university from punishing students for exercising their right to free speech. Effective immediately.

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 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 Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act. Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, requires the University of Illinois, Illinois State University, Governors State University, Northeastern Illinois University, and Chicago State University to create a 4-year uniform admission system pilot program under the Act to admit first-time freshman students for each semester of the pilot program. Makes related changes. Amends the Public Community College Act. Requires a community college district to notify each student enrolled at a high school located within the community college district who is within 2 months of receiving a high school diploma or its equivalent that the student qualifies for admission to the community college upon the student receiving the high school diploma or its equivalent.

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 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 Board of Higher Education Act, the Public Community College Act, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Increases the membership of the Board of Higher Education and makes other changes to the Board's membership. Provides that the Board may require the elimination of any program of instruction, research, or public service at a public university that exhibits a trend of low performance. Provides that, in evaluating a programmatic expansion or new program at a public institution of higher education, the Board, prior to approving the expansion or program, shall make certain findings about the region and the higher education infrastructure in this State. Provides that all of the rights, powers, duties, and functions vested by law in the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission are transferred to the Board of Higher Education on January 1, 2022. Abolishes the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and provides for the transfer of personnel and property on that date.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that beginning January 1, 2023, the Director of Central Management Services shall establish a program of financial incentives to encourage Medicare-primary members to elect not to participate in the group health benefits program for Medicare-primary members and their Medicare-primary dependents. Provides that the program of financial incentives shall include a monthly voucher in the amount that the State would have contributed toward that member's monthly premium if the Medicare-primary member elected to participate in the group health benefits program. Provides that the voucher shall be used by the Medicare-primary member to pay the monthly premium cost of an individual Medicare Advantage plan of his or her choosing. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that no employer shall be chargeable for any benefit charges or amounts due in lieu of contributions that result from the payment of benefits to any individual for any weeks of unemployment, which unemployment is directly or indirectly attributable to COVID-19, and only to the extent that the employer can show that the individual's unemployment for each such week was directly or indirectly attributable to COVID-19. Effective immediately.