Sen. Chapin Rose

Amends the Agricultural Fair Act. Provides that the DeWitt County Fair shall qualify for disbursements made by the Department of Agriculture from an appropriation made under provisions of the Act in fiscal years 2022 and 2023, subject to appropriation; provided that, the DeWitt County Fair notifies the Department in writing of its declaration of intent to participate. Provides that the authorized base amount of the DeWitt County Fair for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 shall be $20,000 each. Provides that the maximum amount the DeWitt County Fair may be reimbursed in each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023 is $13,250. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that if a police officer, as the result of sickness, accident, or injury incurred in or resulting from the performance of an act of duty, is found to be physically or mentally disabled for service as a police officer so as to render necessary his or her suspension or retirement from the police service or is found to be unable to perform his or her duties as a police officer by reason of heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, or any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract, resulting from service as a police officer, then the police officer shall be entitled to a line of duty disability annuity equal to the greater of: (1) 65% of the salary attached to the rank on the police force held by the officer at the date of suspension of duty or retirement; or (2) the retirement annuity that the police officer would be eligible to receive if he or she retired (but not including any automatic annual increase in that retirement annuity). Provides that a police officer shall be considered to be in the performance of an act of duty while on any assignment approved by the police officer's chief, whether the assignment is on or off the employer's property. Provides that if a police officer who receives a line of duty disability annuity under the provisions dies while still disabled, the line of duty disability retirement annuity shall continue to be paid to his or her survivors. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Contains provisions concerning annual increases; verification of disability; and applicability. Makes conforming and other changes.

Proposes to amend the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the right of a parent to determine his or her child's education and healthcare shall not be infringed prior to the child's attainment of the age of majority, except where the child is in the care and custody of the State. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform Act. Modifies requirements concerning the Office of Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance. Provides that the office shall implement reforms to improve interagency coordination that allow for expeditious permitting issuance. Provides that the office shall utilize information technology tools to track project schedules and metrics to improve transparency and accountability of the permitting process, reduce uncertainty and delays, and reduce costs and risks to taxpayers. Modifies provisions and adds requirements concerning the provision of information and the expediting of permit reviews. Provides for the creation of an Interagency Permitting Advisory Committee. Provides additional requirements concerning the permitting process under the Act. Defines terms. Makes other changes.

Amends the Election Code and the School Code. Provides for 5 new members of the State Board of Education to be elected at the general election in 2024 and every 4 years thereafter (now, the Board consists of 8 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate). Provides that one member shall be elected from each judicial district. Provides that the 5 members shall be elected on a non partisan basis. Provides that a petition for nomination of a candidate for member of the Board shall be signed by at least 0.5% of the total number of registered voters in the judicial district. Provides that beginning on the date when the 5 members initially elected take office, a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Makes related changes.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the appointing authorities shall (rather than may) appoint both members of the General Assembly and members of the general public to the Legislative Ethics Commission. Provides open meetings requirements for the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena. Provides that any existing rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is void. Provides that the Legislative Inspector General may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses for the purposes of testimony and production of documents and other items for inspection and copying and to make service of those subpoenas without the advance approval of the Legislative Ethics Commission. Provides that a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission must be filed within 12 months after the Legislative Inspector General's initiation of an investigation (currently, 12 months after receipt of the allegation of the violation or 18 months after the most recent act of the alleged violation or series of violations). Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission shall make available to the public any summary report in which a subject of the report is a current or former member of the General Assembly, and the Legislative Inspector General found that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred. Requires that publicly available summary reports be posted on the websites of the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Legislative Inspector General.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the cents per gallon rate established by the Department of Revenue for the prepayment of tax by motor fuel retailers may not exceed $0.18 per gallon for motor fuel and 80% of that amount for gasohol and biodiesel blends. Provides that the rate of tax imposed under the Acts for motor fuel, gasohol, majority blended ethanol fuel, and biodiesel and biodiesel blends may not exceed that prepayment amount set by the Department of Revenue. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year and subject to appropriation, provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for grant assistance under a pilot program to be known as the Growing Regional Opportunities for Work (GROW) Illinois Grant Pilot Program. Provides that the Commission may award grants under the program to applicants who are enrolled or plan to enroll at a public community college participating in the program in a certificate, license, or degree program to work in a high-demand industry, among other qualifications. Sets forth provisions concerning grant renewal, posting requirements, the allocation of funding, the application process, matching and unclaimed funds, the grant amount, reporting requirements, and rulemaking. Repeals the provisions on October 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of the Code to the contrary, the denial of bail or pretrial release is required if the person is a felon who is charged with a firearm offense.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a county with a population of less than 3,000,000 does not have to comply with the changes made by Public Act 100-1 (the Bail Reform Act of 2017) and the pretrial release provisions of Public Acts 101-652 and 102-28 if the county board adopts a resolution for that purpose on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.