Sen. Chapin Rose

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.

Makes appropriations to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires all Medicaid managed care organizations to reimburse pharmacy provider dispensing fees and acquisition costs at no less than the amounts established under the fee-for-service program whether the Medicaid managed care organization directly reimburses pharmacy providers or contracts with a pharmacy benefit manager to reimburse pharmacy providers. Provides that the reimbursement requirement applies to all pharmacy services for persons receiving benefits under the Code including pharmacy services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. In provisions relating to vacancies by abandonment in municipalities with a population under 500,000, provides that abandonment of office includes, but is not limited to, when an elected official does not file for reelection and no other person files for election to that official's office. In provisions related to trustee terms, provides that, if a candidate has not yet been elected or qualified to fill a vacancy, then the vacancy process as provided in Section 3.1-10-50 of the Code shall ensue. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board may offer the school resource officer course developed under this provision to a qualified retired law enforcement officer, as defined under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004, for the purpose of employment at a school or school district and may issue, for such purpose, a certificate or waiver in the same manner as provided for any other officer. Amends the School Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2023, a school or school district may employ a qualified retired law enforcement officer, as defined under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004, who obtains a certificate of completion or approved waiver under the Illinois Police Training Act to carry out the duties of a school resource officer. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, nothing in these provisions prohibit a school resource officer or qualified retired law enforcement officer from carrying a firearm. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Creates ethical standards applicable to renewable energy companies. Establishes a Renewable Energy Company Ethics and Compliance Monitor to oversee compliance by renewable energy companies as part of the Ethics and Accountability Division of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Provides that no later than 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, each renewable energy company shall establish a position of Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer to ensure that the renewable energy company complies with the highest standards of ethical conduct. Provides that each renewable energy company shall be required to submit an annual ethics and compliance report to the Commission no later than May 1 of each year. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to allow the Commission to adopt emergency rules. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act, the Illinois Youthbuild Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act, the School Code, the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act, the Public Community College Act, the Higher Education Student Assistance Act, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Pharmacy Practice Act, the Structural Pest Control Act, the Community Association Manager Licensing and Disciplinary Act, the Home Inspector License Act, the Real Estate License Act of 2000, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, the Illinois Vehicle Code, and the Unified Code of Corrections. Changes references from high school equivalency certificate to State of Illinois High School Diploma. House Floor Amendment No. 1 In the provisions of the School Code concerning high school equivalency, specifies that a State of Illinois High School Diploma is a recognized high school equivalency certificate for purposes of reciprocity with other states and a high school equivalency certificate from another state is equivalent to a State of Illinois High School Diploma.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that in any year in which a public university has a repeated material audit finding reported in any audit conducted by the Auditor General, the Auditor General shall specially report the repeated material audit finding to the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that any such public university to which the report applies shall have 5% of the funds to be appropriated to the public university during the fiscal year in which the Auditor General's report was issued withheld by the State Comptroller until the public university rectifies the deficiencies found in the material audit findings. Provides that if the public university has been allotted more than 95% of its appropriated funding at the time of the Auditor General's report, the public university shall, within 90 days after issuance of the Auditor General's report, remit 5% of the allotted funding for that fiscal year to a trust fund held outside of the State treasury, with the State Treasurer as custodian, to be held until the public university rectifies the deficiencies found in the material audit findings. Provides that upon request of a public university, the Auditor General shall determine whether a material finding has been rectified, and shall certify the same to the State Comptroller and the State Treasurer without regard to any other scheduled audit. Provides that upon a determination that the deficiency found in the material audit findings has been rectified, the 5% of appropriated funds that were either withheld from or remitted by the public university shall be released to the public university within 10 business days. Amends the Illinois State Auditing Act. Provides requirements concerning public university material audit findings reports. Defines "public university". Effective immediately.

Urges every public and private university and community college in this State to extend their application deadlines for students currently enrolled at Lincoln College who are unable to continue their education at their institution due to circumstances beyond their control. Urges every public and private university and community college in this State to honor the credits earned by students from Lincoln College and have those credits be transferred accordingly. Urges Lincoln College to waive transcript fees from students currently enrolled. Urges all Illinois public and private universities and community colleges to attend Lincoln College's student transfer fair on April 14 to assist its students in finding another college to attend. Urges all Illinois public and private universities and community colleges to waive the application fees for students of Lincoln College. Urges all Illinois public and private universities and community colleges to attempt to match or exceed the financial award letters, including scholarships, of Lincoln College students. Encourages the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to work with the displaced Lincoln College employees to ease their financial hardships and support their attempts to find new employment. Resolves to continue striving to provide better protections for Illinois' higher education students in the unfortunate event of a closure of an institution of higher learning in the State and to help provide a smooth transition for students and a path to continue pursue higher education in Illinois.

Amends the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board shall immediately inform a victim of the early release of the prisoner from State custody or of the prisoner's pardon, commutation, furlough, or granting of sentence credit, if the victim has previously requested notification of that information. Provides that when the defendant has been found guilty but mentally ill and is granted early release, pardon, commutation, or furlough, the Prisoner Review Board immediately shall notify the victim, if the victim has previously requested notification of that information. Provides that the notification shall be based upon the most recent information as to the victim's residence or other location available to the Board. Provides that when no such information is available, the Board shall make all reasonable efforts to obtain the information and make the notification. Provides that this notification requirement is in addition to any notification requirements pursuant to any other statewide victim notification systems. Provides that the Board must document notification efforts if the victim alleges lack of notification.