Sen. Chapin Rose

Amends the Transmitters of Money Act. Provides that a money transmitter applicant or a money transmitter licensee shall post a bond in the amount of $50,000 or an amount equal to 1% of all Illinois-based activity, whichever is greater (rather than the greater of $100,000 or an amount equal to the daily average of outstanding payment instruments for the preceding 12 months or operational history). Effective immediately.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education may not limit the amount of tuition revenue that a public university may waive. Repeals provisions regarding tuition waiver limitations in various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that after the disposition of a criminal case or in any criminal case where a final judgment in the case was not entered due to the death of the defendant, and when a confiscated weapon is no longer needed for evidentiary purposes, and when in due course no legitimate claim has been made for the weapon, a weapon transferred to a law enforcement agency may be sold by the law enforcement agency at public auction under the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act. Amends the Domestic Violence: Order of Protection Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Provides that upon expiration of the period of safekeeping of a firearm of a respondent against whom an order of protection was issued, if the firearms or Firearm Owner's Identification Card cannot be returned to respondent because the respondent cannot be located, fails to respond to requests to retrieve the firearms, or is not lawfully eligible to possess a firearm, upon petition from the local law enforcement agency, the court may order the local law enforcement agency to sell the firearm at public auction under the provisions of the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act. Amends the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act. Provides that weapons that have been confiscated as a result of having been abandoned or illegally possessed may be sold at public auction under the Act.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. With regard to the Monetary Award Program, provides that a student who otherwise meets the award renewal requirements under the Program is not required to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid to obtain the renewal of an award. Provides that, beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, a grant awarded to a first-time, full-time freshman of an institution of higher learning shall be guaranteed for renewal until the grant recipient completes a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 135 credit hours if the recipient otherwise meets the grant renewal requirements and remains enrolled at the same institution of higher learning until the degree or credit hours are completed.

Amends the Illinois Oil and Gas Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall evaluate releases of contaminants whenever it determines that the extent of the leaking salt water, oil, gas, or other deleterious substance into any fresh water or onto the surface of the land that may extend beyond the boundary of the site where the release occurred and take appropriate actions in response. Provides notice requirements if the Department determines that the leaking salt water, oil, gas, or other deleterious substance extends beyond the boundary of the release site or poses an imminent danger to the health of safety of the public. Provides notice requirements if the Department refers a matter for enforcement under the Act or the Department, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or a third party performs an immediate removal order under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Provides that notices may contain certain information concerning the contaminated site, the contaminant released, where the contaminant was released, a description of the potential adverse health effects, the environmental impact of the contaminant, and contact information for the Department for further information about the release.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Secretary of Human Services to seek a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture to allow the State to include on the face of every LINK card issued to a recipient of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or cash assistance under the Code a photo of the cardholder. Requires the Department of Human Services to provide the General Assembly with various good faith cost estimates including the estimated cost of replacing every still-valid LINK card with a card that contains on its face a photo of the cardholder and the estimated cost of "phasing in" new photo identification cards issued under the current contract with the current LINK card vendor. Provides that the Department shall suggest a process to the General Assembly that allows the caregiver of a recipient of SNAP benefits or cash assistance under this Code to use the recipient's LINK card on the recipient's behalf. Provides that the General Assembly shall through legislation determine whether it wishes to implement the waiver based on projected cost estimates and other matters.

Amends the School Code. Requires a school district to allow the parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples to request that his or her children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms if the children are in the same grade level at the same school. Provides that the school may recommend classroom placement to the parent or guardian, but the school shall provide the classroom placement requested by the parent or guardian. Sets forth when the request must be made. Provides for the school board to make the classroom placement determination, after a hearing, if the principal determines that placement in the same classroom is disruptive to the classroom environment. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals a provision providing for the collection of an annual commercial distribution fee on vehicles of the second division weighing more than 8,000 pounds. Makes conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2018.

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that certain notice provisions that currently apply to regular meetings of a public body shall also apply to special meetings of a public body. Requires a public body that has a website maintained by a full-time staff to post the agenda and notice of meetings for both the governing body and all subsidiary bodies of the public body. Removes a provision stating that the failure of a public body to post on its website notice of any meeting or the agenda of any meeting shall not invalidate any meeting or any actions taken at a meeting. Requires a public body that has a website to post the minutes of a regular, special, or emergency meeting of its governing body (currently, only regular meeting). Allows a court to declare null and void any final action taken at a meeting in violation of the Act, regardless of whether or not the meeting was a closed meeting. Provides that a court shall (rather than may) assess against any party, except a State's Attorney, reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs reasonably incurred by any other party who substantially prevails in any action brought under specified provisions of the Act.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to the contributions made by the taxpayer to the Illinois Excellence Fund during the taxable year. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Excellence Fund. Provides that moneys in the Fund shall be used for exclusively public purposes, as specified under Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code relating to charitable contributions and gifts. Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the county board may establish a fund in the county treasury for the purpose of accepting contributions for exclusively public purposes, as specified under Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code relating to charitable contributions and gifts and may provide for a credit against the taxpayer's property tax liability in an amount equal to the amount of the contribution. Effective immediately.