Sen. Tom Bennett

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 Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Creates a tax increment allocation financing extension to the 47th year (currently, the 35th year) for 2 redevelopment project areas adopted by the City of Pontiac if the City of Pontiac adopts a specified ordinance and provides notice to the taxing bodies that would otherwise constitute the joint review board of each redevelopment project area. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the 72 hour waiting period before delivery of a concealable firearm after application for its purchase has been made does not apply to a person who has been issued a valid license to carry a concealed handgun under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Creates the Illinois Trucking Grant Pilot Program. Provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, the State Board of Education shall establish and administer the Illinois Trucking Grant Pilot Program to provide financial assistance to students who are accepted to enroll in a truck driver training program at a public State community college that prepares a student to obtain a Class A commercial driver's license in the State. Sets forth provisions concerning eligibility and renewal, the grant amount, the employment obligations, repayment of a grant, State Board of Education and institution requirements, and rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the General Assembly Operations Act. Provides that all witness slips filed in either house of the General Assembly concerning proposed legislation during the General Assembly committee hearing process shall track along with the legislation for which they were filed should such legislation be removed on to another bill, by amendment, for purposes of legislative action. Provides that the General Assembly, in consultation with the Legislative Information System, shall provide for such witness slip tracking on the Illinois General Assembly website. Amends the Legislative Information System Act. Provides that the Legislative Information System shall provide for electronic tracking of all witness slips to track along with the legislation for which they were filed should such legislation be removed on to another bill.

Designates Illinois Route 47 as it travels through Gibson City as the "SP4 William Eugene Campbell Memorial Highway".

Creates the Fund the Police Act. Creates the Fund the Police Grant Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that from appropriations to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board from the Fund, the Board must make grants to units of local government and Illinois public universities for the purpose of: (1) hiring law enforcement officers; (2) providing mental health care for law enforcement officers; (3) providing for hiring, retention incentives, and overtime payments for law enforcement officers; (4) purchasing public safety equipment designed to prevent gang violence, motor vehicle theft, vehicular hijacking, or the sale of contraband; and (5) training for law enforcement officers in preventing gang violence, motor vehicle theft, vehicular hijacking, or the sale of contraband. Provides that moneys in the Fund the Police Grant Fund may not be appropriated, assigned, or transferred to another State fund. Provides that, as soon as practical after the effective date of the Act, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the sum of $100,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Fund the Police Grant Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the duration of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card shall be the lifetime of the holder of the Card (rather than 10 years). Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the duration of a concealed carry license is the lifetime of the licensee (rather than 5 years). Provides that a Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license issued before the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be valid during the Card holder's or licensee's lifetime regardless of the expiration date on the Card or license.

Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. In provisions regarding farmers' markets, removes language regarding administrative rules. Provides that a farmer who engages in the retail sale of potentially hazardous foods prepackaged in a licensed or permitted processing facility may be required to obtain a Farmers' Market Retail Permit from each unit of local government in which a sale takes place. Contains specified requirements that may apply to the permit. Provides that a Farmers' Market Retail Permit shall be valid for one year and that the fee for obtaining a Farmers' Market Retail Permit shall not exceed $50. Exempts farmers who sell eggs directly to a customer at a farmers' market from regulation of the sale by the farmer's local health department if the farmer has an Egg License issued by the Department of Agriculture. Removes language listing produce and food products coming within the scope of the provisions. Makes other changes.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. With regard to licensure candidates being required to pass a teacher performance assessment, provides that a candidate may not be required to submit test materials by video or audio submission (rather than by video submission). Instead of a video or audio submission, provides that a candidate may submit a written letter approved and signed by (i) the principal of the school in which the candidate completed student teaching, (ii) the supervising licensed educator overseeing the candidate's classroom experience, and (iii) the candidate's academic advisor at the candidate's educator preparation program stating that the candidate meets the requirements to pass the teacher performance assessment. Provides that the submission of a written letter by a candidate does not waive the requirement that the candidate pass a teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of Education. Requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to develop a standard form to be used by a candidate in the submission of the written letter. Effective July 1, 2022.