Sen. Tom Bennett

Amends the Regulation of Public Pension Funds Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance to make resources available to assist each municipality: (1) under the Downstate Police Article with the establishment of a police pension fund under that Article; and (2) under the Downstate Firefighter Article with the establishment of a firefighters' pension fund under that Article. Provides that the resources shall include, but not be limited to, the support of the Division's legal and professional staff. Provides that the Division must make these resources available to municipalities by January 1, 2020. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that for the purposes of a specified formula for calculating the amount of a Qualified Illinois Domestic Relations Order (QILDRO), the gross amount of the member's monthly retirement benefit shall be calculated as of the member's effective date of retirement, but using the member's salary on the date the QILDRO is issued if that date is after January 1, 2018. Effective immediately.

Creates the Authorized Electronic Monitoring in Community-Integrated Living Arrangements and Developmental Disability Facilities Act. Provides that under certain conditions, a resident of a living arrangement certified under the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act and a resident of a developmental disability facility shall be permitted to use an audio and video surveillance system in his or her room at his or her own expense. Requires the electronic monitoring device to be placed in a conspicuously visible location in the room. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a program to distribute specified funds each year for the purchase and installation of electronic monitoring devices. Establishes criminal penalties for a person or entity that knowingly hampers, obstructs, tampers with, or destroys an electronic monitoring device. Contains provisions concerning: resident and roommate consent to monitoring; notice of electronic monitoring to the staff and visitors; limitations on the staff's access to recordings; the admissibility of recordings in civil, criminal, and administrative actions; staff reporting; liability; and rulemaking. Makes other changes. Amends the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act and Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code to make conforming changes. Provides that it is a business offense for a person to discriminate or retaliate against a resident for consenting to the electronic monitoring, or to prevent the installation or use of an electronic monitoring device by a resident who has provided specified notice and consent. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2019.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2019, the rate of tax shall be 4.8% for corporations (currently, the rate is 5.25%, but it is scheduled to be reduced to 4.8% on January 1, 2025). Makes conforming changes concerning distributions to the Local Government Distributive Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that, for persons dying on or after January 1, 2018, the exclusion amount shall be the applicable exclusion amount calculated under Section 2010 of the Internal Revenue Code, including any deceased spousal unused exclusion amount (currently, the exclusion amount for Illinois estate tax purposes is $4,000,000). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit in an amount equal to 10% of the stipend or salary paid by the taxpayer to up to (i) 5 qualified college interns or (ii) 5 qualified high school interns during the taxable year. Provides that no taxpayer may claim more than $5,000 in total credits under that Section for all taxable years combined. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that no person committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice may be isolated for disciplinary reasons for more than 15 consecutive days (rather than 7 consecutive days) nor more than 30 days (rather than 15 days) out of any 45 day period (rather than 30 day period) except in cases of violence or attempted violence committed against another person or property when an additional period of isolation for disciplinary reasons is approved by the chief administrative officer. Effective immediately.

Designates March of 2017 as "Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness Month" in the State of Illinois.

Amends the General Assembly Organization Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the deposit of books, bills, documents, and papers with the Secretary of State.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Includes in the definition of "item of contraband", a recording device and broadcast equipment. Defines "recording device" and "broadcast equipment". Provides that possessing contraband that is a recording device, broadcast equipment, or electronic contraband in a penal institution, on penal institution property, or within the proximity of penal institution property with the intent to disrupt safety, security, or operations of the penal institution, is a Class 2 felony. Provides that a person commits unauthorized possession of contraband in a penal institution by an employee when a person who is an employee knowingly and without authority of any person designated or authorized to grant this authority delivers, possesses, conspires to deliver or solicits delivery, causes or permits delivery, or permits another to attempt to deliver, any item of contraband within the proximity of penal institution property with the intent to disrupt safety, security, or operations of the penal institution. Provides that placing or causing to be placed, or allowing another to place or cause to place a recording device, broadcast equipment, or electronic contraband on penal institution property or within the proximity of penal institution property with the intent to disrupt safety, security, or operations of the penal institution is a Class 2 felony. Provides that if the intent is to deliver the contraband to an inmate, it is a Class 4 felony.