Sen. Kyle McCarter

Amends the Citizen Privacy Protection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that the exemption for graphic arts machinery and equipment applies for all periods on and after September 1, 2004. Provides that the exemption includes production related tangible personal property beginning on July 1, 2014. Provides that, beginning on July 1, 2014, the manufacturing and assembly exemption also includes production related tangible personal property. Makes changes to the definition of "production related tangible personal property". Provides that the graphic arts exemption and the manufacturing and assembly exemption are each exempt from the Acts' automatic sunset provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that physical education may (rather than shall) be provided to pupils. Makes related changes, including changes concerning physical fitness assessments. Removes a provision concerning the State Board of Education preparing and making available guidelines for the various grades and types of schools.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the minimum and maximum signature requirements to place new political party and independent candidates on the ballot for an office are the same as the minimum and maximum signature requirements to place a candidate of an established political party on the ballot for that office. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Eliminates a provision providing that a licensee may not knowingly carry a firearm on or into any bus, train, or form of transportation paid for in whole or in part with public funds, and any building, real property, and parking area under the control of a public transportation facility paid for in whole or in part with public funds. Effective immediately.

Amends the Boxing and Full-contact Martial Arts Act. Changes the definition of "amateur" to allow the person to receive a stipend for an athletic club or sponsor of the contestant to cover the cost of training and participation expenses not to exceed $1,500. Provides that "full-contact martial arts" includes, but is not limited to, mixed martial arts and kickboxing techniques. Defines "incumbent sanctioning body". Allows amateur boxing or full-contact martial arts contests sponsored by a State, county, or municipal entity to be conducted by a sanctioning body approved by the Act without oversight by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that specified qualified entities are exempt from oversight by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and must notify the Department of their intent to sponsor events covered under the Act. Adds provisions for sanctioning bodies. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that an individual who, for the purpose of obtaining benefits, knowingly provides false, incomplete, or misleading information commits unemployment security benefits fraud. Provides that unemployment insurance security benefits fraud is a felony. Requires a statement on the Department of Employment Security's website and on specified forms stating that it is a crime to knowingly provide false, incomplete, or misleading information to any party to an unemployment security benefits transaction for the purpose of committing fraud and outlines possible penalties. Provides that an employer or other person that law enforcement or the Department of Employment Security requests information from regarding unemployment insurance fraud shall take all reasonable actions to promptly provide the information requested and shall disclose information when he or she has a reasonable belief of a specified violation.

Amends the Union Employee Health and Benefits Protection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board may grant written permission to a person who has a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations granted by the State Superintendent of Education under the Code, other qualified staff, or a qualified volunteer to carry a firearm if employed as an educator, other qualified staff, or a qualified volunteer by the school district, while actually engaged in the performance of the duties of his or her employment. Provides that the person must have undergone a psychiatric evaluation as determined by the school board and possess a valid license to carry a concealed firearm in the State under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a school district may not require any educator, other qualified staff, or a qualified volunteer, as a condition of employment, to carry a firearm. Provides that a person permitted by the school board to carry a firearm shall receive additional training on dealing with children. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Exempts an educator, other qualified staff, or a qualified volunteer from violations of the unlawful use of weapons and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon statutes for carrying a firearm in a school under these provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. Authorizes the Illinois Finance Authority to issue bonds if the amount of accelerated pension benefit payments exceeds the amount appropriated to each pension system for those payments. Amends the General Obligation Bond Act. Authorizes the issuance of an additional $7,000,000,000 in State General Obligation Restructuring Bonds. Provides that the proceeds from that bond sale shall be used for the purpose of paying vouchers incurred by the State prior to July 1, 2017. Authorizes $250,000,000 in State Pension Obligation Acceleration Bonds to be sold to pay for accelerated pension benefit payments to eligible persons. Amends the State Pension Funds Continuing Appropriation Act to create a continuing appropriation for payments on those Bonds. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that, if State spending exceeds $31,374,000,000, then no member of the General Assembly shall receive any compensation for his or her service as a member of the General Assembly, including any salary, stipend, or per diem, for the remainder of the fiscal year or until such time as the Governor is presented with a bill or bills passed by the General Assembly to reduce State spending to a level that does not exceed the State spending limitation. Effective immediately.