Sen. Darren Bailey

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides a county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants may, upon referendum approval, change the manner in which it selects its county assessor or county supervisor of assessments from an elected position to an appointed position or from an appointed position to an elected position. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Removes provisions from the introduced bill concerning vacancies in the office of county assessor or county supervisor of assessments.

Amends the Sanitary District Act of 1936. Provides that the board of trustees of the of the Village of Lindenhurst may, by ordinance, terminate the terms of all members of the board of trustees of the Lindenhurst Sanitary District and the powers of the Lindenhurst Sanitary District shall be exercised by the board of trustees of the Village, including the District's authority to levy and collect taxes. Provides that once there are no debts of the District or the Village has sufficient funds on hand or available to satisfy any debts of the District, the board of trustees of the Village may dissolve the Lindenhurst Sanitary District and acquire all of the District's assets and responsibilities if it adopts an ordinance stating: (1) the reasons for dissolving the District; (2) that there are no outstanding debts of the District or that the Village has sufficient funds on hand or available to satisfy the debts; (3) that no federal or State permit or grant will be impaired by dissolution of the District; and (4) that the Village assumes all assets and responsibilities of the District. Requires the Village of Lindenhurst to notify the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency of the dissolution of the District. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any person who commits a violation of the Section prohibiting the operation of an electronic communication device while operating a motor vehicle, and the violation results in an accident causing great bodily harm to any person, shall have his or her driver's license suspended for a period of one year and shall be assessed a fine of $1,000. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 625 ILCS 5/6-206 Provides that the Secretary of State may suspend or revoke the driving privileges of a person who has committed a violation involving the use of an electronic communication device while driving that resulted in great bodily harm, permanent disability or disfigurement, and that in such case the driving privileges of the person shall be suspended for 12 months. Provides that a person who commits a violation of the Section prohibiting the operation of an electronic communication device while operating a motor vehicle, and the violation results in an accident causing great bodily harm to any person, shall be subject to a minimum fine of $1,000 (instead of shall have his or her driver's license suspended for a period of one year and shall be assessed a fine of $1,000). Changes the effective date to July 1, 2020.

Amends the Township Code. Provides that if a vacant township supervisor office is filled by appointment, the appointed supervisor shall fulfill the bond requirement for township supervisors. Provides that the appointed supervisor may be a trustee appointed by a majority vote of the trustees and shall have one vote on any matter properly before the board. Provides that whenever any township or multi-township office becomes vacant or temporarily vacant due to the physical incapacity of a township officer, the township or multi-township board may temporarily appoint a deputy to perform the ministerial functions of the vacant office. Provides that the temporary deputy is not permitted to vote at a township board meeting unless the appointed deputy is a trustee of the board at the time of the vote. Provides that if the appointed deputy is a trustee, his or her trustee compensation shall be suspended until he or she concludes his or her appointment as an appointed deputy upon the permanent appointment to fill the vacancy. Exempts the temporary deputy from the requirement to fill a vacant township office with a member of the same political party. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that if there is a vacancy in the office of township supervisor, a trustee shall be appointed as deputy supervisor to perform the ministerial functions of that office until the vacancy is filled and that once vacancy is filled, the deputy supervisor's appointment is terminated. Removes language providing that an appointed supervisor shall fulfill the bond requirement for township supervisors and an appointed supervisor may be a trustee appointed by a majority vote of the trustees. Provides that if the township office is temporarily vacant (rather than vacant or temporarily vacant due to the physical incapacity of a township officer), the temporarily appointed deputy may perform the ministerial functions of the vacant office until the township officer submits a written statement to the appropriate board that he or she is able to resume his or her duties.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In the provision defining "eligible employment" for the purpose of allowing a teacher to return to teaching in subject shortage areas without impairing his or her retirement status or retirement annuity, changes the ending date of the employment from no later than June 30, 2019 to no later than June 30, 2021. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 625 ILCS 5/1-100 from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-100 Adds reference to: 625 ILCS 5/11-1414 from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1414 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Doubles the fines for violations of the Section regarding approaching, overtaking, and passing school buses. Provides that a first violation of the Section or a local ordinance shall be subject to a mandatory fine of $300 (instead of $150) and a second or subsequent violation shall be subject to a mandatory fine of $1,000 (instead of $500).

Amends the School Code. With regard to criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, provides that if a criminal history records check or check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database is performed by a regional superintendent for an applicant seeking employment as a substitute teacher with a school district, the regional superintendent may disclose to the State Board of Education whether the applicant has been issued a certificate based on those checks. Provides that if the State Board receives information on an applicant, then it must indicate in the Educator Licensure Information System for a 90-day period that the applicant has been issued or has not been issued a certificate. Provides that a school district seeking to employ the substitute teacher may use the information in the Educator Licensure Information System rather than initiating its own criminal history records check or check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Makes other changes concerning the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Removes a provision allowing a school district seeking to employ a substitute teacher to use the information in the Educator Licensure Information System rather than initiating its own criminal history records check or check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database.

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Creates the Independent Redistricting Commission to adopt and file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan for Legislative and Representative Districts. Provides for the selection of Commissioners and establishes the authority of a Special Commissioner to design a redistricting plan in the event that the Commission fails to properly adopt and file a redistricting plan. Effective beginning with redistricting in 2021 and applies to members elected in 2022 and thereafter.

Proposes to amend the Legislature and Revenue Articles of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the General Assembly may increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a law approved by the vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Provides that the General Assembly may override the veto of the Governor of a bill to increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a record vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Urges the General Assembly to work towards a biennial budget.