Sen. Darren Bailey

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Proposes to amend the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Constitution. Removes language that provides that membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof shall be an enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired. Provides that nothing in the Illinois Constitution or in any law shall be construed to limit the power of the General Assembly to reduce or change pension benefits or other benefits of membership in any public pension or public retirement system, regardless of whether those benefits have accrued or have been earned and regardless of when those benefits were established. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall develop procedures for conducting audits of affidavit signatures on ballots cast in each regular election. Provides that each election authority shall select at random 1% of the ballots cast within the jurisdiction of the election authority to be audited in accordance with those procedures. Effective January 1, 2022.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the prohibition against a licensee carrying a firearm into any building, parking area, or portion of a building under the control of an officer of the executive or legislative branch of government does not apply to any rest areas under the control of the Department of Transportation or to buildings located in rest areas under the control of the Department of Transportation. Eliminates a provision that a licensee shall not knowingly carry a firearm on 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. Eliminates a provision that a licensee shall not knowingly carry a firearm in any public park, athletic area, or athletic facility under the control of a municipality or park district. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the county clerk of a county where a decedent last resided shall (rather than may) issue certifications of death records from the electronic reporting system for death registrations and shall (rather than may) use that system to cancel the registration of any person who has died during the preceding month. Requires a county coroner, medical examiner, or physician for a county or any other individual responsible for certification of death under the Vital Records Act to promptly transmit certified records to the county clerk within 7 days after the death. Requires the county clerk and coroner to report quarterly to its affiliated county board and certify its full compliance with the provisions and accuracy of the voter rolls. Allows an individual to request a copy of the county clerk's or coroner's report and allows for relief if the county clerk fails to provide an accurate report within specified timeframes. Requires the county clerk to request from the United States Postal Service records of each permanent change of address form submitted related to an address in the county and to update the registration of any person whose address appears to have changed, as indicated by those records. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon the payment by the applicant of the lesser of a $100 penalty or a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed (rather than a $500 penalty). Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that any minor 10 years of age or older arrested or taken into custody under the Act for vehicular hijacking or aggravated vehicular hijacking shall be detained in an authorized detention facility until a detention or shelter care hearing is held to determine if there is probable cause to believe that the minor is a delinquent minor and that: (1) secure custody is a matter of immediate and urgent necessity for the protection of the minor or of the person or property of another; (2) the minor is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court; or (3) the minor was taken into custody under a warrant. Provides that, if the court makes that determination, the minor shall continue to be held until the disposition of an adjudicatory hearing under the Delinquent Minors Article of the Act. Provides that a minor who at the time of the offense was at least 16 years of age and who is charged with certain aggravated vehicular hijacking violations or certain armed robbery violations is not subject to the Act and shall be prosecuted under the criminal laws of the State.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that certain Articles of the Code pertaining to voting machines and voting systems are subject to specified limitations. Requires election authorities to use hand-marked paper ballots that may be counted by hand or read through optical scan technology. Requires election authorities to implement strict chain of command procedures for ballots, voter registration polls, and tabulation results. Requires the State Board of Elections to implement software that monitors and detects vulnerabilities to the security of the voter registration rolls. Contains other limitations and requirements. Provides the State Board of Elections with rulemaking authority to adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions. Makes other changes.

Creates the Fund the Police Act. Contains findings. Creates the Fund the Police Grant Fund and provides that moneys the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board receives from the fund must be used for the purpose of make grants to units of local government for the purposes of: (1) hiring, rehiring, and retention of law enforcement officers, including hiring and retention incentives and overtime; (2) funding body camera mandates, including, but not limited to, the purchase, storage, and other necessary expenses for running local body camera programs, and purchasing law enforcement equipment designed to keep officers and their communities safe; (3) funding additional law enforcement training, including funding for Mobile Team In-Service Training Units throughout the State; (4) assisting with outreach and community policing activities; and (5) assisting with mental health treatment for individuals in county jails. Provides that the Board may set rules relating to requirements for the distribution of grant moneys and determine which law enforcement agencies are eligible and shall consider compliance with the Uniform Crime Reporting Act as a factor in awarding grant moneys. Provides that moneys in the Fund the Police Grant Fund may not be appropriated, assigned, or transferred to another State fund. Provides for a continuing appropriation at the beginning of each fiscal year of $125,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Fund the Police Grant Fund. Amends the State Finance Act by making conforming changes.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Removes the requirement that educator licensure candidates pass a teacher performance assessment. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2021.