Sen. Darren Bailey

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt and implement rules to adjust licensing requirements, including, but not limited to, worker qualifications for child care providers within child care deserts that reflect local labor market conditions in order to grant local child care providers enhanced hiring flexibility and expand child care into currently underserved areas. Defines "child care deserts" and "child care provider". Provides that the Department shall submit proposed rules to implement the provisions concerning emergency licensing to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules no later than December 31, 2023. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that notwithstanding whether the laws of the state or territory where the non-resident resides related to firearm ownership, possession, and carrying are substantially similar to the requirements to obtain a license under this Act, the Illinois State Police shall allow for a non-resident license application if the applicant is employed by the United States Military permanently assigned in Illinois on Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or Permanent Change of Assignment (PCA) orders and who is not a resident of this State but maintains an address in this State. Provides that a non-resident applicant for a new license or renewal shall submit $150 with the application, of which $120 shall be apportioned to the State Police Firearm Services Fund, $20 shall be apportioned to the Mental Health Reporting Fund, and $10 shall be apportioned to the State Crime Laboratory Fund.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2022, the credit for employee child care shall be in an amount equal to: (1) 50% of the start-up costs expended by the corporate taxpayer to provide a child care facility for the children of its employees; and (2) 20% of the annual amount paid by the corporate taxpayer to (i) provide an on-site child care facility for the children of its employees, (ii) provide child care offsite for the children of its employees, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii) (currently, 30% of the start-up costs and 5% of the annual amount paid by the taxpayer in providing the child care facility). Provides that the taxpayer may coordinate with an independent child care facility to provide care for the children of employees. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that after an initial proclamation declaring that a disaster exists, the Governor may only extend that declaration or make further proclamations regarding the same disaster if the General Assembly passes a resolution within 5 calendar days that approves the extension or further proclamation. Provides that if, due to health or safety concerns, the General Assembly is unable to convene in either regular or special session to approve the extension or further proclamation, the extension or further proclamation may continue in effect until the General Assembly is able to convene in regular or special session if the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives submit written certification to the Governor that the General Assembly is unable to convene to provide the necessary approval of the extension or further proclamation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall develop and maintain a statewide or locally-based system to track and confirm when there is a change in the status of a trackable ballot. Provides that the term "trackable ballot" means a ballot that is: (1) mailed to a voter; and (2) deposited in the mail; or (3) deposited in a ballot box. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning emergency medical dispatchers.

Amends the Election Code and the School Code. Provides for 5 new members of the State Board of Education to be elected at the general election in 2024 and every 4 years thereafter (now, the Board consists of 8 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate). Provides that one member shall be elected from each judicial district. Provides that the 5 members shall be elected on a non partisan basis. Provides that a petition for nomination of a candidate for member of the Board shall be signed by at least 0.5% of the total number of registered voters in the judicial district. Provides that beginning on the date when the 5 members initially elected take office, a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Makes related changes.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the appointing authorities shall (rather than may) appoint both members of the General Assembly and members of the general public to the Legislative Ethics Commission. Provides open meetings requirements for the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena. Provides that any existing rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is void. Provides that the Legislative Inspector General may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses for the purposes of testimony and production of documents and other items for inspection and copying and to make service of those subpoenas without the advance approval of the Legislative Ethics Commission. Provides that a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission must be filed within 12 months after the Legislative Inspector General's initiation of an investigation (currently, 12 months after receipt of the allegation of the violation or 18 months after the most recent act of the alleged violation or series of violations). Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission shall make available to the public any summary report in which a subject of the report is a current or former member of the General Assembly, and the Legislative Inspector General found that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred. Requires that publicly available summary reports be posted on the websites of the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Legislative Inspector General.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the cents per gallon rate established by the Department of Revenue for the prepayment of tax by motor fuel retailers may not exceed $0.18 per gallon for motor fuel and 80% of that amount for gasohol and biodiesel blends. Provides that the rate of tax imposed under the Acts for motor fuel, gasohol, majority blended ethanol fuel, and biodiesel and biodiesel blends may not exceed that prepayment amount set by the Department of Revenue. Effective immediately.

Amends the University of Illinois Act. Requires the Board of Trustees to ensure that any location in this State that operates under the authority of the University of Illinois or within the University of Illinois system and that provides, serves, offers, sells, or otherwise makes food products available for human consumption is subject to certification and regulation by the local health department. Effective immediately.