Sen. Jason Plummer

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Makes changes to the penalties for persons convicted of aggravated cruelty to a companion animal. Provides that a person convicted of causing the death of a companion animal is guilty of a Class 2 felony (rather than a Class 4 felony). Provides that a second or subsequent conviction for an act that causes the death of a companion animal is a Class 1 felony (rather than a Class 3 felony).

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that records identifying a specific instance of travel by a specific person or vehicle shall be used only as required to ensure the payment and enforcement of tolls, except that such information may be used for specified reasons by State, county, or municipal law enforcement agencies for the comparison of captured license plate data with data held by the Secretary of State, the National Crime Information Center, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kidnappings and Missing Persons list. Provides that no data derived from any technology used for an electronic toll collection system under the Act shall be shared with or provided to any law enforcement entity or any law enforcement official without a valid warrant. Provides that certain personally identifiable information generated through the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority's toll collection process shall be used for enforcement purposes only with respect to toll collections. Provides that the Authority shall discard personally identifiable information within 5 years. Provides that the Authority shall make every effort, within practical business and cost constraints, to purge the personal account information of an account that is closed or terminated. Provides that in no case shall the Authority maintain personal information more than 5 years after the date an account is closed or terminated. Provides that the new provisions do not preclude compliance with a court order or settlement agreement that has been approved on or before January 1, 2021. Deletes language providing that the Authority may, within practical business and cost constraints, store personally identifiable information of an electronic toll collection system user only if the information is required to perform account functions such as billing, account settlement, or toll violation enforcement activities.

Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides that units of local government may enact ordinances to opt into a reduced minimum wage that is less than the wage otherwise required under the Law. Provides for minimum wages based upon a percentage of the otherwise required minimum wage depending upon the region of the State. Establishes 6 regions for purposes of determining the minimum wage. Provides that in regions where the minimum wage is reduced, the unit of local government must establish a procedure to increase the local minimum wage by at least 5% per year beginning January 1, 2026 and continuing until the local minimum wage is established at $15 per hour. Provides for reduced minimum wages for employees who have not worked 650 hours during a calendar year for an employer. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a proceeding for the prosecution of an offense of criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse the court on a motion by the prosecuting attorney, may order that the defendant question the victim through a court-appointed attorney if the defendant has waived his or her right to counsel and is representing himself or herself pro se, when the victim's testimony will describe an act or attempted act of sexual conduct, and the court finds that requiring the victim to be questioned directly by the defendant will cause the victim to suffer serious emotional or mental distress. Provides that the defendant shall be allowed to communicate with the court-appointed attorney.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes the permit requirement, from September 1 through December 31, for a vehicle transporting agricultural commodities to exceed the maximum weight, axle weight, and gross weight limits under certain circumstances. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, after January 1, 2020, no non-home rule unit within the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will may enact or continue to enforce an ordinance for an automated traffic law enforcement system to enforce violations of intersection traffic control signals. Makes corresponding changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement from the State. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that the amendatory Act is operative on January 1, 2021 (instead of January 1, 2020).

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Removes the requirement for each Legislative District to be divided into 2 Representative Districts. Modifies provisions concerning legislative redistricting. Provides specified requirements for each Legislative District, Representative District, and Congressional District for redistricting purposes. Replaces the current method of legislative redistricting with a 17-member Commission, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the most senior Supreme Court Justice of a different political party in accordance with specified criteria. Specifies requirements for the Commission concerning redistricting plans. Adds provisions concerning the membership of the Commission and budgetary matters related to the Commission. Provides the Supreme Court with original and exclusive jurisdiction over redistricting matters. Defines terms. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective upon being declared adopted and applicable to redistricting beginning in 2021 and to the election of General Assembly members beginning in 2022.

Amends the Mortgage Act. Adds a person authorized by the mortgagor, grantor, heir, legal representative, or assign to the list of those who may request that the mortgagee of real property shall make, execute, and deliver an instrument in writing releasing a mortgage or deed of trust. Provides that if any mortgagee or trustee shall not, within 30 days (rather than "one month") after the payment of the debt secured by the mortgage or trust deed complies with specific requirements, then he or she shall be liable for the sum of $200 to the aggrieved party. Provides that the successor in interest to the mortgagee or trustee shall not be liable for the $200 penalty if he or she complies with specific requirements within 30 days (rather than "one month") after succeeding to the interest.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. 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, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is void. Removes language providing that the Legislative Inspector General needs the advance approval of the Commission to issue subpoenas. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.