Sen. Jason Plummer

Amends the General Provisions and State Employees Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the alternative retirement annuity under the State Employees Article applies to a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions. Provides that a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions may convert up to 8 years of service credit established before the effective date of the amendatory Act as a conservation police officer under the State Employees Article into eligible creditable service by filing a written election with the Board under that Article, accompanied by a specified payment. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the prohibition by a licensee under the Act from 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. Effective immediately.

Repeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes.

Amends the General Assembly Operations Act. Provides that any member of the General Assembly who wishes to introduce a bill pertaining to a firearm must be able to produce proof, upon request, that he or she has completed: (1) the firearm training requirements under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004; (2) range safety officer training; and (3) a basic knowledge test of calibers and gauges of firearms.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 relating to first degree murder. Adds and eliminates aggravating factors for which the death penalty may be imposed. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Eliminates provision that abolishes the sentence of death. Enacts the Capital Crimes Litigation Act of 2019. Provides that all unobligated and unexpended moneys remaining in the Death Penalty Abolition Fund on the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be transferred into the Capital Litigation Trust Fund. Amends the State Appellate Defender Act. Provides that in cases in which a death sentence is an authorized disposition, the State Appellate Defender shall provide trial counsel with legal assistance and the assistance of expert witnesses, investigators, and mitigation specialists from funds appropriated to the State Appellate Defender specifically for that purpose by the General Assembly. Provides that the Office of State Appellate Defender shall not be appointed to serve as trial counsel in capital cases.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a current or former elected or appointed official of a participating municipality who first becomes a participating employee on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act may establish credit for no more than 30 days of service as an official of that municipality under a provision concerning retroactive service. Effective immediately.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Increases penalties of owner's duties, cruel treatment, aggravated cruelty, animal torture, and depiction of animal cruelty by one class.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides that no legislator or any other person holding elected office in this State may engage in lobbying units of local government in promotion or opposition of a matter of interest during his or her term of office. Provides that no legislator or any other person holding elected office in this State may accept or participate in any way in any representation case before a unit of local government in this State during his or her term office. Provides that a violation shall constitute a Class A misdemeanor. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Provides that on and after January 1, 2020, a person required to be registered under the Act may not make any expenditures from a candidate political committee established on his or her behalf for the period of time he or she is registered as a lobbyist and for 2 years after the expiration of his or her registration under the Act. Defines "candidate political committee".

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that a member of the General Assembly may not be registered as a lobbyist, or make expenditures, receive compensation, or receive reimbursement for actual expenses for lobbying, within a period of 5 years immediately after termination of the member's most recent term of office.