Sen. Rachelle Crowe

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that an Illinois Veteran grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year if, among other requirements, the qualified dependent's spouse or parent has served at least 8 years combined of federal active duty service or Reserve or Individual Ready Reserve Service. Effective July 1, 2020.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Removes the age limitation for coverage in provisions concerning coverage for epinephrine injectors. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following change. Provides that group or individual policies of accident and health insurance or managed care plans amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2021 (rather than January 1, 2020) shall provide coverage for medically necessary epinephrine injectors. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, in addition to other penalties imposed for a violation of provisions concerning operation of a vehicle while approaching an authorized emergency vehicle, the court may order a person to perform community service as determined by the court.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to knowingly reside within 500 feet of a public or private park where persons under the age of 18 regularly gather. Defines "private park".

Amends the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act. Provides that if a public higher education institution issues student identification cards to its students, the institution must provide contact information for certain suicide prevention and mental health resources on each student identification card. Provides that if an institution does not issue student identification cards to its students, the institution must publish the contact information on its website. Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that no person who has served as a statewide elected official, the executive or administrative head of a State agency, the deputy executive or administrative head of a State agency, or a member of the General Assembly shall, within 2 years after the termination of service or employment, become a lobbyist. Defines "lobbyist".

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the 2015 taxable year and thereafter, the exemption for veterans with disabilities also carries over to the surviving spouse of a veteran who was killed in the line of duty in the current taxable year or any preceding taxable year. Provides that, for the 2019 taxable year and thereafter, the exemption for veterans with disabilities also carries over to (i) the surviving spouse of a veteran who did not obtain the exemption before death, but who would have qualified for the exemption in the current taxable year if he or she had survived and (ii) the surviving spouse of a veteran whose death was determined to be service-connected and who is certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being a current recipient of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Provides that, in the case of a surviving spouse who is certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being a current recipient of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, the property is exempt. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Lowers the flat weight tax for Class C and D vehicles; Class VF farm trucks. Lowers the mileage weight tax for Class MD, ME, MF, and MG vehicles. Lowers the trailer flat weight tax for Class VDD, VDE, and VDG farm trailers. Lowers the flat weight trailer tax of Class TA, TB, TC, TD, and TE trailers.

Amends the Higher Education Veterans Service Act. Requires each public college and university to use its best efforts to hire a veteran of the United States armed forces as the Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel Student Services. Provides that the Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel Student Services must create and maintain a contact list of all veterans attending the public college or university and may communicate with veterans of the public college or university via email or other electronic means. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 110 ILCS 49/15 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/19-1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. In a Section concerning the debt limitations of school districts, provides that, in addition to all other authority to issue bonds, Komarek School District 94, Berkeley School District 87, and Schiller Park School District 81 may issue bonds if the voters of those districts approve a proposition for the bond issuance and certain conditions are met. Provides that the debt incurred on the bonds shall not be considered indebtedness for purposes of any statutory debt limitation. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 110 ILCS 49/15 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/19-1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. In a Section concerning the debt limitations of school districts, provides that, in addition to all other authority to issue bonds, Greenview Community Unit School District 200, Komarek School District 94, Williamsville Community Unit School District 15, Berkeley School District 87, Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, Maroa-Forsyth Community Unit School District 2, and Schiller Park School District 81 may issue bonds if the voters of those districts approve a proposition for the bond issuance and certain conditions are met. Provides that the debt incurred on the bonds shall not be considered indebtedness for purposes of any statutory debt limitation. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the bill as amended by House Amendment No. 1 with the following changes. In a Section concerning the debt limitations of school districts, adds language providing that, in addition to all other authority to issue bonds, Greenview Community Unit School District 200, Williamsville Community Unit School District 15, Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, and Maroa-Forsyth Community Unit School District 2 may issue bonds if the voters of those districts approve a proposition for the bond issuance and certain conditions are met. Provides that the debt incurred on the bonds shall not be considered indebtedness for purposes of any statutory debt limitation. Effective immediately.

Creates the Grow Your Own STEM and Vocational Education Teachers Act. Provides that a public institution of higher education shall, if funds are appropriated to the Board of Higher Education under the Act, waive any tuition, fees, and on-campus housing costs for a student who (i) agrees to pursue a minimum of a bachelor's degree in agriculture, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics for certain teaching occupations, (ii) agrees to attend a public institution of higher education to pursue an undergraduate degree or an advanced degree in one of those concentrations, (iii) agrees to teach at a hard-to-staff school, as determined by the Board of Higher Education, (iv) maintains a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (or its equivalent) at all times, and (v) agrees to fully reimburse the public institution of higher education for any waived tuition, fees, or costs if the student fails to teach at least 3 years at a high school located in this State or at least 5 years at a public institution of higher education or a public community college located in this State. Provides that a public institution of higher education shall, if funds are appropriated to the Board of Higher Education under the Act, waive any tuition and fees for a student who is a licensed Illinois teacher with a master's degree and who (i) agrees to pursue up to a maximum of 18 graduate hours necessary to qualify the student to teach dual credit consistent with applicable accreditation and State standards for dual credit faculty and (ii) agrees to fully reimburse the public institution of higher education for any waived tuition or fees if the student fails to teach at least 5 years at a high school located in this State after the completion of the graduate hours. Requires the Board of Higher Education to adopt rules. Effective July 1, 2020.