Sen. Christopher Belt

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Repeals the Electrologist Licensing Act on January 1, 2029 (rather than January 1, 2024). Amends the Electrologist Licensing Act. Provides that all applicants and licensees shall: (1) provide a valid physical address and email address to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which shall serve as the address of record and email address of record, respectively, at the time of applicant for licensure or renewal of a license; and (2) inform the Department of any change of address of record or email address of record within 14 days. Provides that the changes must be made either through the Department's website or by contacting the Department through the Department's licensure maintenance unit. Provides that every application for an original license under this Act shall include the applicant's social security number or individual taxpayer identification number. Provides that specified written notices may be served electronically to the licensee's email address of record. Provides that in any case involving the refusal to issue or renew a license, a copy of the hearing officer's report shall be served upon the respondent by the Secretary (rather than the Department). Makes corresponding changes. Provisions amending the Regulatory Sunset Act are effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that any person hired by the Department of Natural Resources for a sworn law enforcement position or position that has arrest authority must at the time of hire, be not less than 20 years of age and have successfully completed an associate's degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university. Provides that any person so hired shall not have power of arrest, nor shall he or she be permitted to carry firearms, until he or she reaches 21 years of age (rather than at the time of hire, the person must be not less than 21 years of age, or 20 years of age and have successfully completed an associate's degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university, and any person hired after successful completion of an associate's degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university shall not have power of arrest, nor shall he or she be permitted to carry firearms, until he or she reaches 21 years of age). Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Removes language requiring the Department of Public Health to establish, by rule, and charge a fee to any facility or program applying to be certified to participate in the Medicare program or in the Medicaid program to cover the costs associated with the application, inspection, and survey of the facility or program and processing of the application.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. In provisions concerning an exemption for materials, parts, equipment, components, and furnishings incorporated into or upon an aircraft, removes language excluding materials, parts, equipment, components, and consumable supplies used in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants. Removes language providing that the exemption applies only to property used by persons who hold an Air Agency Certificate, have a Class IV Rating, and conduct operations in accordance with certain Federal Aviation Administration regulations. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Property Control Act. Provides that the moneys in the State Police Vehicle Fund shall also be used by the Illinois State Police for the equipment of vehicles for the Illinois State Police. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Beginning with the 2024 registration year, changes the surcharge collected for deposit into the State Police Vehicle Fund from $1 to $2 for motor vehicles of the first division, autocycles, motorcycles, motor driven cycles, and pedalcycles and for vehicles of the second division registered in the 8,000 pounds and less flat weight plate category. Effective July 1, 2023.

Congratulates the people of the Republic of Bulgaria as they celebrate the 145th anniversary of their liberation on March 3, 2023. Declares March of 2023 as Bulgarian American Heritage Month in the State of Illinois.

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that, for the purpose of making up any deficiency in the appropriation for the payment of claims directed pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation Act, there is appropriated, on a continuing annual basis in each fiscal year, from the General Revenue Fund to the Court of Claims, the amount, if any, by which the total appropriation for the payment of claims directed pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation Act for the fiscal year is less than the amount required for the payment of claims pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation Act for that fiscal year. Provides that the amount of any continuing appropriation used by the Court of Claims under the amendatory Act for a given fiscal year shall be charged against the unexpended amount of any appropriation for line of duty awards to the Court of Claims for that fiscal year that subsequently becomes available. Requires the Court of Claims to report to the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget on any continuing appropriation that is used at the conclusion of a fiscal year. Amends the Line of Duty Compensation Act. Provides that if a claim is made within 2 years (rather than one year) of the date of death of a law enforcement officer, civil defense worker, civil air patrol member, paramedic, fireman, chaplain, or State employee killed in the line of duty, compensation shall be paid to the person designated by the law enforcement officer, civil defense worker, civil air patrol member, paramedic, fireman, chaplain, or State employee. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "disablement technology" as any instrument, device, machine, or equipment, whether software or hardware, that can be used to disable the starter of a motor vehicle, prevent fuel from flowing to the engine, prevent electricity from flowing to the engine, or otherwise prevent the vehicle from being started or driven by a person. Provides that disablement technology shall not be used as an aid to the physical retrieval of a vehicle as part of repossession or as a consequence for nonpayment under a retail installment contract or other instrument. Provides that a violation is an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a consumer whose vehicle is subject to the activation of disablement technology may bring an action against an activating person or entity for damages of $1,000 per month per violation plus actual damages and attorney's fees. Provides that disablement technology may be offered for sale or sold only for antitheft purposes, either on its own or for an additional fee in connection with the purchase of a motor vehicle. Requires a motor vehicle dealer that sells a motor vehicle containing disablement technology to comply with specified requirements. Provides that data generated or stored by disablement technology as the result of a consumer's vehicle usage is the personal property of the consumer, and the consumer is entitled to all profits and other benefits flowing from the sharing or sale of the data. Provides that data generated or stored by disablement technology that is installed in a consumer's vehicle, and data transmitted by or through the disablement technology that relates to the consumer or the consumer's use of a motor vehicle, may not be sold or otherwise shared with any third parties except as required by federal, State, or local law, or required by court order. Makes a corresponding change in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Amends the School Construction Law. Provides that for school districts that have consolidated or approved a cooperative high school within a prior fiscal year, the grant index shall be calculated for each of those school districts that form the new school district or cooperative high school. Provides that whichever grant index is the highest shall be used as the grant index for the newly consolidated school district or approved cooperative high school. In a provision concerning the priority of school construction projects, adds 2 categories of capital needs and reorders the priority of the remaining categories of capital needs. Makes a related change. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the dyslexia handbook developed by the State Board of Education shall include guidelines on the administration of a universal screener and dyslexia screening, the interpretation of data from these screeners, and the resulting appropriate instruction within a multi-tiered system of support framework. Provides that the State Board of Education shall adopt any rules necessary to ensure that a student will be screened for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. Sets forth guidelines for developing a universal screening. Sets forth which students are required to be screened. Provides that no later than January 1, 2025, the State Board of Education shall employ at least 5 dyslexia specialists or dyslexia therapists with a minimum of 5 years of field experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia and related disorders. Provides that beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through 2 for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener approved by the State Board of Education. Provides that if a student is determined to be either at risk or at some risk for dyslexia after the universal screener has been administered, the school district must administer a dyslexia screening of the student. Provides that if a student's dyslexia screening indicates that the student has characteristics of dyslexia, the dyslexia intervention services provided to the student must utilize a structured literacy approach as outlined in the State Board of Education's handbook. Makes other changes.