Sen. Terri Bryant

Amends the School Code. Requires school districts to provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and for the Crisis Text Line on the back of each student identification card issued by the school district. Provides that if the school district does not issue student identification cards to its students or to all of its students, the school district must publish this information on its website. Effective July 1, 2020.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the school board of a school district of a public elementary or secondary school or a non-public elementary or secondary school may develop a policy to permit the carrying of a firearm by an employee of the school, licensed under the Act, in any building or on any real property or parking area under the control of the public or non-public elementary or secondary school. Provides that the policy must contain safe storage provisions for the firearm. Those provisions must include securing the firearm in a locked box or container that cannot be accessed by students. Changes "private" elementary or secondary school references in the Act to "non-public" elementary or secondary school.

Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Provides for registration under the Act of a person convicted of a battery if: (1) the State's Attorney filed a notice contemporaneous with or included in the summons, complaint, or other document charging the battery to seek sex offender registration under the provision as a sexually motivated battery; (2) the complaining witness is under 17 years of age; (3) the offender is 21 years of age or older; and (4) the court finds that the battery was "sexually motivated" as defined in the Sex Offender Management Board Act.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, if the amount of the credit for residential real property taxes exceeds the taxpayer's liability, that amount shall be refunded if the taxpayer is 65 years or older and has a federal adjusted gross income of not more than $50,000. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2020, the tax on gun safes and locks designed to secure firearms is imposed at the rate of 1%. Effective immediately.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Removes a requirement that each State university submit its plans for capital improvements of non-instructional facilities to the Board of Higher Education for review under certain circumstances.

Amends the Personnel Code. Provides that registered nurses, including those employed by the Department of Public Health, are completely exempt from the jurisdiction of the Department of Central Management Services with respect to the hiring of those individuals. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that when hiring a registered nurse, no State agency shall take into consideration the accreditation status of the nursing school or program of the applicant if he or she is licensed as a registered nurse by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Lowers the age at which a person may apply for a Firearm Owner's Identification Card from 21 to 18 and provides that a person who is under that age may apply for a Firearm Owner's Identification Card without parental consent required if he or she is an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces. Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the Department of State Police shall issue a concealed carry license to an applicant who is at least 18 (currently, 21) years of age or is an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act and the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that if a Firearm Owner's Identification Card of a licensee under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act expires during the term of a concealed carry license, the Firearm Owner's Identification Card and the license remain valid and the licensee does not have to renew his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall automatically renew the licensee's Firearm Owner's Identification Card and send a renewed Firearm Owner's Identification Card to the licensee unless the Illinois State Police has reason to believe the person is no longer eligible for the Card.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Requires specified personnel of a child care facility to be present at the open or close of the facility. Provides that early childhood teachers shall meet specified qualifications. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt rules on the qualifications of persons directly responsible for the care and welfare of children served in accordance with the qualifications for early childhood teachers. Effective immediately.