Sen. Dale Fowler

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Division of Professional Regulation of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall waive all application fees and examination fees for active military personnel and their spouses. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act waives the requirement that the person or spouse meet all other licensing requirements, including other fees required during the licensing process.

Creates the Technology First Act. Creates the Technology First Council within the Department of Human Services to advise the Governor and the General Assembly regarding the use of supportive technology, instead of direct support staffing, as a solution for an individual who needs developmental disability services. Provides that the Council shall consist of the Secretary of Human Services and other members appointed by the Secretary, including one member who is a representative of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities; one member who is a representative of the Illinois Assistive Technology Program; one member who is the parent or guardian of a child with a developmental disability and who has significant experience with the use of supportive technology; and 2 members representing service providers who have significant experience using supportive technology to provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Provides that members shall serve without compensation. Requires the Council to make recommendations to develop State policy to encourage the use of supportive technology; identify and address areas in which sufficient support is not currently available or where additional options may be needed to assist individuals with developmental disabilities to gain access to supportive technology; develop educational materials for providers, families, and others about how supportive technology can have a positive impact on the independence, skills, and abilities of individuals with developmental disabilities; and other duties. Requires the Council to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly with its recommendations for the use of supportive technology for services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Creates the Endow Illinois Tax Credit Act and amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to authorize an income tax credit to taxpayers who provide an endowment gift to a permanent endowment fund. Sets forth procedures and criteria for authorizing the credits. Provides that the aggregate amount of all credits that the Department of Revenue may authorize may not exceed $10,000,000 in 2022, $25,000,000 in 2023, or $50,000,000 in 2024 and each calendar year thereafter. Provides conditions for eligibility. Requires the Department of Revenue to make an annual report concerning the credits. Provides that the credit may be carried forward for 5 years. Exempts the credit from the Act's sunset provisions. Further amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to provide that provisions concerning the unrelated business taxable income of an exempt organization apply for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021 (currently, January 1, 2019). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a child care credit in an amount equal to 25% of the federal tax credit for each qualifying child. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a sheriff shall enter upon the duties of his or her office on the December 1 following his or her election (rather than on the first day in the month of December following his or her election on which the office of the sheriff is required, by statute or by action of the county board, to be open).

Urges the General Assembly and the Governor to invest the money received through the American Rescue Plan Act to encourage women to return to the work force and to help stimulate the growth of women in the workforce, and particularly, urges the Child Care Funds be used to help fund child care and make it easily accessible for working mothers.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Ratifies and approves the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows for the issuance of multistate licenses that allow nurses to practice in their home state and other compact states. Provides that the Nurse Licensure Compact does not supersede existing State labor laws. Provides that the State may not share with or disclose to the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators or any other state any of the contents of a nationwide criminal history records check conducted for the purpose of multistate licensure under the Nurse Licensure Compact.

Designates the section of Illinois Route 37 from Longstreet Road to Prosperity Road as it passes Spillertown as the "Officer Brian Pierce Jr. Memorial Highway".

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that certain food, drugs, and medical appliances that were taxed at the rate of 1% shall be exempt from the taxes under those Acts. Provides that certain amounts shall be transferred from the General Revenue Fund to certain local tax funds. Effective immediately.

Creates the Photovoltaic Module Stewardship and Takeback Program Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to develop guidance for photovoltaic module stewardship and takeback programs to guide manufacturers in preparing and implementing a self-directed program to ensure the convenient, safe, and environmentally sound takeback and recycling of photovoltaic modules and their components and materials. Provides that a stewardship organization may be designated to act as an agent on behalf of a manufacturer or manufacturers in operating and implementing the stewardship program. Requires each manufacturer to prepare and submit a stewardship plan with specified requirements to the Agency on or before the later of July 1, 2023 or within 30 days after its first sale of a photovoltaic module in or into the State. Provides that a manufacturer or its designated stewardship organization must provide to the Agency a report that documents implementation of the stewardship plan and assesses the achievement of performance goals. Provides that the Agency may collect a flat fee from participating manufacturers to recover costs associated with the stewardship plan guidance, review, and approval process. Creates the Photovoltaic Module Recycling Fund and makes a conforming change to the State Finance Act. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to convene a Photovoltaic Module Recovery, Reuse, and Recycling Working Group to review and provide recommendations regarding potential methodologies for the management of end-of-life photovoltaic modules. Provides that the Act is repealed on January 1, 2026. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.