Sen. Ram Villivalam

Amends the Weights and Measures Act. Provides continuing education requirements for persons registered to install, service, recondition, or repair a weighing or measuring device used in trade or commerce. Provides for a phase-in process to apply continuing education requirements for persons currently registered to install, service, recondition, or repair a weighing or measuring device used in trade or commerce. Provides that applications and reports shall be filed in a manner prescribed by the Director of Agriculture (currently, in writing). Defines "continuing education course". Makes other changes. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 225 ILCS 470/8.1 Adds reference to: 225 ILCS 470/1 from Ch. 147, par. 101 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Weights and Measures Act. Makes a technical change to the Section containing the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Deletes reference to: 225 ILCS 470/1 Adds reference to: New Act 20 ILCS 3805/7.28 20 ILCS 3805/22 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 322 30 ILCS 500/1-10 35 ILCS 5/214 35 ILCS 200/10-260 35 ILCS 200/15-178 new 310 ILCS 67/15 310 ILCS 67/25 310 ILCS 67/50 310 ILCS 67/70 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the COVID-19 Affordable Housing Grant Program Act. Provides that the Illinois Housing Development Authority shall establish an affordable housing grant program to encourage the construction and rehabilitation of affordable multifamily rental housing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contains provisions concerning financing. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that the Code does not apply to certain contracts entered into by the Illinois Housing Development Authority. Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Makes changes concerning bonds and notes issued by the Illinois Housing Development Authority. Provides that the Illinois Housing Development Authority shall not have outstanding at any one time bonds and notes for any of its corporate purposes in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $7,200,000,000 (rather than $3,600,000,000), excluding bonds and notes issued to refund outstanding bonds and notes. Provides that of the authorized aggregate principal amount of $7,200,000,000 (rather than $3,600,000,000), the amount of $150,000,000 shall be used for the specified purposes. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Extends the tax credit for affordable housing donations until December 31, 2026. Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Provides that the amount of tax credits reserved by the administrative housing agency for an approved project under the affordable housing tax donation credit program is limited to $32,850,352 in State fiscal years 2022 and 2023 and shall be increased by 5% in each fiscal year thereafter. Amends the Property Tax Code. Makes changes concerning the valuation of low-income housing projects that qualify for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code. Provides for a reduction in assessed value for affordable rental housing construction or rehabilitation. Amends the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act. Provides that, for the purposes of the Act, rent includes any required costs for parking, maintenance, or landlord-imposed fees. Provides that an affordable housing plan, or any revision thereof, shall not be adopted by a nonexempt local government until notice and opportunity for public hearing have first been afforded. Provides that any vacancies in the Housing Appeals Board shall be filled within 90 days of the vacancy. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 4 Makes a technical correction concerning a cross-reference.

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that upon completion of an affidavit provided by the county clerk, a person, still currently married, may request a certificate of the person's current marriage free of any gender identifying language. Provides that the request shall not permanently change the gender identifying language in the clerk's records, and the affidavit and issuance shall be kept in the permanent records of the clerk. Provides that if 2 parties currently married request a marriage certificate with gender identifiers changed, both parties shall appear before the clerk, indicate consent, and complete an affidavit. Provides that if a county provides a certified record, photocopy, or reproduction of an original license in lieu of a summary data sheet, the county clerk shall work with the Department of Public Health to develop a new certificate that can be issued in lieu of a reproduction of the prior record. Provides that when a clerk issues a nongendered marriage certificate, the certificate shall not include any language indicating it has been amended nor that it is not a true and accurate record of the facts stated therein. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that for a person married in any county in the State, the county clerk shall issue a new marriage certificate when it receives legal documentation indicating that one of the parties listed on the certificate has legally changed names. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue such additional temporary driver's licenses to an applicant as are necessary to allow the applicant to drive during the pendency of an investigation and determination of all facts relative to such applicant's eligibility for such a license, valid for such a period as is appropriate, but in no event for longer than 90 days each. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Provides that an optometrist licensed under the Act may practice optometry through telehealth as authorized by the Act and the Telehealth Act. Provides that an optometrist treating a patient located in Illinois through telehealth must be licensed under the Act. Provides that an optometrist practicing optometry through telehealth is subject to the same standard of care and practice standards that are applicable to optometric services provided in a clinic or office setting. Provides that an optometrist may not provide telehealth services unless the optometrist has established a provider-patient relationship with the patient. Provides that an optometrist treating a patient through telehealth must perform a minimum eye examination as required by the Illinois Administrative Code before prescribing eyeglasses or contact lenses to the patient. Provides that if the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has reason to believe that a person has violated the provisions of the Act, it may issue a rule to show cause why an order to cease and desist should not be entered against that person. Provides that the rule shall clearly set forth the grounds relied upon by the Department and shall provide a period of 7 days from the date of the rule to file an answer to the satisfaction of the Department. Provides that failure to answer to the satisfaction of the Department shall cause an order to cease and desist to be issued immediately. Defines terms. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that if there is any conflict between the provisions of the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 and the provisions of the Telehealth Act, the provisions of the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 control. Provides that an optometrist may treat a patient through telehealth in the absence of a provider-patient relationship when, in the professional judgment of the optometrist, emergency care is required. Provides that an optometrist treating a patient through telehealth must perform at least a minimum eye examination (rather than must perform a minimum eye examination) before prescribing eyeglasses or contact lenses to the patient.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "uniform invoice". Authorizes the Secretary of State to use commercially available title history services. Makes changes concerning odometer disclosure requirements. Provides that the Secretary is authorized to issue a certificate of title in the name of the dealership if the surrendered certificate of title has no additional space to assign the certificate of title. Makes changes concerning requirements for a licensed seller who sells, transfers, or wholesales a vehicle out of State. Provides that a good faith purchaser of a vehicle for value takes free of any undisclosed liens unless the purchaser has notice of such liens. Provides that the Secretary may remove a franchise affiliate's lien. Provides that a registration permit for 90 (instead of 30) days may be provided for a fee of $13. Makes electric motorcycles subject to additional fees for electric vehicles and allows vanity and personalized plates to be issued to owners of electric vehicles. Provides that certain military plates may be (i) transferred, upon death of the owner, to the surviving spouse; and (ii) reclassified without a replacement fee. In the Chapter concerning the licensing of vehicle dealers, makes changes to the definition of "established place of business". Provides that applicants for certain licenses shall disclose specified information related to persons liable for the performance of the dealership. Prohibits a licensee with a surrendered or revoked license from being named on an application for a subsequent license and from working for another licensee in a recordkeeping, management, or financial position. Prohibits a licensee from permitting an individual who is not an agent of the licensee to purchase a vehicle at an auction. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the contents of the introduced bill and makes the following changes: Provides that, beginning with the 2023 registration year, upon the request of the vehicle owner, an electric vehicle owner may register an electric vehicle with any qualifying registration, and an additional $100 surcharge shall be collected in addition to the applicable registration fee. Provides that the $100 additional fee is to identify the vehicle as an electric vehicle. Provides that the $100 additional fee is an annual, flat fee that shall be based on an applicant's new or existing registration year for the vehicle's corresponding weight category. Provides that a designation as an electric vehicle shall not alter a vehicle's registration. Provides that $1 of the additional fees shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special Services Fund and the remainder of the additional fees shall be deposited into the Road Fund. Provides that the Secretary shall adopt any rules necessary to implement the new provisions. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Removes language providing that a purchaser of a vehicle who obtains a security interest in a vehicle in good faith for value takes free of any undisclosed liens unless the purchaser has notice of such liens and that, upon the perfection of the security interest, the Secretary of State shall invalidate the undisclosed lienholder's interest in the vehicle subject to an investigation by the Secretary of State Department of Police. Removes language allowing only a licensed dealer to use the reassignment portion included on a certificate of title to reassign a vehicle to another licensed dealer. Makes conforming changes and corrects typographical errors. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Adds reference to: 625 ILCS 5/3-100.2 Provides that, no later than July 1, 2022 (instead of July 1, 2021), the Secretary of State shall implement, manage, and administer an electronic lien and title system and establish by administrative rule the standards and procedures relating to the management and implementation of the system.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision concerning the calculation of retirement pensions and automatic annual increases for eligible firefighters who participated in more than one pension fund, removes language limiting application of the provision to Tier 1 retirement pension amounts and Tier 1 automatic annual increases. Provides that as a condition of being eligible for the benefits in a provision concerning firefighters who participated in more than one pension fund, a person who is hired to a position as a firefighter after December 31, 2010 must within 21 months after being hired or within 21 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, whichever is later, notify the new employer, all of his or her previous employers under the Article, and the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance of his or her intent to receive those benefits; and make the required contributions with applicable interest. Provides that a person who was hired to a position as a firefighter after December 31, 2010 and who, before the effective date of the amendatory Act, notified the new employer, all of his or her previous employers, and the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance of his or her intent to receive the benefits under a provision concerning firefighters who participated in more than one pension fund shall be deemed to have met the notice requirement. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act to the provision concerning firefighters who participated in more than one pension fund apply retroactively. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that as a condition of being eligible for the benefits in a provision concerning firefighters who participated in more than one pension fund, a person who first becomes a firefighter under the Article (instead of a person who is hired to a position as a firefighter) after December 31, 2010 must notify specified entities and make certain contributions. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, in applying the regional wage adjuster component of the RUG-IV 48 reimbursement methodology, no adjuster shall be lower than 0.95. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill, but with the following change: provides that, in applying the regional wage adjuster component of the RUG-IV 48 reimbursement methodology, no adjuster shall be lower than 1.0 (rather than 0.95). Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Community College Act and the Housing Authorities Act. Permits community colleges and housing authorities to develop affordable housing for community college students. Amends the Illinois Affordable Housing Act. Permits non-exempt local governments to develop affordable housing for community college students in coordination with nonprofit affordable housing developers and housing authorities.

Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that an employee is entitled to recover damages of 5% (rather than 2%) of the amount of any underpayments in wages for each month following the date of payment during which such underpayments remain unpaid. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a person who uses Medicaid spend-down to qualify for medical assistance shall not be eligible for medical assistance if the person does not meet his or her monthly spend-down for 6 consecutive months. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a person who uses Medicaid spend-down to qualify for medical assistance shall be provided up to 6 consecutive months to submit and have medical receipts and bills processed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services as evidence of payment of the person's monthly spend-down amount before becoming ineligible for medical assistance. Effective immediately.