Sen. Daniel Biss

Amends the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that a retailer is relieved from liability for any tax that becomes due and payable if the tax is represented by amounts that are found to be worthless or uncollectible, have been charged off in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and will be claimed as a deduction pursuant to Section 166 of the Internal Revenue Code. Provides for a deduction if the retailer had previously paid such a tax. Contains provisions concerning the payment of taxes on purchases made through a private-label credit card. Effective immediately.

Creates the Social Service Contract Notice Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the State Board of Education.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. With respect to establishing certain types of service credit in the Fund, provides that application and payment must be received by the Board while the applicant is an active participant, except that one payment will be permitted after termination of participation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that subject to federal approval, the gross income eligibility standard for benefits provided under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shall be 165% of the nonfarm income poverty guidelines prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget for all households except elderly, blind, or disabled households which shall be considered categorically eligible if the gross income of such elderly, blind, or disabled households is at or below 200% of the nonfarm income poverty guidelines. Effective January 1, 2016.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Extends the angel investment credit for taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2021 (currently, December 31, 2016). Provides that the aggregate amount of angel investment tax credits shall be limited to $20,000,000 per calendar year (currently, $10,000,000).

Creates the Freedom from Automatic License Plate Reader Surveillance Act. Provides that a person acting under the color of State law may not use any automatic license plate reader system (ALPR system) except (1) for electronic toll collection; (2) for traffic enforcement; (3) by parking enforcement entities for regulating the use of parking facilities; (4) for controlling access to secured areas that have clear boundaries, entry only through specific controlled points, and limited access; (5) for the purpose of conducting criminal investigations upon an officer's determination that the vehicles or individuals associated with the license plate numbers are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation; or (6) by law enforcement agencies for the comparison of captured plate data with information contained in databases maintained by the Secretary of State of this State or by federal, State, or local law enforcement agencies, and with license plate numbers that have been manually entered into an ALPR system upon an officer's determination that the vehicles or individuals associated with the license plate numbers are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal or missing person investigation, for the purpose of identifying: (A) vehicles that are stolen, or in violation of any registration or inspection requirements; (B) persons who are missing, or the subject of an arrest warrant, look-out order, traffic citation, or parking citation; or (C) vehicles that are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State universities.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In the provision concerning the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission Operations Fund surcharge, provides that after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Director of Insurance shall make one or more loans to the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Company (the Company) in an amount not to exceed an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 from the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission Operations Fund for the start-up funding and initial capitalization of the Company. Creates the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Company Article in the Code and establishes the Company as a nonprofit, independent public corporation. Provides that the Company (1) shall be operated as a domestic mutual insurance company, subject to all applicable provisions of the Code, (2) shall issue insurance for workers' compensation and occupational disease and shall not provide any other type of insurance, (3) shall not be considered a State agency or instrumentality of the State for any purpose, and (4) shall not receive any State appropriations or funds, except for an initial loan or loans. Sets forth provisions concerning a board of directors, ratemaking, the Illinois Insurance Guaranty Fund, a chief executive officer, liability, a workplace safety plan, investments, dividends, the sale of policies, auditing requirements, and an annual report. Effective immediately.