Rep. Thomas Morrison

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning waivers of School Code mandates.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Directs the System to establish a self-managed plan. The plan applies only to teachers whose employers adopt the plan, and only to teachers who make an election to participate in the plan. Specifies the terms and contents of the plan and the method of electing to participate. Defines terms. Contains a new benefit increase exception. Makes conforming changes to the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act (Article 20 of the Code). Effective immediately.

Extends condolences to the families of the victims of Kermit Gosnell and to the family of Tonya Reaves. Urges the Illinois Department of Public Health to pursue a regime of regular inspections of Illinois "pregnancy termination specialty centers" (abortion clinics) to ensure compliance with Illinois law governing those centers or clinics and ensure that the provisions and intent of 1 U.S.C. 8 and complimentary Illinois statute (which provides that in determining the meaning of any statute or of any rule, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative agencies of the State, the words "person", "human being", "child", and "individual" shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development) are properly enforced and respected.

Creates the Responsible Spending Act. Provides for the calculation of a Spending Growth Index and requires it to be calculated separately for the General Fund, Road Fund, and all other funds. Sets forth requirements for any increase in State revenue or in State spending beyond the Spending Growth Index limitation, including a three-fifths majority vote of all members of each house and submission of the increase to voters by referendum. Permits emergency tax increases in certain circumstances. Creates the Past Due Paydown Fund and provides that the State Comptroller shall transfer to the fund any amount necessary, up to the total past due operating debt owed by the State, from the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund. Creates the Budget Stabilization Fund for Illinois and provides that the State Comptroller shall allocate a portion of unappropriated funds from the General Fund to pay down past operating debt to zero. Creates the Taxpayer Relief Fund and provides that if the amount in this Fund exceeds 1% of General Fund expenditures, the General Assembly shall enact legislation to provide for a refund to taxpayers. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Past Due Paydown Fund, the Budget Stabilization Fund for Illinois, and the Taxpayer Relief Fund.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Beginning in taxable year 2014, increases the maximum income limitation under the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption from $55,000 to $75,000 for applicants who have occupied the residence for 5 years or more. Indexes the maximum income limitation to the Consumer Price Index. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the State Finance Act. Provides for the issuance of Choose Life license plates. Provides that, in addition to the appropriate registration fees, an applicant for the special plate shall be charged a fee of $25 at original issuance and $25 at renewal. Provides that $15 of the original issuance fee and $2 of the renewal fee shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Provides that $10 of the additional original issuance fee and $23 of the renewal fee shall be deposited into the Choose Life Fund, a new special fund in the State treasury. Provides that all money in the Choose Life Fund shall be distributed in accordance with a specified formula to all applying qualified non-governmental, not-for-profit agencies whose services include counseling and meeting the material needs of pregnant women who are planning to place their children for adoption and contains other provisions regarding the distribution of money from the Choose Life Fund.

Amends the School Code. If any payments from this State to a school district are delayed for at least one payment cycle, then allows the school board to discontinue, by publicly adopted resolution, any instructional mandate in the Courses of Study Article of the School Code during that time (with exceptions). Provides that if a student requests information on any instructional mandate that has been discontinued, then the school district shall provide the student with the requested information. Effective immediately.

Creates the Home Birth Safety Act. Provides for the licensure of midwives by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Creates the Illinois Midwifery Board. Sets forth provisions concerning qualifications, grounds for disciplinary action, and administrative procedures. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to set a repeal date for the new Act of January 1, 2024. Also amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to make related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning refunds for erroneous assessments or overpayments, makes the following changes applicable to Cook County: (i) allows the claimant to recover the costs of suit, and (ii) provides that the total amount of taxes and interest refunded for claims for which the right to a refund arose prior to January 1, 2009 shall not exceed $2,500,000 per year.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or municipality may not require a law enforcement officer to issue a specific number of citations or warnings within a designated period of time. Provides that a county or municipality may not, for purposes of evaluating a law enforcement officer's job performance, compare the number of citations or warnings issued by the law enforcement officer to the number of citations or warnings issued by any other law enforcement officer who has similar job duties. Limits home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Provides that it shall be an unfair labor practice to require a peace officer to perform a duty that conflicts with the provisions of this amendatory Act.