Rep. Travis Weaver

Amends the Wildlife Code. Removes provisions authorizing, under certain conditions, drainage districts to control beaver populations. Provides that a drainage district, road district or similar body, landowner, tenant, or the designee of a drainage district, road district, landowner, or tenant is exempt from the requirement to obtain a permit to control nuisance raccoons, opossums, muskrats, skunks, coyotes, or beavers if all applicable provisions for licenses are complied with and any trap types and sizes used are in compliance with the Act, including marking or identification. Provides that landowners, tenants, or their designees may remove cottontail rabbits or grey or fox squirrels from their property, but only by means of a live trap, if the cottontail rabbits and grey or fox squirrels are released alive and unharmed in a suitable habitat that is not within any city or town and not within any park. Provides that the designee of a drainage district, road district, landowner, or tenant must have a signed and dated written authorization from the drainage district, landowner, or tenant in possession at all times when conducting animal control activities. Provides that the exemption from obtaining a permit is valid only upon property owned, leased, or controlled by the drainage district, road district, landowner, or tenant. Effective immediately.

Repeals the provisions of Public Act 102-1116 that make amendatory changes to the Firearms Restraining Order Act that provide that a petitioner for a firearms restraining order may request a plenary firearms restraining order of up to one year, but not less than 6 months (restores the 6 months provision). Repeals provisions that the firearms restraining order may be renewed for an additional period of up to one year.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to $1,400 for individuals who serve as volunteer emergency workers for at least 9 months during the taxable year. Defines "volunteer emergency worker". Effective immediately.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that public records include born-digital electronic material and digitized electronic material and defines both of those terms. Provides that "public inspection" or "inspection" means, as it relates to public records that are born-digital electronic material or digitized electronic material, inspection of public records on a public body's website or on a designated computer available at the official place of business of the public body. Amends the Local Records Act making similar changes to the definition of "public record". Further amends the Local Records Act providing that approval of the Commission is not needed for, and the Commission may not prohibit, destruction of an original record after it is converted into a digitized electronic format if the standards and procedures of the Commission relating to digitization are followed. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois, the State Universities Retirement System, and the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois shall establish an implementation date of no later than July 1, 2025 for specified benefits for Tier 2 members who elect to receive those benefits and persons who first become members on or after the implementation date and meet other criteria.

Amends the Illinois State Police Act. Creates the Police K-9 Care Program within the Illinois State Police to provide a stable funding source for the veterinary care for retired police dogs. Provides that Illinois State Police shall contract with a nonprofit corporation organized under State law to administer and manage the Program and shall select the nonprofit corporation through a competitive grant award process. Provides that a handler or adopter of a retired police dog is eligible for a grant of up to $1,500 in veterinary care reimbursement for the retired police dog. Provides that the Program will be funded through grants from the Police K-9 Care Fund, which shall be funded by gifts, appropriations, and a percentage of monetary forfeitures due to criminal activity. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers relating to forfeitures. Provides requirements for the Program and the Fund. Requires the Illinois State Police to adopt rules necessary to implement the Police K-9 Care Program and the requirements of the Fund. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Some provisions take effect immediately and some provisions take effect one year after becoming law.

Amends the Children With Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that in the development of the individualized education program for a student, if during the initial development of the individualized education program is recognized that the student's needs are unlikely to change, the individualized education program shall continue without the need for the student's IEP team to meet until either the student or the parent requests a change in the student's individualized education program.

Creates the Manufacturing Capital Investment Fund Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the transfer of responsibility for licensure under this Act from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall begin on the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may adopt any rules and execute any intergovernmental agreements necessary to assume responsibility for the transfer.

Affirms it is the position of the House that the time is long past for systemic changes to be made to the Department of Children and Family Services so that it can fulfill its mission to protect children and prevent the ongoing tragedy of child abuse and neglect that confronts us every year.