Sen. Win Stoller

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may designate a business that intends to establish a new wind power facility or a utility-scale solar facility as a high impact business only if the municipality in which the facility will be located (or the county in which the facility will be located, if the facility will be located in an unincorporated area of the county) approves, in writing, the designation of the business as a high impact business. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Prevailing Wage Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Assembly Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Restricts participation in the General Assembly Retirement System to persons who became participants before the effective date of the amendatory Act and provides that, beginning on that date, the System shall not accept any new participants. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Reinstates the exemption for the use or sale of tangible personal property purchased from an Illinois retailer by a taxpayer engaged in centralized purchasing activities in Illinois. Provides that the exemption sunsets on June 30, 2025 (currently, June 30, 2016). Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that by paying specified required contributions, an employee who was laid off but returned to any State employment may establish creditable service for the period of the layoff, provided that (1) the applicant applies for the creditable service, (2) the applicant does not receive credit for that period under any other provision of the Code, (3) at the time of the layoff, the applicant is not in an initial probationary status consistent with the rules of the Department of Central Management Services, and (4) the total amount of creditable service established by the applicant does not exceed 3 years. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the standard registration fee for vehicles shall be waived for any vehicle owner who is a volunteer firefighter or employed as emergency services personnel. Provides that the registration fee waiver does not apply to the electric vehicle surcharge.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the abatement for property located in an area of urban decay also applies to newly remodeled single-family or duplex residential dwelling units (currently, only newly constructed single-family or duplex dwelling units). Provides that provisions requiring the abatement to be reduced in 20% increments annually during the last 4 years of the abatement period apply only to abatements granted prior to the effective date. Effective immediately.

Opposes a progressive income tax in Illinois. Opposes the reconsideration by the Illinois General Assembly of any constitutional amendment intended to change the flat-rate income tax language of subsection (a) of Section 3 of Article IX of the Constitution of Illinois.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that a municipality, political subdivision, State agency, or other governmental entity that owns or operates a hospital under any law authorizing or establishing a hospital or hospital district shall, relative to the delivery of health care services, have, in addition to any authority vested by law, the authority and legal capacity concerning the specified use and investment of funds. Provides that conversion of public funds for the benefit of any individual concerning the specified use and investment of funds shall constitute grounds for review and action by the Attorney General or the applicable State's Attorney. Provides that a municipality, political subdivision, State agency, or other governmental entity exercising the powers granted for the use and investment of funds shall be subject to all applicable public purchasing requirements and the requirements of the Open Meetings Act.

Urges the Illinois Department of Transportation to place road signs in the vicinity of the Owen LoveJoy Homestead directing people to this National Historic Landmark.

Amends the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 and the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides that from winnings required to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service and subject to withholding on Form W-2G, an organization licensee, an advance deposit wagering licensee, an owners licensee, or a licensee that operates one or more facilities or gaming locations at which lawful gambling is authorized shall withhold up to the full amount of winnings necessary to pay the winner's delinquent claims due and payable to the State as determined under the Illinois State Collection Act of 1986. Provides that for withholding of winnings, the licensee shall be entitled to an administrative fee not to exceed the lesser of 4% of the total amount of cash winnings paid to the gambling winner or $150. Provides that the total amount withheld from the cash payout shall not exceed the total cash winnings claimed by the obligor. Provides that these provisions shall be operative on and after the date that rules are adopted by the Department of Revenue and the State Comptroller. Provides that the licensee shall post signs with a statement regarding withholding of delinquent claims due and payable to the State. Provides that the text of these signs shall be determined by rule by the Department of Revenue. Makes corresponding changes in the State Comptroller Act and the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.