McLean County Times

Sally J. Turner introduced SB0184 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 17, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Adds fire investigators to the definition of "firefighter". Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill modifies the Illinois Pension Code to include fire investigators in the definition of "firefighter" for pension purposes. It stipulates that individuals employed as fire investigators, similar to positions like firefighter, fire engineer, and bomb technician, are now covered under the same pension benefits. Additionally, the bill amends the State Mandates Act to require that the implementation of this expansion of benefits occurs without reimbursement by the state. This indicates that municipalities must finance the associated costs independently, without assistance from state funds.

Sally J. Turner has proposed another five bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Sally J. Turner is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 44th Senate District. She replaced previous state senator Bill Brady in 2021.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB0184	01/17/2025	Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Adds fire investigators to the definition of "firefighter". Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State.
SB0097	01/17/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning Substitute Teaching Licenses, requires an applicant who is enrolled in an approved educator preparation program to have either earned at least 75 credit hours or completed 3 semesters in an educator preparation program (rather than requiring the applicant to have earned at least 90 credit hours). Provides that a school district may not require an individual who retired within the last 5 years while holding a valid Professional Educator License or Educator License with Stipulations to seek or hold a Substitute Teaching License to teach as a substitute teacher if substitute teaching for no more than one year. Provides that a retired educator may not be charged an application fee for a Substitute Teaching License if certain conditions are met.
SB0135	01/17/2025	Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Provides that the recipient of a credit under the Act may apply for a certificate of transferability of credit from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the amount of the credit not previously claimed. Provides that the transferability certificate may be transferred or sold by the recipient to another Illinois taxpayer. Provides that unused Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credits may be carried forward for a period of 10 years (currently, 5 years). Makes other changes.
SB0036	01/13/2025	Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule of the Department of Natural Resources to the contrary, a State authorized veterans' organization seeking to hold a memorial service at a State Memorial Site shall not pay a fee and shall not be required to obtain liability insurance if the permit to hold such service is approved by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall be provided a list of State authorized veterans' organizations by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Defines "State authorized veterans' organization".
SB0038	01/13/2025	Amends the Counties Code. In provisions about commercial wind energy facilities and commercial solar energy facilities, removes changes made by Public Act 102-1123. Provides that any provision of a county zoning ordinance pertaining to wind farms, commercial wind energy facilities, or commercial solar energy facilities that was in effect before January 27, 2023 may continue in effect notwithstanding any changes made in Public Act 102-1123 and, if applicable, any provision of a county zoning ordinance pertaining to wind farms that was in effect before August 16, 2007 may continue in effect notwithstanding the changes made in Public Act 95-203.
SB0039	01/13/2025	Amends the Electric Vehicle Charging Act. Exempts any tiny home for veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and in need of secure, long-term affordable housing, if that tiny home is constructed by a specified nonprofit organization that exclusively funds and administers tiny homes for veterans. Provides that every county and municipality that has the power to issue building permits and otherwise control the construction of buildings shall require by ordinance that an applicant seeking a building permit to construct tiny homes for at-risk veterans must include with the permit application a completed and signed affidavit stating that all buildings constructed under the permit are designated for the exclusive use of qualifying veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and in need of secure, long-term affordable housing. Prohibits a county or municipality, including a home rule unit, from adopting any building code or ordinance that requires EV-capable parking spaces for tiny homes constructed for the purpose of providing affordable housing for at-risk veterans under the provisions. Effective immediately.