Will County Gazette

Harry Benton introduced HB3266 in the Illinois House on Feb. 6, 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 Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, the term "public works" also includes all private projects that are located in a tax increment financing district and paid for wholly or in part out of public funds, unless the total cost of the project is less than $25,000 or the project is performed in a designated historic district requiring specialty contractors because of that designation."

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

In essence, the bill amends the Prevailing Wage Act, expanding its scope to cover wages of laborers, mechanics, and other workers involved in public works performed by public bodies or under contracts for public works. It redefines "public works" to include projects funded wholly or partially by public resources like bonds, loans, or grants by or through public entities, covering areas such as school construction, transportation, renewable energy, and environmental initiatives. It clarifies exceptions, excluding work done directly by public utility companies or projects at owner-occupied residences. The bill specifies what constitutes "construction," the geographical scope of "locality" for labor resources, and defines parties involved, including "public body" and "labor organization." These changes take effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Harry Benton has proposed another 10 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Harry Benton is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 97th House District. He replaced previous state representative Mark Batinick in 2023.

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
HB3266	02/06/2025	Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, the term "public works" also includes all private projects that are located in a tax increment financing district and paid for wholly or in part out of public funds, unless the total cost of the project is less than $25,000 or the project is performed in a designated historic district requiring specialty contractors because of that designation.
HB3135	02/06/2025	Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that a licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed veterans establishment that is located within the designated amount of feet, as designated by the municipality in which the establishment is located, from a school or a place of worship (rather than 100 feet of a school or a place of worship) is ineligible to operate a video gaming terminal. Provides that the distance between the establishment and any such location shall be measured from the front door of the establishment to the front door of such location.
HB3136	02/06/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that is owned by an immediate family caregiver of a veteran with a disability or a veteran of World War II is eligible for the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities and veterans of World War II if the immediate family caregiver resides with the veteran on a full-time basis.
HB3199	02/06/2025	Amends the School Code. Provides that the school board of a school district maintaining any of grades 9 through 12 shall require all students who are at least 16 years of age to receive a heart screening and, if a student is 16 years old, to receive another heart screening at the age of 18 years.
HB3201	02/06/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that no person shall broadcast any electioneering communication on a video or audio service that offers content that is primarily viewed or listened to by children under the age of 13. Provides that a violation of the provision is a business offense, punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000.
HB3268	02/06/2025	Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that an early childhood teacher must meet one of the following qualifications: (1) complete 60 semester hours from an accredited college or university with either 6 semester hours in early childhood education or complete the Gateways Early Childhood Education Credential Level 1 training; (2) complete 1,560 clock hours of child development experience and 30 semester hours from an accredited college or university with either 6 semester hours in early childhood education or Gateways Early Childhood Education Credential Level 1 training; (3) complete 2,080 clock hours of child development experience as a teacher assistant in a day care center, complete the Gateways Early Childhood Education Credential Level 1 training, and provide proof of enrollment from an accredited college or university until 30 semester hours are attained or proof of enrollment in an early childhood teacher credentialing program, either of which must be completed in no more than 5 years from the date of initial enrollment; or (4) complete a credentialing program approved by the Department of Children and Family Services in accordance with administrative rule.
HB3297	02/06/2025	Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. In provisions prohibiting a person licensed under the Act from knowingly carrying a firearm on or into a building or portion of a building under the control of a unit of local government, provides that a retired police officer may carry a concealed firearm on the premises of the retired officer's former governmental employer if (i) the retired officer is authorized to carry a concealed firearm under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 and (ii) the retired officer's actions are authorized by ordinance.
HB3305	02/06/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that dark stores shall be assessed as active properties. Defines "dark store". Effective immediately.
HB2722	02/04/2025	Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from disclosure any studies, drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda, and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record is not exempt if the record has remained in draft form for more than a 12-month period and public dollars were spent by a unit of local government to conduct such a study.
HB2525	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer is a Class 4 felony if there is video evidence of the driver or operator of the motor vehicle fleeing or attempting to elude the peace officer and that the fleeing or attempting to elude the peace officer results in damage to property of the State, a unit of local government, or school district.
HB2388	01/31/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Increases the maximum income limitation for the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption from $65,000 to $85,000. Effective immediately.
HB2394	01/31/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a vehicle or combination of vehicles operated by an engine fueled wholly or partially by an electric battery or hydrogen fuel cell electric fueling system may exceed the posted weight limits by up to 2,000 pounds.
HB2395	01/31/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction for the full amount of union dues paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year if the taxpayer was not allowed a federal deduction under the Internal Revenue Code. Provides that, if any amount of union dues representing federal miscellaneous itemized deductions was allowed as a federal deduction, then the amount allowed as an Illinois deduction shall be a specified percentage of the union dues disallowed under the Internal Revenue Code. Provides that the deduction is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.
HB2406	01/31/2025	Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that a federally licensed firearm dealer shall, upon the sale or transfer of a firearm to a person whom the dealer reasonably believes to be a first-time purchaser or transferee of a firearm, provide the purchaser or transferee of the firearm with printed or digital information about firearm safety courses available locally or electronically and the safe storage of firearms. Effective immediately.