South Cook News

Napoleon Harris, III introduced SB1727 in the Illinois Senate on Feb. 5, 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: "Creates the Ground-Based Sparkler Purchaser Excise Tax Act. Imposes a tax, beginning July 1, 2025, upon purchasers for the privilege of using ground-based sparklers and not for the purpose of resale at the rate of 6% of the purchase price of ground-based sparklers. Prohibits certain retail combinations or bundles. Requires every retailer required to collect the tax to apply to the Department of Revenue for a certificate of registration. Provides that any retailer required to collect the tax shall be liable to the Department for the tax, whether the tax has been collected, and any such tax shall constitute a debt to the State. Provides for the making of returns. Provides that from the revenue collected, the Department shall pay 25% into the Fireman's Annuity and Benefit Fund, 25% into the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund, and 50% into the General Revenue Fund. Provides for recordkeeping requirements. Establishes penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Department shall have full power to administer and enforce the Act. Allows for the arrest of any person who violates the Act, the search of any place of business to inspect all ground-based sparklers, and the seizure of any ground based-sparklers without a warrant. Sets forth hearing requirements after seizure. Allows the Department to adopt rules. Amends the Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois. Allows a municipality to prohibit the sale and use of ground-based sparklers on public property. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Amends the Pyrotechnic Use Act. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Effective July 1, 2025."

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

In essence, this bill imposes a 6% excise tax on purchasers of ground-based sparklers in Illinois effective July 1, 2025. Retailers are required to obtain a certificate of registration from the Department of Revenue. The collected tax will be distributed as follows: 25% to the Fireman's Annuity and Benefit Fund, 25% to the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund, and 50% to the General Revenue Fund. The bill prohibits the sale of sparklers in bundles with non-taxable items and restricts sales to individuals under 18. It allows municipalities to ban sparklers on public property and includes penalties for non-compliance, as well as search and seizure provisions. The Department of Revenue is tasked with enforcement.

Napoleon Harris, III has proposed another four bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Harris graduated from Northwestern University with a BA.

Napoleon Harris is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 15th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator James T. Meeks in 2013.

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
SB1727	02/05/2025	Creates the Ground-Based Sparkler Purchaser Excise Tax Act. Imposes a tax, beginning July 1, 2025, upon purchasers for the privilege of using ground-based sparklers and not for the purpose of resale at the rate of 6% of the purchase price of ground-based sparklers. Prohibits certain retail combinations or bundles. Requires every retailer required to collect the tax to apply to the Department of Revenue for a certificate of registration. Provides that any retailer required to collect the tax shall be liable to the Department for the tax, whether the tax has been collected, and any such tax shall constitute a debt to the State. Provides for the making of returns. Provides that from the revenue collected, the Department shall pay 25% into the Fireman's Annuity and Benefit Fund, 25% into the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund, and 50% into the General Revenue Fund. Provides for recordkeeping requirements. Establishes penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Department shall have full power to administer and enforce the Act. Allows for the arrest of any person who violates the Act, the search of any place of business to inspect all ground-based sparklers, and the seizure of any ground based-sparklers without a warrant. Sets forth hearing requirements after seizure. Allows the Department to adopt rules. Amends the Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois. Allows a municipality to prohibit the sale and use of ground-based sparklers on public property. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Amends the Pyrotechnic Use Act. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Effective July 1, 2025.
SB1664	02/05/2025	Amends the Personnel Record Review Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency shall only release a law enforcement personnel file upon receipt of a written request from a law enforcement agency for the purpose of making an employment determination by the law enforcement agency or a hiring board. Provides that a written request shall be on the law enforcement agency's official letterhead, signed by the agency head or the agency head's designee, and shall include either a waiver signed by the law enforcement officer applying for employment with the law enforcement agency or a copy of the law enforcement officer's application for employment. Provides that, if a request is made for release of a law enforcement personnel file that satisfies the requirements, the law enforcement agency shall release a copy of the complete law enforcement personnel file to the requesting law enforcement agency. Provides that a requesting law enforcement agency shall not maintain the law enforcement personnel file following the employment determination. Permits an employer to keep records concerning an employee's activities or associations with extremist or terrorist organizations. Defines terms.
SB1640	02/04/2025	Amends the Vital Records Act. In provisions regarding information required on forms, provides that (i) the decision with respect to burial or cremation shall be made by the authorized person and shall be properly communicated to relevant persons within 7 days after a death, and (ii) the funeral director shall indicate the name of cemetery on the death certificate within 7 days before burial. In provisions regarding death certificates, provides that (i) the administrator of the nursing home, hospital, or hospice facility where the death occurred shall be responsible for creating the death registration file in the electronic reporting system for death registrations, and (ii) signatures may be electronic.
SB1418	01/31/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual plan of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after January 1, 2026 must provide coverage, no less than once every 12 months, for a peripheral artery disease screening test for any at-risk individual. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage under those provisions.
SB1303	01/28/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows a person who rents a motor vehicle to another may hold the renter liable for physical or mechanical damage to the rented motor vehicle that occurs during the time the motor vehicle is under the rental agreement as well as loss of use which stems from such damage.