Metro East Sun

Kevin Schmidt introduced HB1421 in the Illinois House on Jan. 16, 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 Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Requires each employer, subject to certain exceptions, to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day. Provides that the employee must provide notice to the employer that he or she intends to take time off on Veterans Day and must provide the employer with documentation verifying that he or she is a veteran. Contains provisions concerning circumstances under which an employer may deny such a time off request. Provides that, if the employer denies the time off request, the employer must make a good faith effort to provide the employee with a substitute day on which the employee may receive paid time off. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran as a result of the paid day off required under the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Effective immediately."

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

In essence, this bill establishes the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act, mandating that, starting Jan. 1, 2026, employers in Illinois must provide veteran employees with a paid day off on Veterans Day if they are scheduled to work. Employees must give 30 days' notice and documentation to prove their veteran status. If this requirement imposes significant economic or operational difficulties, employers can deny the leave but must, if feasible, offer a substitute paid day off. Public employers may double veterans' pay if they must work on Veterans Day. The bill also amends the Illinois Income Tax Act, offering a tax credit equal to 100% of wages paid for this leave, which can be carried over for up to five years if it exceeds tax liability. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Kevin Schmidt has proposed another eight bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Schmidt graduated from Logan University with a BS.

Kevin Schmidt is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 114th House District. He replaced previous state representative LaToya Greenwood 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
HB1421	01/16/2025	Creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Requires each employer, subject to certain exceptions, to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day. Provides that the employee must provide notice to the employer that he or she intends to take time off on Veterans Day and must provide the employer with documentation verifying that he or she is a veteran. Contains provisions concerning circumstances under which an employer may deny such a time off request. Provides that, if the employer denies the time off request, the employer must make a good faith effort to provide the employee with a substitute day on which the employee may receive paid time off. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran as a result of the paid day off required under the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Effective immediately.
HB1422	01/16/2025	Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides that gaming special agents employed by the Illinois Gaming Board shall be deemed to be qualified law enforcement officers or, for retired gaming special agents formerly employed by the Illinois Gaming Board, shall be deemed qualified retired or separated law enforcement officers in Illinois for purposes of coverage under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 and shall have all rights and privileges granted by that Act if the gaming special agent or retired gaming special agent is otherwise compliant with the applicable laws of this State governing the implementation and administration of the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 in the State of Illinois. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Exempts gaming special agents and retired gaming special agents from the unlawful use of weapons violations for carrying or possessing firearms in a vehicle or concealed on or about their person or carrying or possessing firearms on or about their person upon any public street, alley, or other public lands within the corporate limits of a municipality.
HB0047	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. In a provision concerning the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, provides that, beginning in taxable year 2026, the taxpayer's annual household income for purposes of determining eligibility for the exemption shall be reduced by any amounts paid by the taxpayer as Medicare premiums during the calendar year. Effective immediately.
HB0058	01/09/2025	Amends the Use Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Creates a sales tax holiday period for certain school supplies from August 2, 2025 through August 11, 2025. Effective immediately.
HB0059	01/09/2025	Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Requires the adopted school board policy for a remote educational program to allow a student to apply to participate in the remote educational program if the student (i) provides an employee pay stub, (ii) has a medical need, including pregnancy, or (iii) needs to care for a family member, including the student's own child.
HB1066	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group health plan or an accident and health insurer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall not discriminate with respect to participation under the plan or coverage against any health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider's license or certification under applicable State law. Provides that nothing in the provisions shall be construed as preventing a group health plan, an accident and health insurer, or the Director of Insurance from establishing varying reimbursement rates based on quality or performance measures.
HB1120	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes a provision that requires the Secretary of State to designate on each driver's license issued a space where the licensee may indicate his blood type and RH factor.
HB1121	01/09/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that the county clerk of the county where a decedent last resided shall (rather than may) issue certifications of death records from an electronic reporting system for death registrations as provided in the Vital Records Act and shall (rather than may) use that system to cancel the registration of any person who died during the preceding month.
HB1125	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Deletes language providing for reduced registration fees for active duty military personnel. Provides instead that the standard vehicle registration fee for passenger motor vehicles of the first division and motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds shall be waived for active duty military personnel. Effective immediately.