Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Provides that the highway commissioner of a road district has authority to build alleys and bike paths in unincorporated communities, using any funds belonging to the road district in which that community is located. Provides that a highway commissioner has the same authority regarding all curbs and sidewalks in those communities (rather than only those curbs and sidewalks constructed as an integral part of a highway improvement project). Provides that a highway authority may convey a vacated highway or portion of a highway under its jurisdiction to a township road district which has petitioned for vacation of the highway and intends to use it as an alley or a designated bike path. Effective immediately.
Amends the Election Code and the Counties Code. Authorizes advisory referenda concerning (i) the number of members of the county board to be elected, (ii) whether the board members should be elected from single-member districts, multi-member districts, or at-large, (iii) whether voters will have cumulative voting rights in the election of county board members, or (iv) any combination of the preceding 3 questions. Provides that the advisory referenda may be initiated by an ordinance of the county board or by a petition containing the signatures of 3% of the registered voters of the county. Removes this type of advisory referendum from the general limit of 3 public questions per ballot. Provides that voters may have cumulative voting rights in the election of county board members in multi-member districts or at-large elections. Provides that questions concerning whether the board members should be elected from single-member districts, multi-member districts, or at-large, including whether voters have cumulative voting rights, may be decided by a referendum or by ordinance (now, only by ordinance). Provides that, if the method is determined by referendum, the referendum requires the signatures of at least 3% of the registered voters and it cannot be changed by ordinance for 12 years. Provides that, if a county board determines that members shall be elected by districts, the county board shall specify whether voters will have cumulative voting. Effective immediately.
Creates the Small Business Advisory Act. Requires State agencies to create and make available on the World Wide Web a small business advisory page. Requires agencies to post a plain language explanation of proposed and adopted rules and legislation that the agency is designated to administer that affect small businesses on its small business advisory web page. Provides that the explanation must remain posted on the web page for 6 months after the effective date of the rule or legislation. Requires each agency to notify the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs when it updates its small business advisory web page. Requires the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to serve as a clearinghouse for notifying the small business community of rulemakings and to seek input from the small business community on those rulemakings. Requires the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to maintain a small business advisory web page that serves as a coordinated point of access to other agencies' small business advisory web pages. Requires State agencies to post plain language versions of advisory opinions and interpretations on their small business advisory web pages.
Creates the State Prohibition of Goods from Forced Labor Act. Provides that each contract entered into by a State agency for the procurement of equipment, materials, or supplies must specify that any foreign-made goods produced under the contract were not made by forced, convict, or indentured labor. Provides that a contractor who violates this provision shall be subject to suspension or a monetary penalty and the State may void the contract.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act by creating a tax checkoff for the Leukemia Treatment and Education Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Fund. Amends the Department of Human Services Act to provide that the Department may provide grants to public or private hospitals, medical centers, medical schools, and other organizations for education on and treatment of leukemia from appropriations to the Department from the Leukemia Treatment and Education Fund. Effective immediately.
Amends the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that the board of trustees of a fire protection district may impose reasonable civil penalties on individuals who repeatedly cause false fire alarms.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of each municipality may fix, charge, and collect fees not exceeding the reasonable cost of all fire protection services rendered by the municipality against non-resident persons, businesses, and other entities. Provides that such charge may not be assessed against residents of the municipality or persons who request fire protection coverage for an unprotected area and who pay the municipality an amount equal to the municipality's fire protection tax pursuant to Section 11-7-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the charge for such services shall not exceed $125 per hour per vehicle and shall not exceed $35 per hour per firefighter responding to a call for assistance. Provides that an additional charge may be levied to reimburse the municipality for extraordinary expenses of materials used in rendering such services. Provides that no charge shall be made for services for which the total charge would be less than $50. Provides that all revenue from these charges assessed pursuant to this Section shall be deposited into the general fund of the municipality. Effective immediately.
Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the redevelopment project in the TIF District created by an ordinance adopted on December 29, 1986 by the City of Collinsville must be completed by December 31 of the 35th year (now, the 23rd year) after the year in which the ordinance was adopted. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the current address of a recipient who was a victim of a felony or a witness to a felony shall be made available upon request to a State's Attorney or a State's Attorney's investigator. Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that the Department of Employment Security shall make available to a State's Attorney or a State's Attorney's investigator, upon request, the current address or, if the current address is unavailable, current employer information, if available, of a victim of a felony or a witness to a felony or a person against whom an arrest warrant is outstanding. Effective January 1, 2004.
Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows certain retired teachers to remain in retirement status and continue to receive their retirement annuities while engaging in employment in a designated subject shortage area. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 to provide that health insurance benefits under the State and TRIP plans are suspended while the annuitant is covered as an active teacher. Amends the School Code to require regional superintendents of schools to certify school district compliance with certain requirements of the program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Hospice Program Licensing Act. Changes the definition of terminally ill to include a patient that has a life expectancy of one year or less (rather than 6 months or less). Makes changes in the definition of "hospice service plan". Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of State Police Law and the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, the Illinois Police Training Act, and the School Code. Establishes program requirements for the statewide child abduction emergency alert system of the Department of State Police. Requires the Department of State Police and the Department of Transportation to coordinate in the use of electronic highway message signs to convey abduction information. Requires the Department of State Police to establish a task force to monitor and review implementation and operation of the child abduction alert system. Requires the Department of State Police and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to coordinate in the development of a promotional program on child abduction prevention and response. Requires the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board to train local law enforcement personnel in the child abduction alert system. Requires the Department of State Police and the State Board of Education to coordinate in the development of child abduction prevention instruction to be included in school curricula. Requires the Department of State Police to appoint an uncompensated Child Safety Coordinator to advocate for State standards for child safety from kidnapping and abduction. Prohibits the use of new appropriations for the Coordinator's expenses. Effective immediately.
