Rep. Bill Mitchell

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Public Benefits Fraud Prevention Unit. Provides that the Unit shall investigate the misuse of State and federal funds distributed by the Department. Provides that money saved by the Department through its investigations shall be used to fund the Unit's activities. Effective immediately.

Creates the Pension Funding and Fairness Act. Provides that, beginning with the fiscal year that starts after the Act takes effect, the maximum annual percentage change in State fiscal year spending in the categories specified may not exceed the inflation adjustment factor plus the population adjustment factor and any increases attributable to specified measures. Provides that, in order to adopt an increase in State spending beyond the limitation or in order to adopt an increase in State revenue, the measure must be approved by a three-fifths supermajority vote of all members of each house of the General Assembly and must be approved by a majority of voters. Provides for imposition of emergency tax. Establishes the Past Due Paydown Fund, to which the Comptroller shall transfer any amount necessary up to the total past due operating debt owed by the State as of the close of fiscal year 2011, and provides that the General Assembly may authorize transfers, appropriations, and allocations from the fund only to fund the costs of paying down the remaining past due debt until such debt is zero. Provides that any remaining funds shall be transferred to the Common School Fund and the Education Assistance Fund. Establishes the State Budget Stabilization Fund to fund the costs of State government up to the expenditure limit in years when State revenues are less than the amount necessary to finance the level of expenditures. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Past Due Paydown Fund and the State Budget Stabilization Fund as special funds in the State treasury. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In a Section concerning estimated taxes, provides that, if a taxpayer is entitled to a refund after the payment of the fourth installment, then he or she may apply the amount of the refund to the first installment due in the next taxable year.

Urges Congress to enact legislation dividing Illinois and Cook County into separate states.

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that an area is qualified to become an enterprise zone if it comprises not more than 18 square miles (now, 12 square miles). Provides that an enterprise zone shall be in effect for 55 years (now, 30 years). Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to certify an additional 10 enterprise zones between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2022. Requires each Zone Administrator to post a copy of the enterprise zone boundaries on its website and to collect and aggregate certain information. Amends the Corporate Accountability for Tax Expenditures Act. Changes the definitions of "full-time, permanent job" and "retained employee". Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Eliminates the job tax credit for a taxpayer conducting business operations in an enterprise zone. Eliminates the deduction for dividends that were paid by a corporation which conducts business operations in an enterprise zone. Eliminates the deduction for interest income from a loan or loans secured by property which is eligible for the Enterprise Zone Investment Credit. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires substance abuse testing as a condition for filing nomination papers for the office of State Representative or State Senator. Requires the Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to implement random substance abuse testing programs for applicants for assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and for medical assistance, respectively. Under the Illinois Public Aid Code, provides that an individual who tests positive must agree to and complete a substance abuse treatment plan within 60 days after being notified of the positive retest by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Provides that if an individual fails to complete a substance abuse treatment plan or tests positive for substance abuse following completion of a substance abuse treatment plan, the individual is barred from eligibility for assistance for a period of one year following the date of the individual's application for assistance. Provides that an individual's ineligibility for assistance does not affect the eligibility of any other member of the individual's family who is included in the application for assistance. Provides that nursing home residents are exempt from the substance abuse testing requirement. Effective January 1, 2012.

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Prisoner Review Board for its FY13 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2012.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Provides that no member of a county board, during the term of office for which he or she is elected, may be appointed to, accept, or hold any office unless he or she first resigns from the office of county board member prior to taking the oath of office to another office. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the provisions relating to special speed limits while traveling through a highway construction or maintenance speed zone apply only when workers are present in the construction or maintenance speed zone. Effective January 1, 2012.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if a person has been granted a senior citizens homestead exemption, that person need not reapply for the exemption (now, the county board may provide that persons who are granted the exemption need not reapply). Effective immediately.