Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Mines and Minerals) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Natural Resources to maintain a 24-hour-a-day statewide emergency telephone number for the reporting of, and issuance of prompt response to the site of, accidents occurring in or about any mine regulated by the Department or the machinery connected therewith. Amends the Coal Mining Act. Requires persons having charge of a mine to report to the State Mine Inspector of the district, through the statewide emergency reporting telephone number, any accident that occurs in or about any coal mine or the machinery connected with any coal mine, within 15 minutes of ascertaining the occurrence of an accident (now, any loss of life or personal injury in or about a coal mine must be reported, without delay, by persons having charge of the mine to the State Mine Inspector). Provides that the Department shall impose an administrative fine of $100,000 upon the operator of a mine, if it is determined that the operator or the mine manager in charge of the mine failed to give the requisite notice, but allows the Director of Natural Resources to waive imposition of the fine upon a finding that the failure to give immediate notice was caused by circumstances wholly outside of the operator's control. Defines "accident". Requires the operator of a mine to provide self-contained self-rescue devices throughout the mine and wireless emergency communication devices and wireless tracking devices that must be worn by each person underground. Sets forth criminal penalties for any person who, without the authorization of the operator or the Department, knowingly removes or attempts to remove or tampers or attempts to tamper with a self-contained self-rescue device, wireless emergency communication device, or wireless tracking device.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Election Code. Requires home rule municipalities within counties with a population less than 120,000 to reimburse the county for all of the costs and expenses of a consolidated primary election (now, counties required to pay). Provides that if the county contains more than one home rule municipality, then those municipalities shall share the reimbursement proportionately based on population of the municipalities.
Amends the Ticket Scalping Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning service charges.
Congratulates Deputy Jason Brown of the Macon County Sheriff's Office on receiving the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor.
Honors and recognizes the Village of Armington on the occasion of its 150th anniversary.
Congratulates the Hickory Point Fire Department on its 50th anniversary.
Congratulates St. John's Lutheran Church on the occasion of its 120th anniversary.
Congratulates the South Wheatland Fire Protection District on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
Congratulates Atlanta Christian Church in Atlanta on the occasion of its 150th anniversary.
Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Allows the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Board to establish conditions and procedures under which the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan may discount or subsidize premiums for unemployed or retired coal miners who are federally eligible and whose employer-provided health insurance coverage was terminated on September 28, 2004, and to accept funds appropriated for this purpose. Allows unemployed or retired coal miners who are federally eligible and whose employer-provided health insurance coverage was terminated on September 28, 2004 to be eligible for the Plan even though their premiums may be discounted or subsidized. Requires federally eligible unemployed or retired coal miners whose employer-provided health insurance coverage was terminated on September 28, 2004 to pay the discounted or subsidized premiums established by the Board. Effective immediately.