Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the amount of the earned income tax credit from 5% of the federal credit to: (i) 7.5% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2007; and (ii) 10% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2008 or thereafter. Effective immediately.
Amends the Downstate Teachers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows a teacher to establish credit for certain leaves of absence due to pregnancy. Includes new benefit increase compliance language. Effective immediately.
Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Designates the date of May 19, 2008 as Senior Health & Fitness Day in the State of Illinois.
Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to provide coverage for habilitative services, including, but not limited to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy for children under the age of 19 with congenital or genetic defects existing at or from birth or with a defect acquired at a young age. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
Appropriates $2,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for the purposes of the Community Service Education Act, including grants for community service education. Effective July 1, 2008.
Amends the Payday Loan Reform Act. Changes the definition of "payday loan" to include any loan with a finance charge exceeding an annual percentage rate of 36% (instead of with a finance charge exceeding an annual percentage rate of 36% and with a term that does not exceed 120 days). Provides that no lender may make a payday loan with periodic payments unless the periodic payments are substantially equal term payments and, if paid as scheduled, result in full payment of the principal and interest owed on the loan at the end of the loan term. Requires the licensee, as part of the information that he or she must collect and maintain, to include the total number of lawsuits filed by the licensee or its agent against consumers to collect on payday loans from consumers during the preceding calendar year. Prohibits a licensee or a person making payday loans from evading the requirements and prohibitions of the Act by use of a device or subterfuge including, but not limited to, (i) disguising a payday loan as a different type of transaction, or (ii) characterizing a required fee as a purchase of a good or service in connection with a payday loan. Authorizes the Department to develop rules to determine if any person or entity seeks to evade the applicability of this Act by any device, subterfuge, or pretense. Effective immediately.
Amends the Common Carrier by Pipeline Law in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that no certificate of good standing issued by the Illinois Commerce Commission shall be valid unless the common carrier by pipeline provides all employees a wage of no less than the general prevailing hourly rate as paid for work of a similar character in the locality in which the work is performed as prescribed by the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that the Commission may require the Illinois Department of Labor to certify a common carrier by pipeline's compliance with specified provisions. Provides that the Commission may reinstate a certificate in good standing to a common carrier by pipeline upon receiving reasonable evidence that the common carrier by pipeline has complied with specified provisions. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Public Aid Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall establish a prostate and testicular cancer treatment program. Sets forth the requirements for participation in the program, including requirements concerning screening for prostate or testicular cancer and the need for treatment. Sets forth other features of the program. In connection with the Department of Public Health's prostate and testicular cancer awareness and early detection program, provides that the promotion of information and counseling about treatment options shall include: identification of the medically viable alternative methods for the treatment of prostate and testicular cancer; information concerning the advantages, disadvantages, and risks associated with those treatment methods; and information concerning the availability of public and private sources of payment for diagnostic evaluation and the treatment of prostate and testicular cancer. Provides that referral services shall include referrals for treatment services. Makes other changes.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the county collector may mail a notice of a forthcoming application for judgment and sale to a property owner or lienholder by first class mail (now, the notice must be mailed by registered or certified mail). Requires that a second notice be sent if the notice is mailed by first class mail. Effective immediately.
