Rep. Ron Stephens

Amends the Illinois Water Well and Pump Installation Contractor's License Act and the Illinois Water Well Construction Code. Requires the Department of Public Health to issue permits for the construction and modification of closed loop well systems. Sets forth the purposes for which water well and closed loop well system construction permit fees shall be used. Provides for the certification and registration of closed loop contractors by the Department. Makes a technical change in the Water Well and Pump Installation Contractor's License Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning contractual continued service in school districts other than the Chicago school district, adds an exception to the probationary period of 4 consecutive school terms for a teacher who is first employed as a full-time teacher by a school district on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act but who, prior to employment with the district, already entered upon contractual continued service in another school district, in which case the probationary period is 2 consecutive school terms. Makes a similar change with respect to a teacher employed in a program of a special education joint agreement. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the published notice of application for judgment and sale for delinquent taxes shall include the street address and PIN number of each delinquent property. Provides that, at least 10 days prior to any tax sale, the county collector shall post on his or her website a list of all properties that are eligible to be sold at the sale. The list shall include the street address and PIN number assigned to the property. Effective immediately.

Urges Governor Patrick Quinn and his administration to immediately halt all negotiations or contacts with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and all other relevant federal offices and departments, relating to the proposed transfer of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government for purposes of a Military Commissions Act of 2006 detention facility, until they initiate consultations with the Illinois General Assembly and receive their consent to undertake this move.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the definition of "33 1/3%".

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Eliminates the State drug classification Schedules. Provides that the controlled scheduled substances are those listed by the authorized federal agency. Provides that any federally scheduled substance may be scheduled higher by administrative rule. Makes technical changes. Effective July 1, 2009.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that in actions arising out of bodily injury, death, or damage to property based on negligence or product liability based on strict tort liability there will not be joint and several liability, rather when more than one defendant is found to be liable, a defendant will only be liable for that percentage of the plaintiff's damages, found by the trier of fact, that the defendant's percentage of contributory fault, found by the trier of fact, represents. Provides that those provisions do not apply when the plaintiff is barred from recovering damages because the plaintiff's contributory fault is more than 50% of the proximate cause of the injury, death, or damage to property. Amends the Joint Tortfeasor Contribution Act requiring, in the event that the obligation of one or more tortfeasors is uncollectible, the remaining tortfeasors to share, pro rata, the unpaid portion. Repeals Section stating that a plaintiff's right to recover the full amount of his or her tort judgment from any one or more defendants is unaffected by the Contribution Act.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In connection with Medicaid eligibility of certain persons under the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, provides that the program must: include coverage for all medically necessary pain medication and pain therapy related to the treatment of breast cancer; require no co-payment or other cost-sharing requirement; and not be subject to any annual or lifetime maximum benefit. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall make every effort to ensure that services under the program are made available in rural and medically underserved areas in Illinois, including by means of telemedicine. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the collector shall publish notice at least 30 days (instead of 10 days) prior to applying to the circuit court for a judgment and order of sale against delinquent property. Provides that the county collector shall give notice of the sale of forfeited property at least 30 days prior to the sale (instead of 10). Effective immediately.

Creates the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Act. Creates the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Program under the Act. Provides for administration of the program by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Sets forth eligibility requirements for veterans. Requires the Department to purchase or provide health care benefits for eligible veterans that are identical to the benefits provided to adults under the State's Medicaid program, except for nursing facility services and non-emergency transportation. Includes provisions for co-payments and monthly premiums for health care services. Gives the Department a charge upon claims and causes of action and a right of subrogation, and gives the Department the right to recover the reasonable value of benefits provided. Requires an annual report to the General Assembly by January 1 of each year beginning in 2010. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to add cross-references to the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Act. Repeals the Veterans' Health Insurance Program Act of 2008. Repeals the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Act on January 1, 2013. Effective immediately.