Rep. Ron Stephens

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides for medical assistance coverage for Illinois residents who have returned from service abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States as an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the Illinois National Guard, or the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces for the amount of time that the person spent in service abroad or mobilized. Provides that a person must apply for such coverage within 2 years after returning from service abroad or mobilization and must provide verification of his or her service or mobilization to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that voters in certain counties may initiate a referendum on the applicability of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law by submitting a petition to the county board signed by a number of voters equal to at least 1% of the votes cast in the county at the last preceding general election. Effective immediately.

Congratulates the members of the Sons of the American Legion, Detachment of Illinois, on a fabulously successful year, and declare June 26, 2010, Sons of the American Legion Day in the State of Illinois.

In addition to any amounts previously appropriated for that purpose, appropriates $6,246,300 from the FY09 Budget Relief Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for Grants, Contracts, And Administrative Expenses of the Employer Training Investment Program pursuant but not limited to 20 ILCS 605/605-800, and 20 ILCS 605/605-802, including Prior Year Costs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Whistleblower Act. Provides that a State agency may not retaliate against an employee of that agency who discloses information about the policies or operations of that State agency in a court, an administrative hearing, or before a legislative commission or committee, or in any other proceeding, where the employee has, at the time of the disclosure, reasonable cause to believe that the information is true. Provides that a State agency may not retaliate against an employee of that agency who discloses information about the policies or operations of that State agency to a government or law enforcement agency or to the media where the employee has reasonable cause to believe, at the time of disclosure, that the disclosed information is true. 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 2011. 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, 2014. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that registered tax purchasers are prohibited from making campaign contributions to candidates for county treasurer in the county in which the tax purchaser is registered. Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that tax purchasers in all counties must register with the county collector. Preempts the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Requires the county clerk to abate a percentage of the property taxes levied on each parcel of property that is owned and used exclusively as a home by a disabled veteran, or the spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of the veteran. Provides that the percentage of taxes to be abated is equal to the percentage of disability of the veteran. Effective immediately.

Re-enacts and changes various provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relating to product liability actions that were added by Public Act 89-7, which was held to be void in its entirety by the Illinois Supreme Court in Best v. Taylor Machine Works, 179 Ill. 2d 367 (1997). Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning tax sales, provides that collectors shall employ an automated billing system that is programmed to accept the lowest redemption price bid by a tax purchaser. Effective immediately.