Rep. William B. Black

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on July 1, 2007 through September 3, 2007, with respect to motor fuel and gasohol the tax under the Acts is imposed at the rate of 1.25% (now, 6.25%). Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Provides that taxes are not imposed under the Act for the period beginning on July 1, 2007 and continuing through September 3, 2007. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Makes the minimum and maximum nomination petition signature requirements for independent General Assembly candidates the same as those for independent candidates for any district or political subdivision office (now, larger). Makes the period for filing all independent candidate petitions the same as that for new political party candidates (now, the same as that for established political party candidates).

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any lawfully-towed vehicle shall be subject to a possessor lien for services pursuant to the Labor and Storage Lien (Small Amount) Act (instead of vehicles removed from public or private property and stored by a commercial vehicle relocator, or any other towing service in compliance with the listed Sections, or at the request of the vehicle owner or operator).

Urges the Illinois Department of Corrections to pursue a wind generation pilot project at one of its correctional facilities to offset energy costs.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a person who is convicted of any felony relating to, arising out of, or in connection with his or her service as a participating member of any retirement system or pension fund may not receive any benefits provided in the Code, including any benefit for service not related to the felony conviction. Repeals various similar provisions of the Illinois Pension Code that were restricted in application to individual Articles. Effective immediately.

Amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act. Provides that the definition of "recreational or conservation purpose" is enlarged to include: hiking, operating an off-highway vehicle, rock climbing, trapping, horseback riding on the rider's own horse, fishing, swimming, boating, camping, picnicking, water or snow skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, engaging in an activity with an educational or conservation purpose, a combination of any of those activities, or any activity solely related to any listed activity (at present, only hunting, recreational shooting, a combination of those 2 activities, or any activity solely related to hunting or shooting are included in the definition). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates tax credits, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2007 and on or before December 30, 2010, for the cost of electricity purchased from AmerenIP, AmerenCILCO, or AmerenCIPS for residential or small-business purposes. Sets forth the amounts of the credits. Requires the electricity providers to send a statement of the annual electrical costs to customers. Provides that the credits may not be carried forward or back and may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero. Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Requires that, from the tax proceeds, $4,066,667 must be transferred each month to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund to be used by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for the purposes of LIHEAP, established under the Energy Assistance Act of 1989. Amends the Election Code. Requires that the election of commissioners of the Illinois Commerce Commission be included on general election ballots. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides for a Commerce Commission consisting of 5 members. Provides that an electric utility must credit customers for times of service disruption by reducing the customer's bill at the end of that month proportionately to the length of time of the service disruption. Provides that the rates of residential customers with all electric residential service shall not be increased prior to January 1, 2008. Provides that residential customers may participate in a deferral program for electric rates that increase subsequent to the mandatory transition period, and prohibits an electric utility from charging interest on the deferred amount. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Appropriation Sunshine Act. Provides that a bill making an appropriation may not be considered for final passage by either the House of Representatives or the Senate unless a copy of that bill, in its final form, has been made conveniently available on the General Assembly's Internet website for at least 72 hours before the bill is considered for final passage by that chamber. Provides that a motion adopted by a record vote of at least three-fifths of the members elected, the House of Representatives or the Senate may provide that this restriction does not apply to that chamber with respect to any one or more bills specified in the motion by bill number. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall immediately revoke (rather than may, within 6 months of the date of conviction or one year of the date of the accident, revoke or suspend) the driving privileges of any person who has been convicted of an offense that involved the unlawful operation of a motor vehicle and caused or contributed to an accident resulting in the death of any person.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that, in January 2009, the monthly pension of a firefighter who retired before July 1, 1971 shall be recalculated and increased to reflect the amount that the firefighter would have received in January 2009 had the firefighter been receiving an increase of 3% of the originally granted monthly pension for each year he or she received pension payments. Provides that in January of 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, he or she shall receive an additional increase of 5% of the originally granted monthly pension, and in each January thereafter, he or she shall receive an additional increase of 3% of the originally granted monthly pension. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.