Rep. John A. Fritchey

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if a taxpayer has been awarded a disabled veterans standard homestead exemption, and that taxpayer subsequently becomes a resident of a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act or a facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, then the exemption shall continue (i) so long as the residence continues to be occupied by the qualifying person's spouse or (ii) if the residence remains unoccupied but is still owned by the person who qualified for the homestead exemption.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may terminate the suspension of person's driving privileges or vehicle registration for non-payment of certain fines or penalties related to the operation of a motor vehicle when the Secretary of State receives notification from the government entity that caused the person's suspension that the person has entered into a repayment plan and has made timely payments according to the plan for a period of 6 months.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a court may order that a court file in a forcible entry and detainer action be placed under seal if the court finds that the plaintiff's action is without a basis in fact or law, including a lack of jurisdiction, sealing the file is in the interests of justice, and those interests are not outweighed by the public's interest in the record. Provides that a court shall order that a file in a forcible entry and detainer action be sealed if the court finds that the defendant occupied real property that was subject to mortgage foreclosure and either the foreclosure redemption period expired and the defendant vacated the property before the action was filed, or the defendant was a tenant during the redemption period and did not receive a notice to vacate before the action was filed. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that, in addition to other provisions, the Department on Aging shall increase the effectiveness of the existing Community Care Program by ensuring that the determination of need tool accurately reflects the service needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia disorders. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Congratulates the faculty, students, and staff of DePaul University for the university's many contributions to higher education and community service and joins with DePaul University to celebrate the 350th anniversary of St. Vincent DePaul and St. Louise DeMarillac.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that with respect to a non-sectarian nursery, day care center, school, or other place of education that is a place of public accommodation, as defined in the Act: (a) the exercise of free speech, free expression, free exercise of religion or expression of religiously based views by any individual or group of individuals that is protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or under Article I of the Illinois Constitution, shall not be a civil rights violation; and (b) the jurisdiction of the Department is limited to: (1) the failure to enroll an individual; (2) the denial of access to facilities, goods, or services; (3) harassment, bullying, or similar acts against an individual; or (4) the failure of a covered entity to take corrective action to stop harassment, bullying, or similar acts against an individual (instead of in regard to the failure to enroll an individual or the denial of access to its facilities, goods, or services, except that the Department shall not have jurisdiction over charges involving curriculum content, course content, or course offerings, conduct of the class by the teacher or instructor, or any activity within the classroom or connected with a class activity such as physical education). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Provides that, unless specified otherwise in the Act, a State agency subject to the Act is not exempt from adopting rules pursuant to the Act covering the agency's statements of general applicability with respect to law or policy affecting persons or entities outside the agency, including grant-making policy. Requires that all State agencies subject to the Act with grant-making authority must adopt rules governing the various aspects of the grant-making process. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Antitrust Act. Provides that the Attorney General may bring an action in the name of the State, as parens patriae (protector of all those unable to protect themselves) on behalf of Illinois residents, to recover damages under the Illinois Antitrust Act or any comparable federal law. Provides that these granted powers are in addition to the Attorney General's parens patriae common law powers. Provides that no documentary material, transcripts of oral testimony, or answers to interrogatories (instead of no documentary material or transcripts of oral testimony) in the Attorney General's possession are available for inspection other then by an employee of the Attorney General or law enforcement officials at the federal, State, or local levels (instead of federal or local levels) without the consent of the person who furnished those materials. Provides that all documentary materials, transcripts, or answers to interrogatories shall be treated as if produced pursuant to a subpoena.