Urges the Governor and the members of this body to cease the proration of General State Aid allocations and to fully fund the formula to benefit school districts most in need of State support through the formula by prioritizing the Foundation Level grant.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if a person turns 70 years of age or older during the taxable year and he or she qualified for a Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption or a Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption in the previous taxable year, then the person qualifying need not reapply for the exemption. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law of the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in a county that is not subject to the Law, the registered voters within the county may file a petition with the county clerk requesting the county board to submit to the voters of the county the question of whether to make all non-home rule taxing districts that have all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation situated in the county subject to the Law. Provides that, if 10% of the registered voters within the county sign the petition, then the county board shall submit the question. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, beginning in taxable year 2014 and concluding in taxable year 2017, the county clerk shall reduce the property taxes levied by each taxing district to a level that is not greater than that taxing district's levy in the previous taxable year. Provides that the county clerk may increase or decrease the portion of a total tax levy paid by any individual taxpayer, provided that the increase or decrease in the individual taxpayer's tax bill is based solely on a change in the equalized assessed value of the taxpayer's property. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. With respect to certain types of actions, provides that for any defendant whose fault is less than 25% of the total fault attributable to the plaintiff, the defendants sued by the plaintiff, and any third party defendant who could have been sued by the plaintiff (instead of any third party defendant except the plaintiff's employer), shall be severally liable for all other damages. Provides that for any defendant whose fault is 25% or greater of the total fault attributable to the plaintiff, the defendants sued by the plaintiff, and any third party defendants who could have been sued by the plaintiff (instead of any third party defendants except the plaintiff's employer), shall be jointly and severally liable for all other damages.
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 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that not later than 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act, the Department of Human Services shall, by emergency rule, establish a program of substance abuse testing as a condition of eligibility for benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Provides that the Department shall require applicants for TANF benefits to submit to substance abuse testing before a final determination of eligibility. Provides that an applicant shall be ineligible for TANF benefits if (i) the applicant tests positive for substance abuse or (ii) the applicant refuses to submit to substance abuse testing. Provides that if an applicant tests positive for substance abuse and agrees to participate in and complete a substance abuse treatment plan and meets all other eligibility requirements, the applicant shall remain eligible to receive benefits. Provides that failure to comply with a substance abuse assessment or treatment plan shall result in the applicant becoming ineligible for benefits. Provides that if an applicant tests negative for substance abuse and meets all the other eligibility requirements for TANF benefits, the cost of administering the substance abuse test to the applicant shall be deducted from the applicant's first benefits payment.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning construction of the Code.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Includes disabled persons within the provisions granting an assessment freeze homestead exemption to senior citizens and changes the title of the exemption to the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption. Effective immediately.
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a facility proposed to be located within 1,000 feet of a residentially zoned lot shall be subject to certain requirements that are consistent with federal law. Further provides that a facility shall not be approved by the county board or constructed in an unincorporated area within 1,000 feet of a municipal jurisdiction boundary except where the facility has already been authorized by an annexation agreement with such municipality. Effective immediately.
