Rep. Jay Hoffman

Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Changes the definition of "mandatory transition period" to include the period from the effective date through the date on which the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved declarations of competitive service for all classes of service offered in the service areas of all electric utilities that, on December 31, 2005, served at least 100,000 but fewer than 2 million residential customers. Requires the Commission to order certain utilities to file and implement tariffs to reinstate all 2006 rates beginning on the first day of the month immediately following the effective date. Prohibits the Commission from taking certain actions prior to 6 months after the effective date with respect to (i) initiating, authorizing, or ordering any change by way of increase or (ii) in approving an application for a merger, imposing a condition requiring any filing for an increase, decrease, or change in or other review of a utility's rates or enforcing such a condition. Provides that the Commission shall only declare the class of service to be competitive according to certain criteria (now, the Commission is required to declare the service to be competitive if the service or a reasonably equivalent substitute is available at a reasonable price from other providers other than the utility or an affiliate and the utility has lost or is reasonably likely to lose business for service to other providers). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act and the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act. Provides that any condition or impairment of health of a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or paramedic that results directly or indirectly from any bloodborne pathogen, lung or respiratory disease or condition, heart or vascular disease or condition, hypertension, tuberculosis, or cancer resulting in any disability to the employee shall be conclusively presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employee's employment and shall be conclusively presumed to be causally connected to the hazards or exposures of the employment. Provides that the presumption shall also apply to any hernia or hearing loss suffered by a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or paramedic. Provides that the presumption does not apply to an employee who has been a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or paramedic for less than 5 years at the time he or she files an Application for Adjustment of Claim concerning the condition or impairment.

Amends the Southern Illinois University Management Act. Provides that the Illinois Ethanol Research Advisory Board shall establish and operate, subject to specific appropriation for the purpose of providing facility operating funds, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville as a State Biorefining Center of Excellence. Sets forth the purposes and goals of the Center.

Urges support for (i) federal legislation to procure additional C-17 Globemasters beyond the current number authorized, (ii) putting a stop to the erosion of jobs in the United States, and (iii) for our uniformed men and women in the military.

Congratulates Agnes Vivod on the occasion of her 90th birthday on August 6, 2007.

Congratulates Ron Schaefer on his retirement from the Saint Clair County Court Services and Probation Department, 20th Judicial Circuit, after 31 years of service.

Congratulates the Collinsville High School Drill Team on winning the Illinois Drill Team Association State Competition in AAA Kick.

Congratulates Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on its 50th anniversary and proclaims September 24, 2007 as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Day in the State of Illinois.

Mourns the death in Afghanistan of United States Army Specialist Ryan C. Garbs of Edwardsville.

Amends the Township Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning township names.