Rep. Wyvetter H. Younge

Declares September 7, 2008 as Liturgical Dance Day in the State of Illinois.

Congratulates Reverend John H. Rouse on 53 years in the ministry and 33 years of service as the Pastor of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in East St. Louis.

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

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Makes a technical change in a Section defining "aged" or "senior citizen".

Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Provides that a forest preserve may sell certain vacant, subdivided residential outlots if the board of commissioners determines that the sale is advantageous to the district. Sets forth other criteria for the sale of the lots. Provides that the proceeds from the sale must be set aside and used only for certain capital improvements or for the payment of bond indebtedness. Effective immediately.

Creates the Community Self-Revitalization Act. Provides that a municipality, county, or any combination of municipalities and counties that are certified as an economically distressed community or communities by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in order to receive the assistance as provided under this Act, may appoint a Board of Economic Advisors. Provides that the Board shall consist of 18 members of the community, appointed by the corporate authorities of the community, representing the perspective of 13 sectors vital to community redevelopment, including families, businesses, and government. Provides that the Board shall create a 3-year to 5-year revitalization plan for the community containing distinct, measurable objectives for revitalization. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may, subject to appropriation, make grants to communities to create a Board of Economic Advisors under the Act for the operational expenses of the Board. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall advise Boards of available funding and assist Boards in securing this funding. Effective immediately.

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that the term "developmental disability" includes a disability that is attributable to "fetal alcohol syndrome" or "fetal alcohol effects" (in addition to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or autism). Effective January 1, 2008.

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.

Creates the Internet Safety Education Act to inform and protect students from inappropriate or illegal communications and solicitation and to require school districts to provide education about Internet threats and risks. Creates the Internet Safety Education Alliance under the authority of the Office of the Attorney General. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Internet Safety Education Fund. Amends the School Code to mandate the provision by every public school of instruction and discussion on effective methods by which students may recognize and report inappropriate, illegal, or threatening communications on the Internet on or before the start of the 2008-2009 school year.

Creates the Teacher Homebuyer Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to establish and administer a program to provide down payment assistance to public school teachers who teach in hard-to-staff schools or hard-to-staff positions for purchasing residences within the school district. Provides that the assistance shall be in the form of a deferred payment, low-interest subordinate mortgage loan with a term not longer than the term of the first mortgage loan, with interest accruing at a rate of up to 5% per annum. Provides that if the borrower has continuously been a teacher for the 5-year period immediately following the date of recordation of the loan deed of trust, then repayment of the loan shall be forgiven and considered a grant. Provides that repayment of the principal and accrued interest is due and payable upon the occurrence of certain events. Effective immediately.