Rep. Dan Reitz

Congratulates Frank and Sarah Porter on their 50th wedding anniversary.

Congratulates Earl Reitz on the occasion of being the first recipient of the Earl Reitz/Heartbeat of a Fireman Award.

Congratulates Monsignor Jerome Hartlein on the 50th anniversary of his ordination.

Congratulates the staff, faculty, and students of Marissa Junior and Senior High School on the occasion of receiving a bronze medal from US News and World Report for its "America's Best High Schools" competition.

Congratulates the Steeleville Lady Braves softball team on winning the 2007 Class S State Softball Championship.

Congratulates 17th Street Bar & Grill owner Mike Mills on the occasion of his barbeque ribs being named best in the nation by both The Food Network and food and entertainment magazine Bon Appetit.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the sexual exploitation of children.

Amends the Illinois Diseased Animals Act. Defines "contaminated". Modifies the provisions of the Act to apply to contaminated animals. Provides that the Department of Agriculture of the State of Illinois shall have the authority to issue area-wide quarantines on animals and premises in order to control the spread of the dangerously contagious or infectious disease and to reduce the spread of contamination. Provides that quarantines will be removed when epidemiological evidence indicates that the disease or contamination threat to humans or other animals no longer exists. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

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 Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides an exemption from taxation under the Acts for tangible personal property used in the construction, maintenance, or operation of a public water supply that is operated by a not-for-profit entity. Provides that the Acts' sunset provisions do not apply to these exemptions.