Amends the Illinois Hunting Heritage Protection Act. Provides that land management decisions of the Department of Natural Resources may not, to the extent practical, result in any net loss of habitat (now, land acreage) available for hunting opportunities. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Bovine Brucellosis Eradication Act. Provides that an animal with a positive reaction to a test for brucellosis must be reviewed by a designated brucellosis epidemiologist, or another State and federally approved designee, before the animal may be classified as an "infected animal" or "reactor". Defines "designated brucellosis epidemiologist". Provides that animals with a positive result to an official brucellosis test at livestock markets may be slaughtered or returned to the herd of origin only by permit and under quarantine for further evaluation. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Finance Act. Changes the names of the Conservation 2000 Fund and Conservation 2000 Projects Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund. Authorizes use of funds for planning, preservation, and water protection, to partner with private landowners, government, and not-for-profit organizations, and to pay personnel and other costs. Eliminates the Department of Transportation as authorized to use funds. Authorizes transfers from GRF to the Funds through 2021 (now, 2009).
Creates the Clean Coal FutureGen for Illinois Act for the purpose of providing the FutureGen Alliance with adequate liability protection, land use rights, and permitting certainty to facilitate the siting of the FutureGen Project in Illinois. Contain provisions concerning transfer of title to sequestered gas and associated liabilities to the State; insurance and indemnification by the State for the Operator for certain liabilities; permits; land use, including condemnation powers; and economic incentives. Contains other provisions and a severability clause. Amends: the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law concerning financial assistance; the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act concerning high impact businesses; the Court of Claims Act and the State Lawsuit Immunity Act concerning jurisdiction; and the Eminent Domain Act concerning condemnation authority. Effective immediately.
Creates the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Law and amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the Lieutenant Governor, with the advice of the Broadband Deployment Council, shall enlist a nonprofit corporation to implement a comprehensive, statewide high speed Internet deployment strategy and adoption initiative. Specifies the duties of the nonprofit organization. Provides that nothing in the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Law shall be construed as giving the Lieutenant Governor, the Broadband Deployment Council, the nonprofit organization, or other entities any additional authority, regulatory or otherwise, over providers of telecommunications, broadband, and information technology. Creates the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, to be used, subject to appropriation, by the Lieutenant Governor for purposes of providing grants to the nonprofit organization enlisted under the Law. Provides that on the effective date of the Law, all moneys in the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Fund which have not already been distributed or ordered distributed by the Illinois Commerce Commission shall be transferred to the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Fund. Contains other provisions concerning local governmental entities who undertake local broadband projects. Amends the Universal Telephone Service Protection Law of 1985 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a telecommunications carrier that is not subject to regulation under an alternative regulation plan pursuant to specified provisions may reduce the rate or charge for a noncompetitive service, service element, feature, or functionality offered to customers on a separate, stand-alone basis or as part of a bundled service offering by filing with the Commission a tariff that shows the reduced rate or charge and all applicable terms and conditions of the noncompetitive service, service element, feature, or functionality or bundled offering. Provides that provisions concerning basic local exchange service quality and the consumer complaint resolution process do not apply to telephone cooperatives. Changes the repeal date of the Universal Telephone Service Protection Law of 1985 from July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2009.
Supports the creation of a historical center dedicated to the interpretation and understanding of French colonial life in the United States, to be sited at Fort de Chartres State Park in Illinois.
Urges the Governor to present a capital budget that includes $100,000,000, on an annual basis, for the Illinois Special Places Acquisition, Conservation and Enhancement (iSPACE) Program, which includes the following: (i) a new statewide land acquisition program to protect the State's most precious natural resources and provide recreational opportunities, including matching grants to local governments; (ii) implementation of the Partners for Conservation Program (formerly Conservation 2000) through land acquisition and management grants; and (iii) implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for hunting opportunities in Illinois.
Congratulates the Cahokia Comanches Boys Track team on the occasion of becoming the 2007 Class AA State High School Track Champions.
Congratulates the Columbia High School Eagles baseball team on winning the IHSA Class A State Championship.
Congratulates Jill Winkelman of St. Mark's Lutheran School in Steeleville on becoming the Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association Class S State Discus Champion.
