Rep. John Bradley

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that when the Department of State Police fails to act upon an application for a Firearm Owner's Identification Card within 30 days after receipt, or if the application was wrongfully denied, the applicant may seek relief from the circuit court in writing in the county of his or her residence. Provides that the applicant is entitled to recover any costs, attorney's fees, damages, and not less than $100 per day nor more than $500 per day for every day past the 30th day in which the Department failed to act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a unit of local government, including a home rule unit, that enforces against any person an ordinance that (i) applies only to motorcycles and restricts their access to certain highways, (ii) requires motorcycle riders to wear protective headgear, or (iii) regulates motorcycles in a manner inconsistent with the Code, in addition to being liable to that person for the actual damages sustained, is liable to that person for punitive damages in an amount not less than $10,000 and not greater than $25,000 and for reasonable attorney's fees. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that certain requirements concerning multi-township assessors apply to townships with less than 3,000 inhabitants (now, 1,000 inhabitants). Sets forth provisions for the creation of new multi-township districts for townships with less than 3,000 inhabitants. Effective immediately.

Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Provides that an Applicant may qualify for tax credits if the Applicant has 100 or fewer employees and is located or will locate in a county for which the annual unemployment rate was at least 1% higher than the average annual statewide unemployment rate during the most recent year for which those statistics are available from the Department of Employment Security, the project will involve an investment of at least $500,000 in capital improvements to be placed in service, and the project will employ at least 2 New Employees within the State as a direct result of the project. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Permits the use of black powder cartridges during the open deer season for muzzleloading rifles.

Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. Expands the fire truck revolving loan program to include EMS service vehicles. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. In a provision concerning eligibility for grants under the Act, increases the household income eligibility limitations for grant year 2006, and provides that, for grant years 2007 and thereafter, the limitations shall be increased annually by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the previous calendar year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that it is the public policy of the State of Illinois to encourage the pension funds, and any State agency investing funds on behalf of pension funds, to promote the economy of Illinois through the use of economic opportunity investments while managing their assets to the greatest extent feasible within the bounds of financial and fiduciary prudence. Provides that each pension fund, except pension funds created under the Downstate Police and Firefighters Articles of the Code, shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by September 1 of each year that identifies the economic opportunity investments made by the fund, the primary location of the business or project, the percentage of the fund's assets in economic opportunity investments, and the actions that the fund has undertaken to increase the use of economic opportunity investments, including encouraging other investment managers to make economic opportunity investments through subcontractors. Requires certain pension funds, and any State agency investing funds on behalf of those pension funds, to make all reasonable efforts to invest a minimum of 5% of pension fund assets in economic opportunity investments. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning deer hunting.

Creates the Gun-free Zone Criminal Conduct Liability Act. Provides that any person, organization, or entity or any agency of government, including any unit of local government, that creates a gun-free zone is liable for all costs, attorney's fees, and treble damages resulting from criminal conduct that occurs against an individual in the gun-free zone, if a reasonable person would believe that possession of a firearm could have helped the individual defend against such conduct. Defines "gun-free zone". Effective immediately.