Congratulates Terry Hogan on the occasion of her retirement from the Chicago Public Library system after 33 years of service.
Amends the Civil Rights Act of 2003. Provides that gender (at present, race, color, or national origin) is a characteristic for which a person shall not be discriminated against by any unit of State, county or local government in Illinois.
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.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In a Section regarding the control and reduction of emissions from fossil fuel-fired electric generating plants, provides that the Section is not intended to limit or restrict the authority of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to propose, or the Illinois Pollution Control Board to adopt, any regulations applicable or that may become applicable to these facilities that are required by federal law or that are otherwise part of the State's plan to attain the national ambient air quality standards or that are necessary to comply with the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act (now, just the applicable regulations required by federal law). Deletes a provision requiring the Board to adopt certain sulfur dioxide regulations and emission standards for existing fuel combustion stationary emission sources. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code and the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Requires coverage for a mammogram at the age and intervals considered medically necessary by the woman's health care provider for women under 40 years of age and having a family history of breast cancer, prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing, or other risk factors (now, only for women under 40 years of age and having a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors). Also requires coverage for a comprehensive ultrasound screening of an entire breast or breasts if a mammogram demonstrates heterogeneous or dense breast tissue based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology or if the woman is believed to be at increased risk for breast cancer due to family history or prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing, or other indications as determined by a woman's health care provider. Effective immediately.
Amends the Safe Homes Act. In provisions authorizing tenants to request that a landlord change the locks if one or more of the tenants reasonably believes that one of the tenants or a member of tenant's household is under a credible imminent threat of domestic or sexual violence at the premises, deletes a requirement that the threat be from a person who is not a lessee under the lease. Requires a tenant requesting a change of locks because of a threat of violence from another lessee to include with the request a plenary order of protection or a plenary civil no contact order granting the tenant exclusive possession of the premises. Provides that a tenant who changes the locks shall make a good faith effort to give a key to the new locks to the landlord (instead of giving a key to the new locks to the landlord). Provides that "if the landlord changes the locks, the landlord shall make a good faith effort to give a key to the new locks to the tenant as soon as possible or not more than 48 hours of the locks being changed" and that a landlord who changes the locks and does not make a good faith effort to provide a copy of a key to the tenant within 48 hours of the landlord changing the locks is liable for any damages to the tenant incurred as a result of not having access to his or her unit. Effective immediately.
Creates the Anti-Phishing Act. Makes it unlawful for a person, by means of a Web page, e-mail message, or otherwise through use of the Internet, to solicit, request, or take any action to induce another person to provide identifying information by representing oneself to be a business without the authority or approval of the business. Provides that a person who is engaged in the business of providing Internet access service to the public, owns a Web page, or owns a trademark and is adversely affected by a violation may bring an action to recover the greater of actual damages or $500,000. Provides that an individual who is adversely affected by a violation may bring an action against a person who has directly violated the Act to enjoin further violations of the Act and to recover the greater of 3 times the amount of actual damages or $5,000 per violation. Provides that the Attorney General or a State's Attorney may bring an action against a person who violates or is in violation of the Act to enjoin further violations and to recover a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation. Provides that a court may increase the recoverable damages to an amount up to 3 times the damages otherwise recoverable if the defendant has engaged in a pattern and practice of violating the Act and award costs of suit and attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff. Provides that these remedies do not preclude the seeking of remedies, including criminal remedies, under any other applicable provision of law. Provides that multiple violations resulting from any single action or conduct shall constitute one violation.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Deletes the provision that refunds with respect to the earned income tax credit are subject to the availability of funds from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant and the State's ability to meet its required Maintenance of Effort. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code, School Code, Child Passenger Protection Act, and Unified Code of Corrections. Makes various changes regarding: driver education requirements; graduated driver's licenses; instruction permits for minors; curfews for drivers under a specified age; the number of passengers under a specified age allowed in a vehicle driven by a newly licensed driver under a certain age; the use of seat safety belts; the use of wireless telephones by graduated driver's license holders; suspensions of driver's licenses of drivers under age 21 under specified circumstances; required appearances before the presiding judge with a parent or guardian under specified circumstances; vehicle impoundment for drivers arrested for street racing; and other matters. Repeals provisions creating the offense of drag racing. Creates the offenses of street racing and aggravated street racing, and makes conforming changes. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2008, except that the provisions amending the School Code are effective July 1, 2008.
Amends the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. Provides that every hospital, fire station, emergency medical facility, and police station that is required to accept a relinquished newborn infant in accordance with the Act must post a sign in a conspicuous place on the exterior of the building housing the facility informing persons that a newborn infant may be relinquished at the facility in accordance with the Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to prescribe specifications for the signs and for their placement that will ensure statewide uniformity. Effective immediately.
