Amends the Payday Loan Reform Act. Changes the definition of "payday loan" to include any loan with a finance charge exceeding an annual percentage rate of 36% (instead of with a finance charge exceeding an annual percentage rate of 36% and with a term that does not exceed 120 days). Provides that no lender may make a payday loan with periodic payments unless the periodic payments are substantially equal term payments and, if paid as scheduled, result in full payment of the principal and interest owed on the loan at the end of the loan term. Requires the licensee, as part of the information that he or she must collect and maintain, to include the total number of lawsuits filed by the licensee or its agent against consumers to collect on payday loans from consumers during the preceding calendar year. Prohibits a licensee or a person making payday loans from evading the requirements and prohibitions of the Act by use of a device or subterfuge including, but not limited to, (i) disguising a payday loan as a different type of transaction, or (ii) characterizing a required fee as a purchase of a good or service in connection with a payday loan. Authorizes the Department to develop rules to determine if any person or entity seeks to evade the applicability of this Act by any device, subterfuge, or pretense. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county with a population of less than 1,000,000 may levy an annual tax for farmland preservation easement purposes. Provides that the tax may not exceed 0.05% of the equalized assessed value of taxable property in the county. Provides that the tax must be approved by referendum. Provides that the tax may be discontinued by referendum.
Urges the United States Congress to move quickly to enact federal legislation to establish a strong ballast water regulatory program sufficient to prevent future introduction of aquatic invasive species into all United States waters.
Creates the Family Leave Insurance Program Act. Establishes a Family Leave Insurance Program, administered by the Department of Employment Security, to provide paid leave to an employee who is unavailable to work: because the employee has to care for a newborn child or a newly-placed adopted or foster child; because the employee has to care for a family member (a child, spouse, parent, or parent-in-law of the employee or a person with whom the employee has resided in the same household for 6 months or longer) who has a serious health condition; or because of the employee's own serious health condition. Contains provisions regarding: applications and qualifications for benefits, certification by a healthcare provider of the need for leave; confidentiality; notices of intention to take leave; disqualification from benefits; duration of benefits; determination of benefit amounts; deductions from benefits; relationship of the Program to other benefits, programs, and contracts; rights of employees; opting out of participation in the Program; elective coverage under the Program; recordkeeping; successor employers; creation of a FLIP Account in the custody of the State Treasurer; payments by employers and employees; limits on expenditures; adoption of rules; taxation of benefits; discrimination; required postings regarding the Act and information pertaining to the filing of a charge; severability; and other matters. Effective January 1, 2008.
Appropriates $2,000,000 to the Department of Public Health from the General Revenue Fund to fund the activities and costs associated with the Universal Newborn Hearing Program. Effective July 1, 2008.
Amends the County Shelter Care and Detention Home Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning minimum standards for shelter care homes and detention homes. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning non-secure custody and detention. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning discipline in facilities of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that the Authority shall have additional regional planning powers and responsibilities, including the power to require a Service Board to change its fare and transfer charges, the power to intervene in and arbitrate disputes between Service Boards, the power to conduct financial audits, and the power to create a "Regional Transit Innovations Fund". Provides that the Authority shall establish regional goals, objectives, and performance standards for the Service Boards. Provides that new powers and duties of the Authority shall sunset 10 years after the effective date. Provides that the Authority shall cooperate with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and shall use the forecasts, assumptions, and plans of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning as the basis for designing the Authority's 5-year plan, Annual Capital Improvement Plan, and other capital improvement plan. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Election Code. Requires first time voters who registered by mail to vote in person unless they first provide specified types of documents identifying their name and address.
Creates the Universal Access to Broadband Services Act. Contains provisions regarding access to publicly-held broadband infrastructure for local community broadband projects. Provides for the development of local community broadband projects. Provides guidelines for the future deployment of publicly-held infrastructure. Amends the Illinois Century Network Act. Provides that the Illinois Century Network shall be available for lease, on a non-discriminatory basis, to any public, private, or non-profit entity pursuant to the Universal Access to Broadband Services Act. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to transfer to the Lieutenant Governor, and requires the Lieutenant Governor to receive, all funds possessed by the Commission related to the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Program. Provides that the Lieutenant Governor shall be responsible for administration and disbursement of any remaining funds, previously administered by the Illinois Commerce Commission, for the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Program. Provides that the Lieutenant Governor, through the Broadband Deployment Council established under Executive Order 2005-9, shall establish criteria for future grants from the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Fund and shall provide for the competitive selection of recipients of grant funds available. Effective immediately.
Creates the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Act. Requires the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, with the consultation of the Director of Natural Resources, to establish a permit program for oceangoing vessels to prevent the discharge of aquatic invasive species into State waters of the Great Lakes. Sets standards for issuance of permits. Requires cooperation with other states, Canada, and others. Contains provisions concerning fees and fines, reporting, monitoring, and review and enforcement. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund. Provides for federal preemption. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.