Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the minimum assessed value for a home qualifying for the disabled veterans property tax exemption is $100,000 (instead of $70,000). Extends the disabled veterans standard homestead exemption to veterans who were killed in the line of duty. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that any federal disability benefit awarded to a veteran for a service-connected disability under specified provisions of federal law is exempt from claims of creditors and from judgment, attachment, levy, seizure by or under any legal or equitable process, or distress for rent. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that if a parent removes a child from the State, without leave of court, or fails to inform, or knowingly provides false or misleading information to, the other parent about the address and telephone number where the child may be reached during a period of temporary removal from Illinois, the court shall enter an order that terminates the terms of that parent's visitation with the child or terminates the parent's custody of the child.
Amends the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971. Provides that with respect to signs owned or leased by the State or a political subdivision or on property for which either the State or a political subdivision determines a benefit, an area zoned for business, commercial, or industrial activities that is adjacent to and within 660 feet of (i) an Interstate highway and that is in Township 41 North, Range 10 East of the Third Principal Meridian, or (ii) a toll highway in the Cities of Des Plaines and Elmhurst or in the Villages of Hoffman Estates, Rosemont, and Indian Head Park, shall be deemed a "business area" for purposes of the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Chicago Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that if any policeman whose application for either a duty disability benefit or an occupational disease disability benefit has been denied by the Retirement Board brings an action for administrative review challenging the denial of disability benefits and the policeman prevails in the action in administrative review, then the prevailing policeman shall be entitled to recover from the Fund court costs and litigation expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, as part of the costs of the action. Effective immediately.
Amends the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act. Provides that whenever a State or local law enforcement agency becomes aware that an inhabitable property has been contaminated by its use as a clandestine methamphetamine drug lab, the agency shall report the contamination to the Department of State Police and to the local public health officer. Provides that the Department of State Police shall maintain a list of inhabitable property that has been reported as contaminated, and the list must be made available to the public through a website. Provides that the property shall be removed from the list when the contamination has been removed. Provides that once an inhabitable property has been removed from the list, a property owner, landlord, or real estate agent is not required to report or otherwise disclose the past contamination.
Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Provides that any natural father, natural mother, mother through adoption, father through adoption, or spouse of a veteran killed in the line of duty, (also known as a Gold Star Family member) deemed eligible for per diem payments by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs who was a resident of the State of Illinois for a continuous period of one year immediately before making application is entitled to admission to any of the Illinois Veterans Homes should vacant beds exist. Further provides that preference for filling vacant beds or for filling vacant beds from a waiting list shall be granted first to eligible veterans. Effective immediately.
Amends the Railroad Incorporation Act. Makes a technical change in a provision concerning articles of incorporation.
Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Provides that the health insurance benefits provided by the Act apply without regard to whether the employee suffered a catastrophic injury or was killed in the line of duty before, on, or after the effective date of the Act.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that not more than 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Illinois Commerce Commission shall direct the Office of Retail Market Development to update the consumer education materials for residential consumers and small business consumers. Provides that the Commission may form another working group to prepare and review the consumer education materials prior to their adoption by the Commission.
