Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. In a Section concerning a police officer or fire officer survivor grant, provides that, with respect to disabled police and fire officers, natural children need not be born before the disability occurred in order to receive the grant. Effective immediately.
Amends the Chicago Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that, for policemen born on or after January 1, 1955, beginning on January 1, 2012, automatic annual increases shall be 3% and such policemen shall not be subject to the 30% maximum increase. Increases employee contributions by 1% in exchange for that benefit enhancement. Makes changes concerning annual increases to the monthly annuities of persons who first become a policeman on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and deletes repetitive language concerning annual increases in survivor's annuities for new hires. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
Amends the Railroad Obstruction Act. Provides that a person commits the offense of parking a motor vehicle on tracks, a Class 4 felony, when he or she knowingly leaves a motor vehicle on any portion of a railroad track for a period of one hour or more. Provides that a person commits the offense of aggravated parking a motor vehicle on tracks, a Class 2 felony, when he or she commits the offense of parking a motor vehicle on tracks and the violation is a proximate cause of death or great bodily harm to another person. Provides that the new provisions do not apply if a motor vehicle is left on a railroad track because of a mechanical failure, provided that the person in control of the vehicle at the time of the mechanical failure immediately makes a reasonable effort to have the vehicle removed from the track or to notify law enforcement of the location of the vehicle.
Amends the Chicago Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides for payment of a widow's annuity to an individual engaged to be married to (or to be joined in a civil union with) a policeman who dies in service on or after December 1, 2011. Requires a person making a claim for this benefit to produce clear and convincing evidence at a hearing before the Board that he or she was actually engaged to the policeman at the time of the policeman's death. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a prisoner in a Department of Corrections facility who is serving a sentence for the offense of domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery committed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall receive no good conduct credit and shall serve the entire sentence imposed by the court.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning service obligations.
Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. In the provision concerning Gold Star Family members, includes mothers through adoption and fathers through adoption.
Creates the Illinois Service Member Civil Relief Act. Provides that nothing in the Act is intended to impair any existing right or benefit available to any service member. Provides that certain legal protections afforded to service members (and family members where specified) are subject to stated provisions of law. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to set forth a provision concerning stays of contested case hearings for service members. Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois to set forth a provision concerning deadline extensions for service members. Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois to make changes to the provision concerning bulk long distance telephone services for military personnel in military service (now on active duty). Amends the Military Code of Illinois, Illinois Municipal Code, Illinois Insurance Code, Public Utilities Act, Service Member's Employment Tenure Act, Code of Civil Procedure, Landlord and Tenant Act, Uniform Commercial Code, Interest Act, Retail Installment Sales Act, Military Personnel Cellular Phone Contract Termination Act, and Motor Vehicle Leasing Act to make changes in certain provisions concerning military personnel. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to provide that a violation of specified provisions regarding legal protections for military personnel constitutes a civil rights violation under the Illinois Human Rights Act.
Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, on or after July 1, 2012 and on or before December 31, 2018, the taxes imposed under the Acts apply to (i) 90% of the proceeds of sales of gasohol, (ii) 80% of the proceeds of sales of E20 blended ethanol fuel, and (iii) 60% of the proceeds of sales of E30 blended ethanol fuel. Provides that an exemption for majority blended ethanol fuel applies through December 31, 2018 (instead of December 31, 2013). Amends the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development Program Act. Provides that grants may be awarded for the following programs: a next generation renewable fuels program, a majority blended ethanol and blender pump infrastructure program, and a research and development program for sustainable corn production and corn-based renewable fuel production. Sets forth the maximum aggregate amount of grants that may be awarded under each program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the amount of the credit for wages paid by the taxpayer to a qualified veteran to 20%, but in no event to exceed $5,000, of the gross wages paid by the taxpayer to a qualified veteran if the veteran (A) was hired by the taxpayer on or after January 1, 2012 and (B) was unemployed at the time he or she was hired by the taxpayer. Exempts the credit from the Act's automatic sunset provisions. Effective immediately.
