Rep. Robert S. Molaro

Amends the Real Estate License Act of 2000. Provides that no licensee shall give or pay cash rebates, cash gifts, or cash prizes to an unlicensed person who is a party to a contract to buy or sell real estate. Provides that a licensee may offer compensation, including prizes, merchandise, services, rebates, discounts, or other consideration to an unlicensed person who is a party to the lease of real estate, so long as the offer complies with certain provisions of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the General Provisions Article, allows certain pension funds to embrace the investment in international equities and fixed income in corporations created or existing under the laws of a foreign country or in such corporations through investments in certain pooled or commingled funds and provides that, for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund, the total market value of all stocks and convertible debt shall not exceed 75% of the aggregate market value of all fund investments. In the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Article, (i) makes changes concerning the timing of the first annuity payment date for retirement and survivor's annuities; (ii) provides that an employee in service before June 13, 1997 shall also receive a child's disability benefit during the period of disability of $10 per month for each unmarried natural or adopted child of the employee under 18 years of age (language granting this benefit was removed from the statutes by Public Act 90-12, effective June 13, 1997); (iii) provides that there shall be deducted from each payment of salary an amount equal to 7% of salary as the employee's contribution for the retirement annuity, including child's annuity, and 0.5% of salary as the employee's contribution for annual increases to the retirement annuity (was, 7 1/2% of salary as employees contribution for the retirement annuity, including annual increases therefore and child's annuity); (iv) makes changes concerning refunds after the death of a survivor of the employee and spouse; and (v) makes changes concerning the investment authority of the Retirement Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Cook County Forest Preserve District.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning receiving procedures.

Amends the Riverboat Gambling Act. Provides that the sum held by an owners licensee for payment of outstanding vouchers, if unclaimed after one year, shall be retained by the owners licensee for payment of the vouchers until that date and that, within 10 days thereafter, 75% of the sum remaining unclaimed shall be paid to the Illinois Veterans' Homes Fund and the remaining 25% of the sum remaining unclaimed shall be retained by the owners licensee. Provides that any sum held by an owners licensee on the effective date for payment of outstanding vouchers that have remained unclaimed for one year or longer shall be similarly distributed as soon as practical after the effective date. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the General Assembly.

Amends the Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a vertically integrated cable operator that carries, on its extended basic service a programming channel that it owns has a duty to treat, in a fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory manner, a cable programming channel that competes in the same programming category with the programming channel that the vertically integrated cable operator owns. Provides that, if an independent programmer has reason to believe that it has not been treated in a fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory manner concerning carriage of a competing programming channel, then it may submit a request for commercial arbitration with the vertically integrated cable operator over the terms and conditions of carriage within 90 days after a first-time request for carriage or renewal of a carriage agreement. Provides that if the dispute remains unresolved 10 days after submission of the request for arbitration, then either party may file with the American Arbitration Association a formal demand for arbitration and shall include a final offer with the filing. Provides that the AAA shall notify the other party of the demand for arbitration and submit to the other party the final offer submitted by the initiating party, and that within 5 days after receipt of that notice from the AAA, the other party shall submit its responses on price, but not terms and conditions, to the AAA. Contains provisions concerning the manner in which arbitration proceedings shall be conducted. Effective immediately.

Amends the Judges Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a married participant who elected not to participate in the survivor's annuity provisions and who is still a judge may elect to participate therein by filing with the Board before July 1, 2009 a written recision of the election not to participate. Includes language exempting any benefit increase as a result from the new benefit increase provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. In provisions prohibiting animal fighting, other than fighting where the only animals involved are dogs, and fighting between an animal and a human, increases certain criminal penalties. Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. In provisions prohibiting dog fighting, increases certain criminal penalties. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning delinquent minors.