Rep. Curtis Tarver

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Removes language providing that in a proceeding involving the support, custody, visitation, allocation of parental responsibilities, education, parentage, property interest, or general welfare of a minor or dependent child, a guardian ad litem appointed by the court shall testify or submit a written report to the court regarding his or her recommendations in accordance with the best interests of the child. Provides instead that a guardian ad litem shall investigate the facts of the case and interview the child and the parties and, unless the court directs otherwise, the guardian ad litem shall submit to the court and the parties a written report, written recommendations, or a proposed parenting plan not less than 30 days before a final hearing or trial. Requires a guardian ad litem to be available for deposition before a final hearing or trial notwithstanding any other discovery cutoff. Allows a guardian ad litem to: (i) be present for all proceedings, including in camera examinations of the child; (ii) issue subpoenas for records as part of the guardian ad litem's investigation; and (iii) file pleadings relating to procedural matters.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Provides that statutory provisions concerning residency requirements for highway commissioners also apply to clerks. Deletes language providing that a board of trustees may contract with a neighboring township to provide highway commissioner or clerk services if the township has a population of less than 500.

Amends the Township Code. Provides that a township's board may either expend funds directly or may enter into any cooperative agreement or contract with specified entities to provide its residents with health services, including mental, behavioral, eye, dental, or other healthcare. Provides that the township board may approve the application of a different, publicly available, professional or academically recognized standard of need in determining eligibility for subsidized day care. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that persons shall not be determined ineligible for case assistance under the General Assistance Article of the Code based upon a conviction for any drug-related felony under State or federal law. In provisions concerning the General Assistance program, permits a local government unit to provide assistance to households under its General Assistance program following a disaster proclamation issued by the Governor if the local governmental unit is within the area designated under the proclamation. Provides that a local governmental unit may provide assistance under its General Assistance program under a service that complies with specified provisions of the Township Code. Provides that before a local government provides assistance, the board of the local government shall approve the expenditures of such assistance.

Amends the Illinois Pre-Need Cemetery Sales Act. Provides that the pre-need contract shall provide, if applicable, that if the purchaser does not pay the costs associated with the opening or closing of an undeveloped interment, inurnment, or entombment space, the seller may repossess the undeveloped interment, inurnment, or entombment space.

Amends the Illinois Fairness in Lending Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code. Allows a child to be absent from a public school on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day to attend the ceremonial induction into office of the child's parent or legal guardian as a newly elected government official. Provides that the student and parent or legal guardian are responsible for obtaining assignments from the student's teacher prior to the period of excused absence and for ensuring that such assignments are completed by the student prior to the student's return to school from that period of excused absence.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Makes changes in the definition of "alcopop". Prohibits the display of any alcopop beverage in premises licensed to sell alcoholic liquor at retail adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled water, candy, or snack foods portraying cartoons or youth-orientated photos. Adds parents or subsidiaries of certain licensees to provisions concerning non-alcoholic merchandise. Provides that the bona fide producer or vendor of non-alcoholic merchandise shall not provide something of value to a retailer for sale of non-alcoholic merchandise if the of-value item or items are a subterfuge for providing something of value for the sale of alcoholic liquor. Provides that the Illinois Liquor Control Commission shall have the authority to examine records of a manufacturer class license holder, non-resident dealer, foreign importer, importing distributor, or distributor, or any parent or subsidiary thereof, for the purpose of examining all of-value transactions between such entity and a retailer.

Amends the Local Government Travel Expense Control Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, and the Service Occupation Tax Act to update a cross reference. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Designations Act. Provides that the soybean is designated as the official State bean of the State of Illinois.