Rep. Marlow H. Colvin

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Allows an income tax credit for each individual taxpayer who is a teacher teaching in a school in Illinois. Provides that the amount of the credit is equal to 50% of the eligible classroom expenses made by the taxpayer during the taxable year, but the credit may not exceed $500. Defines "eligible classroom expenses" as the aggregate amount of nonreimbursed classroom expenses made by the taxpayer during the taxable year less $250. Provides that the credit may not be carried forward or back and may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that the Department of Insurance shall not use a licensed insurance producer's social security number as the insurance producer's personal identification number. Effective January 1, 2009.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Prohibits residency within the school district from being considered in determining the employment of a teacher. Also, prohibits residency within the district from being considered in determining a teacher's compensation or whether to retain, promote, assign, or transfer that teacher (now, this prohibition applies only if residency within the district was not required at the time of employment as a qualification of employment). Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the amount of the earned income tax credit from 5% of the federal credit to: (i) 7.5% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2007; and (ii) 10% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2008 or thereafter. Effective immediately.

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Limits the liability of a commercial entity that is the lessor of a vehicle under a written lease agreement if the lessor provides a copy of the leasing agreement to the Toll Highway Authority within 60 days (instead of 21 days) of the issue date on the notice of violation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Under specified circumstances, allows for a maximum of 5 additional charter schools exclusively for truants or dropouts in Chicago if the limit on the number of charter schools that may operate at any one time in the rest of the State has not been reached. Provides that if any of the additional charter schools are not used exclusively for truants or dropouts, then the State Board of Education shall withhold and the charter school shall forfeit all State funding designated for that school.

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.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that in addition to the regular reporting requirements of the Act, all public transit agencies that receive State funding shall submit: (i) to biannual State financial and performance audits, (ii) to the Illinois General Assembly an annual Service Plan to increase and enhance service to low-income communities, (iii) certain details of any proposed or ongoing capital improvements receiving State funding where work has been approved or authorized by the public transit agencies. Requires the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the Commuter Rail Board (Metra), and the Suburban Bus Board (Pace) to submit "Service Performance Reports" by route or line compiled in a single report covering FY2000 through FY2006, and thereafter annually. Specifies the information to be contained in these Service Performance Reports. Provides that each public transit agency outside of the RTA region shall submit an annual assessment of the public transit needs of its county or transit district, the availability of public transit in its county or transit district, and its capital needs to provide adequate, timely, and efficient service. Requires all public transit agencies that receive State funding for operating or capital costs, or both, to develop and implement a citizen participation process. Requires the Department of Transportation to compile the Service Performance Reports on an annual basis and submit them to the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Abused, Neglected, or Dependent Minors Article of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that the court may not, in an order of disposition under that Article, order specific placement, specific services, or specific service providers while the minor is in temporary custody unless otherwise specifically authorized by law.