Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act, the School Code, and the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act. Makes the date of the general election a legal and school holiday known as General Election Day. Rephrases the current authorization for banks to close on the date of the general election. Prohibits requiring officers and employees of the State, units of local government, and school districts to work on General Election Day except as necessary for the conduct of the election, for law enforcement, for fire protection, and for public health and safety. Requires courts to designate General Election Day as a court holiday. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Amends the Election Code, the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Office of Banks and Real Estate Act, the Counties Code, and the Universities Civil Service Act to make conforming changes.
Sponsored bills
Appropriates $98,000, or so much of that amount as may be necessary, from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Public Health for activities within Illinois related to sarcoidosis prevention and the development and dissemination of prevention materials to health care providers and for other statewide activities related to sarcoidosis prevention, awareness, and control targeted for populations who are at a high risk of developing health complications due to sarcoidosis. Effective July 1, 2005.
Urges the U.S. and Illinois Departments of Agriculture to fund research and make grants available to determine the efficacy of using miscanthus as a power source.
Creates the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Provides that candidates for the Supreme Court may apply for a public financing benefit in connection with their campaign. Sets the amount of the public financing benefit at $750,000 for the general primary and general election cycle. Sets requirements for qualifying for the public financing benefits. Limits the amount of private contributions qualified candidates may accept. Limits the amounts that non-participating candidates may accept from private sources during campaign periods to $1,000 in the aggregate. Provides that qualified candidates must be distributed a line of credit from the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund to be used for lawful political expenditures. Provides for the increase of the line of credit if non-complying candidates make certain expenditures. Sets penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Illinois Supreme Court may require attorneys to contribute money to the Fund not to exceed $25 annually. Contains other provisions. Amends the Election Code. Provides that a payment for electioneering communications is an "expenditure". Provides that a group that "accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $3,000 for the purpose of electioneering communications" is a political committee. Allows the Board of Elections to impose a fine against a committee that fails to report expenditures that could trigger matching funds under the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to print on its standard individual income tax form a provision by which the taxpayer may make a contribution (not less than $1) to the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Clerk of the Courts Act. Requires circuit court clerks to transfer $1 from each appearance fee paid to the State Treasurer for deposit into the Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund and, to defray that expense, the county board may, by resolution, require the clerk of the circuit court in the county to charge and collect a Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund fee of not more than $1, which shall be paid at the time that any appearance fee is paid. Effective immediately.
Amends the Digital Divide Law. Creates the Non-profit Digital Divide Foundation to succeed the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in managing the Digital Divide Elimination Fund. Sets forth various provisions for the formation and operation of the Foundation. Provides that the Foundation is authorized to accept and solicit funds from a variety of sources. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Family Practice Residency Act. Includes psychiatry in the definition of "primary care physician". Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to develop forms and procedures for submission, review, and approval of applications, including electronic online filing via the Internet. Requires the Department to identify residency programs and practice opportunities in designated shortage areas and provide information to students to assist them in obtaining a placement. Requires the Advisory Committee for Family Practice Residency Programs to review the distribution of funds to family practice residency programs and scholarships awarded to determine if the purpose of the Act is being met.
Creates the Connect Illinois Act. Establishes the Illinois Broadband Development Authority to coordinate the spread of broadband telecommunications technology in Illinois in order to achieve competition, affordability, and universal broadband service and to secure the State's telecommunications and economic future. Repeals the Act and dissolves the Authority on January 1, 2010.
Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Allows collective bargaining agreements to require non-members to pay a fair share of the exclusive representative's organizing expenses. Effective immediately.
Creates the State Services Accountability Act. Provides that certain contractors and grantees with State contracts or grants or with contracts to perform public works shall certify that: they will not use State funds to promote, assist, or deter union organizing or to influence the decision of any of their employees to be represented or not represented by a labor organization; they will not require or prohibit the attendance of employees at a meeting related to union representation; they will not schedule or hold meetings related to union representation during an employee's work time or in work areas; and they will allow a labor organization the same opportunity to communicate with employees as is used by the contractor or the grantee. Provides that a labor organization may file a complaint with the Attorney General if it believes that a contractor or grantee is expending funds in violation of this Act and that the Attorney General shall then notify the contractor or grantee that it must provide an accounting with specified information. Provides for enforcement of the Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that information concerning complaints filed under the State Services Accountability Act is exempt from inspection and copying. Effective immediately.
Amends various Acts relating to the governance of the public universities in Illinois. Provides that the board of trustees of each university shall offer 100% tuition discounts (instead of 50% tuition waivers) for undergraduate education to the children of employees who have been employed by any one or more of these universities for at least 7 years. Requires 100% tuition discounts to also be offered to the spouses and domestic partners of these employees. Includes retired employees as university employees for the purpose of these provisions. Effective immediately.