Rep. Constance A. Howard

Mourns the death of Mildred L. DeShasor of Chicago.

Mourns the death of Melvin Alexander, Sr. of Chicago.

Creates the 21st Century Scholars Act to provide an incentive for low-income students in the 8th grade to improve their academic preparation for postsecondary education. Sets forth provisions concerning annual tuition scholarships to applicants who qualify; requiring the State, the participating school district, and the student to enter into a 3-part compact; rules to implement the Act; and reporting to the General Assembly on awards.

Amends the General Assembly Organization Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the deposit of books, bills, documents, and papers with the Secretary of State.

Shows the General Assembly's support for the provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would authorize the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union as the bargaining representative when a majority of employees voluntarily sign authorization cards designating the union they wish to represent them, provide for first contract mediation and arbitration, and establish meaningful penalties for violations of a worker's freedom to choose a union.

Amends the Cemetery Care Act to require a cemetery association holding $75,000 or less in its care funds to file a report with the Comptroller in lieu of other annual report requirements and to require that the Comptroller examine at least annually every licensee who holds $750,000 or more (now, $250,000 or more) in its care funds. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning a license required to engage in the business of making loans of money in a principal amount not exceeding $25,000.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections relating to executive clemency. Provides that the Governor shall decide each application and communicate his or her decision to the Prisoner Review Board within one year after the hearing by the Board on the petition seeking a pardon, commutation, or reprieve. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is a Class X felony to use force or to threaten the use of force against another person to effect or to attempt to effect a transaction at an electronic fund transfer terminal located in the State. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that it is an aggravating factor in sentencing that the defendant committed the offense of first degree murder during the commission of a violation of the new offense.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, the Governor's Office of Management and Budget Act, the Illinois Procurement Code, and the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act. Makes changes including, but not limited to: statements of economic interests; gifts to State officials and employees; prohibited sources of those gifts; offers and promises in exchange for campaign contributions; revolving door prohibitions; composition of the Executive Ethics Commission; initiation of complaints and investigations by the Executive Inspectors General; the Attorney General's authority to investigate and bring ethics complaints; summary ethics investigation reports; injunctive relief against ethics violations; administrative fines levied by ethics commissions; State contract subcontractors; State leases; and progress reports by State grant recipients and failure to file those reports. Effective immediately.