Rep. Renée Kosel

Amends the Township Code. Provides that, beginning with elections in 2013, the township collectors elected at the township election shall enter upon their duties on the third Monday in May (instead of January 1) following their election and qualification. Provides that, beginning with elections in 2013, the township and multi-township assessors shall enter upon their duties on the third Monday of May (instead of January 1) following their election. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the General Assembly, State Employee, State Universities, Downstate Teacher, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Caps the salary, earnings, or compensation used in determining retirement annuities for persons who first enter the systems on or after July 1, 2010 at the Governor's salary on the date of the participant's retirement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, if the corporate authorities of a county or municipality have adopted an ordinance to impose fines or penalties for a violation of an automated traffic law enforcement ordinance to enforce red lights before the effective date of this amendatory Act, then the imposition of the fines or penalties by the corporate authorities of the county or municipality is subject to a back-door referendum. Sets forth the requirements for the back-door referendum. Provides that, if the corporate authorities of a county or municipality adopt an ordinance to impose fines or penalties for a violation of an automated traffic law enforcement ordinance to enforce red lights, then the imposition of the fines or penalties by the corporate authorities of the county or municipality is subject to a back-door referendum. Sets forth the requirements for the back-door referendum. Limits home rule powers.

Amends the Taxi Safety Act of 2007. Provides that a taxi driver must be 21 years of age or older, must have a valid driver's license issued by any state in the United States, must have had a valid driver's license for at least 3 years, and must not have been convicted of certain offenses during the immediately preceding 3-year period. Also provides that if he or she, after becoming a taxi driver, is convicted of any of those offenses or ceases to be licensed, the taxi driver must immediately cease operating a taxicab and the prohibition shall continue until specified conditions are met. Effective July 1, 2010.

Amends the Taxi Safety Act of 2007. Provides that a taxi driver must be 21 years of age or older, must have a valid driver's license issued by any state in the United States, must have had a valid driver's license for at least 3 years, and must not have been convicted of certain offenses during the immediately preceding 3-year period. Also provides that if he or she, after becoming a taxi driver, is convicted of any of those offenses or ceases to be licensed, the taxi driver must immediately cease operating a taxicab and the prohibition shall continue until specified conditions are met. Effective July 1, 2011.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Requires the municipal clerk or county clerk to file a copy of the ordinance or election results that results in the prohibition of video gaming within the municipality or county with the Illinois Gaming Board. Requires the Illinois Gaming Board to keep a list of any municipality or county that prohibits video gaming. Provides that, if a municipality or county prohibits video gaming, then no video gaming terminals may be offered for play within the municipality or county, including video gaming terminals operated for amusement only and bearing a valid amusement tax sticker issued prior to July 13, 2009. Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a mechanical device played for amusement that is located within a municipality or county that has prohibited video gaming under the Video Gaming Act is a "gambling device". Includes within the definition of "gambling place" any real estate, vehicle, boat, or other property whatsoever located within a municipality or county that prohibits video gaming as provided in the Video Gaming Act that offers for play a video gaming terminal operated for amusement only. Provides that, if a person knowingly offers for play a video gaming terminal within a municipality or county that prohibits video gaming as provided in the Video Gaming Act, then the fine is $5,000 per video gaming terminal. Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Provides that, of the amounts in excess of $2,500 collected as fines for knowingly offering for play a video gaming terminal within a municipality or county that prohibits video gaming, one-half shall be deposited into the Capital Projects Fund and the other one-half shall be allocated to the police authority that initiated the procedure leading to the imposition of the fines. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a non-expert's opinion or inference testimony is limited to opinions or inferences that are rationally based on his or her perception, helpful to a clear understanding of his or her testimony or the determination of a fact in issue, and not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge. Sets forth requirements regarding: qualifications, testimony, disclosure, and compensation of expert witnesses; bases of expert opinion testimony; limitations on expert testimony; pre-trial hearings and disclosures concerning expert witnesses; precedents to be followed in interpreting the new provisions; interlocutory appeals of rulings on the admissibility of expert evidence; standards to be followed by reviewing courts in determining the admissibility of expert testimony; severability; and other matters. Applies to actions commenced on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and pending actions in which a trial has not been scheduled or in which a trial has been scheduled more than 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a non-expert's opinion or inference testimony is limited to opinions or inferences that are rationally based on his or her perception, helpful to a clear understanding of his or her testimony or the determination of a fact in issue, and not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge. Sets forth requirements regarding: qualifications, testimony, disclosure, and compensation of expert witnesses; bases of expert opinion testimony; limitations on expert testimony; pre-trial hearings and disclosures concerning expert witnesses; precedents to be followed in interpreting the new provisions; interlocutory appeals of rulings on the admissibility of expert evidence; standards to be followed by reviewing courts in determining the admissibility of expert testimony; severability; and other matters. Applies to actions commenced on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and pending actions in which a trial has not been scheduled or in which a trial has been scheduled more than 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a water utility official or his or her designee must notify (i) the local fire officials of any hydrant that it finds necessary to take out of service for water main-related work due to emergency repairs or scheduled maintenance, whenever such maintenance work and hydrant out of service condition is expected to last more than 8 hours or if the main will be unattended at any time during the outage and (ii) the dispatcher or designated fire official of any hydrant reported to be inoperable or expected to operate with a rate of water flow less than a normal rate expected for the hydrant as soon as practical, but in no event more than 2 hours, after receiving the notice from an employee, contractor, police department, or other government official, and, under normal conditions, must have the hydrant restored to service within 48 hours. Provides a fine of $100 per day for failure to make the notification or repairs, which shall be paid to the fire department or fire protection district. Allows for enforcement by the fire department or fire protection district. Effective immediately.