Rep. Cynthia Soto

Amends the Income Withholding for Support Act. Provides that when an obligor under an order for support terminates his or her employment, whether voluntarily or otherwise, the obligor's employer must obtain a copy of the order for support. Provides that before an employer pays to an obligor any moneys on account of the obligor's termination of employment, including pension or other retirement or severance benefits, the employer must ascertain whether the obligor is liable for the payment of any portion of those moneys to the obligee under the terms of the order for support. Effective immediately.

Amends the Conveyances Act. Makes a technical change to a Section concerning deeds, mortgages, and other instruments.

Amends the State Finance Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Act. Extends the duration and increases the amounts of deposits of certain use and occupation tax proceeds into the McCormick Place Expansion Project Fund. Increases certain bond authorization limits of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority from $2,107,000,000 to $2,457,000,000 and makes changes to the required maturity dates of the bonds. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Provides that a public agency or private entity in possession of biometric identifiers or biometric information must develop a written policy, made available to the public, establishing a retention schedule and guidelines for permanently destroying biometric identifiers and biometric information when the initial purpose for collecting or obtaining such identifiers or information has been satisfied or within 3 years of the individual's last interaction with the public agency or private entity. Provides that absent a valid warrant or subpoena, a public agency or private entity in possession of biometric identifiers or biometric information must comply with its established retention schedule and destruction guidelines. Provides that no public agency or private entity may collect, capture, purchase, receive through trade, or otherwise obtain a person's or a customer's biometric identifier or biometric information, unless it first satisfies certain conditions. Provides that these provisions do not apply to a public agency engaged in criminal investigations or prosecutions or a public agency acting pursuant to a valid warrant or subpoena. Provides that a public agency in possession of biometric identifiers or biometric information shall store, transmit, and protect from disclosure all biometric identifiers and biometric information in a manner that is the same as or more protective than the manner in which the public agency stores, transmits, and protects other confidential and sensitive information. Provides that any person aggrieved by a violation of this Act shall have a right of action in a State circuit court or as a supplemental claim in federal district court. Preempts home rule. Contains other provisions.

Creates the Mortgage Steering Act. Prohibits mortgage loan steering or other specified fee and loan practices, based upon (i) the borrower's credit history, (ii) the borrower's capacity to repay the loan, and (iii) the property on which the loan is secured, because of that borrower’s race, gender, age, disability, or national origin. Provides that the Attorney General shall enforce the Act and grants the Attorney General the additional listed enforcement powers. Provides for injunctive relief, restitution, and civil penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that a person who suffers actual damages as a result of a violation of the Act by a lender may bring an action against that lender and may be awarded actual economic damages or any other relief that the court deems proper. Provides that any waiver or modification of the rights, provisions, or remedies of the Act shall be void and unenforceable.

Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Provides that coverage under the Plan shall automatically terminate as of the effective date of any medical assistance, except in cases where the effective date of the medical assistance is the date that the application for medical assistance was submitted to the Department of Human Services and that date is different than the date that the applicant is determined to be eligible for medical assistance. Provides that in that circumstance, coverage under the plan shall terminate on the date that the applicant was determined to be eligible for medical assistance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that the offense of making a terrorist threat or an attempt to commit the offense of making a terrorist threat is non-bailable, where the proof is evident or the presumption great that the defendant is guilty of the offense and where the court, after a hearing, determines that the release of the defendant would pose a real and present threat to the physical safety of any person and denial of bail is necessary to prevent fulfillment of that threat. Provides that when a person is charged with the offense of making a terrorist threat or an attempt to commit the offense of making a terrorist threat and bail has been set, the court may require the defendant to deposit a sum equal to 100% of the bail. Effective immediately.

Amends the Genetic Information Privacy Act. Adds several definitions. Provides that the Act applies to the State and local governments. Provides that an employer, employment agency, labor organization, and licensing agency shall not directly or indirectly do any of the following: (1) solicit, request, require or purchase genetic information of a person or administer a genetic test to a person as a condition of employment, preemployment application, labor organization membership, or licensure; (2) affect the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, preemployment application, labor organization membership, or licensure, or terminate the employment, labor organization membership, or licensure of any person because of genetic information with respect to the employee or family member (or information about a request for or the receipt of genetic testing by such employee or family member of such employee); (3) limit, segregate, or classify employees in any way that would deprive or tend to deprive any employee of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect the status of the employee as an employee because of genetic information with respect to the employee or family member (or information about a request for or the receipt of genetic testing by such employee or family member of such employee); or (4) retaliate through discharge or in any other manner against any person alleging a violation of this Act. Makes other changes. Preempts home rule.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. With respect to the Monetary Award Program, provides that the maximum grant amount must not exceed $5,468 for fiscal year 2009, $5,968 for fiscal year 2010, and $6,468 for fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter (instead of $4,968). Provides that the maximum grant amount for students not subject to this provision must be increased by the same percentage as any increase made by law to such provision. Removes the provision that limits the grant amount to an amount that equals 2 semesters or 3 quarters tuition and fees. Effective July 1, 2008.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that if a defendant is accused of child pornography or aggravated child pornography or the defendant is accused of first degree murder or second degree murder when the commission of the offense involves sexual penetration or sexual conduct, evidence of the defendant's commission of another such offense or evidence to rebut that proof or an inference from that proof, may be admissible (if that evidence is otherwise admissible under the rules of evidence) and may be considered for its bearing on any matter to which it is relevant. Provides that (1) testimony by the victim of an out of court statement made by the victim that he or she complained of such act to another; and (2) testimony of an out of court statement made by the victim describing any complaint of such act or matter or detail pertaining to any act which is an element of an offense which is the subject of a prosecution for a sexual or physical act against that victim are admissible as exceptions to the hearsay rule in prosecutions for any sex offense as defined in the Sex Offender Registration Act.