Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of natural life imprisonment when the death penalty is not imposed if the defendant is found guilty of murdering an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States or a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States if the active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States or veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States served combat duty in the most recent conflict authorized by the President of the United States and the defendant knew or should have known that the murdered individual was an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States or was a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States who served combat duty in the most recent conflict authorized by the President of the United States. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the School Code. Provides that a non-public elementary or secondary school may not obtain "Non-public School Recognition" status unless (i) the school requires all applicants for employment with the school, after July 1, 2007, to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check as a condition of employment to determine if such applicants have been convicted of specified criminal or drug offenses and (ii) the school performs a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database for each applicant for employment, after July 1, 2007, to determine whether the applicant has been adjudicated a sex offender. Provides that no non-public school may obtain recognition status that knowingly employs a person, hired after July 1, 2007, for whom a Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint-based criminal history records check and a Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been initiated or who has been convicted of certain criminal or drug offenses. Contains provisions concerning a fee for the criminal history records check and reimbursement, confidentiality, and checks of employees of persons or firms holding contracts with the school. Effective July 1, 2007.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Prohibits a person under the age of 19 years (instead of 18 years) who holds an instruction permit or a graduated license from driving on a roadway while using a wireless phone, except for emergency purposes.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code, School Code, Child Passenger Protection Act, and Unified Code of Corrections. Makes various changes regarding: driver education requirements; graduated driver's licenses; instruction permits for minors; curfews for drivers under a specified age; the number of passengers under a specified age allowed in a vehicle driven by a newly licensed driver under a certain age; the use of seat safety belts; the use of wireless telephones by graduated driver's license holders; suspensions of driver's licenses of drivers under age 21 under specified circumstances; required appearances before the presiding judge with a parent or guardian under specified circumstances; vehicle impoundment for drivers arrested for street racing; and other matters. Repeals provisions creating the offense of drag racing. Creates the offenses of street racing and aggravated street racing, and makes conforming changes. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2008, except that the provisions amending the School Code are effective July 1, 2008.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that when a person who has not previously been convicted of or placed on probation for felony prostitution is guilty of felony prostitution, the court, without entering a judgment and with the consent of the person, may sentence the person to probation. Provides that when a person is placed on probation for felony prostitution, the court shall order a period of probation of 24 months and defer further proceedings until the conclusion of the period or until the filing of a petition alleging violation of probation. Provides that the conditions of probation shall be that the person: not violate any criminal statute of any jurisdiction; refrain from possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon; submit to periodic drug testing at a time and in a manner as ordered by the court, but no less than 3 times during the period of the probation, with the cost of the testing to be paid by the probationer; and perform no less than 30 hours of community service if community service is available in the jurisdiction and is funded and approved by the county board. Provides that the court may impose other conditions of probation. Provides that upon fulfillment of the terms and conditions of probation, the court shall discharge the person and dismiss the proceedings. Provides that there may be only one discharge and dismissal under this provision. Provides that if a person is convicted of prostitution within 5 years after a discharge and dismissal under this provision, the discharge and dismissal shall be admissible in the sentencing proceeding for that conviction as evidence in aggravation. Effective immediately.
Creates the Clean Coal FutureGen for Illinois Act for the purpose of providing the FutureGen Alliance with adequate liability protection, land use rights, and permitting certainty to facilitate the siting of the FutureGen Project in Illinois. Contain provisions concerning transfer of title to sequestered gas and associated liabilities to the State; insurance and indemnification by the State for the Operator for certain liabilities; permits; land use, including condemnation powers; and economic incentives. Contains other provisions and a severability clause. Amends: the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law concerning financial assistance; the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act concerning high impact businesses; the Court of Claims Act and the State Lawsuit Immunity Act concerning jurisdiction; and the Eminent Domain Act concerning condemnation authority. Effective immediately.
Creates the Illinois Justice Study Committee to review all non-capital wrongful conviction cases, identify the most common causes of wrongful conviction in non-capital cases, identify current law, and identify solutions.
Creates the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan Council to assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease on Illinoisans, to examine the existing services and resources addressing the needs of persons with Alzheimer's and their families and caregivers, and to prepare, and develop a strategy to implement, an Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan.
Creates the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Law and amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the Lieutenant Governor, with the advice of the Broadband Deployment Council, shall enlist a nonprofit corporation to implement a comprehensive, statewide high speed Internet deployment strategy and adoption initiative. Specifies the duties of the nonprofit organization. Provides that nothing in the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Law shall be construed as giving the Lieutenant Governor, the Broadband Deployment Council, the nonprofit organization, or other entities any additional authority, regulatory or otherwise, over providers of telecommunications, broadband, and information technology. Creates the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, to be used, subject to appropriation, by the Lieutenant Governor for purposes of providing grants to the nonprofit organization enlisted under the Law. Provides that on the effective date of the Law, all moneys in the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Fund which have not already been distributed or ordered distributed by the Illinois Commerce Commission shall be transferred to the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Fund. Contains other provisions concerning local governmental entities who undertake local broadband projects. Amends the Universal Telephone Service Protection Law of 1985 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a telecommunications carrier that is not subject to regulation under an alternative regulation plan pursuant to specified provisions may reduce the rate or charge for a noncompetitive service, service element, feature, or functionality offered to customers on a separate, stand-alone basis or as part of a bundled service offering by filing with the Commission a tariff that shows the reduced rate or charge and all applicable terms and conditions of the noncompetitive service, service element, feature, or functionality or bundled offering. Provides that provisions concerning basic local exchange service quality and the consumer complaint resolution process do not apply to telephone cooperatives. Changes the repeal date of the Universal Telephone Service Protection Law of 1985 from July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2009.
Urges the Governor to present a capital budget that includes $100,000,000, on an annual basis, for the Illinois Special Places Acquisition, Conservation and Enhancement (iSPACE) Program, which includes the following: (i) a new statewide land acquisition program to protect the State's most precious natural resources and provide recreational opportunities, including matching grants to local governments; (ii) implementation of the Partners for Conservation Program (formerly Conservation 2000) through land acquisition and management grants; and (iii) implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for hunting opportunities in Illinois.