Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Increases criminal penalties and fines for specified violations of the Act. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that certain violations of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act are non-probationable offenses.
Amends the General Assembly Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Restricts participation in the General Assembly Retirement System to persons who were participants in the System before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires a person who becomes a constitutional officer or member of the General Assembly on or after that date to participate in the State Employees' Retirement System. Effective immediately.
Amends the Nursing Home Care Act to provide that a facility shall maintain a list of the names, job titles, cities of residence, and dates of employment of all of its employees and shall provide this information to any member of the public upon request. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Oil and Gas Act. Provides that the Director of Natural Resources shall adopt rules that require, prior to such hydraulic fracturing, the owner or operator to perform a suitable mechanical integrity test of the casing or of the casing-tubing annulus or other mechanical integrity test methods using procedures that are established by administrative rule. Provides that each owner or operator that begins extracting natural gas from shale shall report to the Department specified information within 30 days after the completion of all stages of the hydraulic fracturing stimulation. Requires that the owner or operator shall post the chemical disclosure information on certain specified websites. Provides that the owner or operator shall provide information to the Director as to the amounts, handling, and, if necessary, disposal at an identified appropriate disposal facility, or reuse of the well stimulation fluid load recovered during flow back, swabbing, or recovery from production facility vessels. Provides that the storage of the well stimulation fluid load shall be protective of an underground source of drinking water by the use of either tanks or lined pits. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to require or allow disclosure of trade secrets or commercial information that is exempt from inspection or copying when provided to the Department together with a claim made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act that such information is proprietary, privileged, or confidential and that disclosure may cause competitive harm to the person or business. Provides that the provision only applies to the extraction of natural gas from shale.
Amends the Employee Washroom Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Removes a requirement that taxpayers in a county with 3,000,000 inhabitants must reapply for the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption on an annual basis.
Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Increases criminal penalties and fines for specified violations of the Act. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that certain violations of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act are non-probationable offenses.
Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Defines "homemade beer" to mean a beer that was made by a person 21 years of age or older through his or her own efforts, at his or her place of residence, and not for a commercial purpose, but for consumption by that person or his or her family and guests or for use at an exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, sampling, contest, or competition authorized by the Act. Provides that the making of homemade beer does not require a license or permit under the Act if all of these apply: the brewer receives no compensation; the homemade beer is not sold or offered for sale; and the total quantity of homemade beer made, in a calendar year, by the person does not exceed 100 gallons if the household has only one person of legal drinking age or 200 gallons if the household has 2 or more persons of legal drinking age. Provides that homemade beer made in compliance with the Act may be used for purposes of an exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, sampling, contest, or competition, if the event is held at a private residence or on a licensed premises. Provides that an event held on a licensed premises by a licensee may require an admission charge, but no separate or additional fee may be charged for the consumption of homemade beer at the event. Provides that event admission charges may be partially used to provide prizes, but may not be divided in any fashion among the makers of the homemade beer who participate in the event. Provides that no admission fee and no charge for the consumption of homemade beer may be charged if the event is held at a private residence. Provides that the fact that a person is acting in a manner authorized under the Act is not, by itself, sufficient to constitute a public nuisance under the Act. Provides that if an authorized event is held on licensed premises, the licensee may allow the homemade beer to be stored on the premises if it is identified and kept separate from any other alcohol beverages. Provides that if an authorized event is held on licensed premises, other provisions of the Act, not inconsistent with the homemade beer provisions, apply. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2012, the base allowance for House members is $62,460 and Senate members is $74,700. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2012, members of the General Assembly are prohibited from receiving and shall not receive any annual percentage increase in their office allowances based on a cost of living adjustment or a fixed amount. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides for a credit against the withholding tax liability of an employer with fewer than 15 full-time employees in an amount equal to $2,000 for each employee who is moved from part-time to full-time employment status and who maintains that full-time employment status for a period of 12 consecutive calendar months. Effective immediately.
