Rep. Keith Farnham

Amends the School Code. Provides that after June 1, 2011 persons may not be nominated for General Assembly scholarships and that General Assembly scholarships may not be awarded after that date unless the nomination is made prior to that date. Prevents both second nominations for any lapsed General Assembly scholarship and nominating persons to the unused or unexpired parts of any vacated General Assembly scholarship after June 1, 2011. Effective immediately.

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Authority may not increase toll rates without first obtaining authorization by joint resolution of the General Assembly.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department to conduct a survey of certain businesses that are located in the State or have been identified as having left the State in the last 10 years. Provides that the survey must contain information regarding (i) why the business left, if applicable, and the location to which the business relocated and (ii) any incentives that are needed to keep and attract the business. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Adds to the mortgage foreclosure provisions a definition of "abandoned residential property". Provides requirement and procedures for an expedited judgment and sale of abandoned residential property. Provides that the period of redemption ends for abandoned residential property on the date of the judgment confirming the judicial sale. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Taxpayer Transparency Act. Provides that a bill making an appropriation may not be considered for final passage by either the House of Representatives or the Senate unless a copy of that bill, in its final form, has been made conveniently available on the General Assembly's Internet website for at least 4 days before final legislative action by the General Assembly prior to presentation to the Governor. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act. Adds the Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice to the government officials or agencies to which there can be disclosure of the mental health records of a person who received services or who was evaluated, investigated, or prosecuted pursuant to the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act, without the consent of the person or the treatment provider involved. Effective immediately.

Amends the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act. Provides that unclaimed wages, payroll, and salary in any form, held or owing by a banking or financial organization, is presumed abandoned after one year (instead of 5 years). Provides that unclaimed wages, payroll, and salary in any form shall be reported after remaining unclaimed for one year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that every licensed facility shall publish on the World Wide Web and make copies available at the facility a list of the names of all its employees and shall indicate on the list adjacent to each name whether an employee has a criminal record. Provides that if an employee has a criminal record, then the publication required under the provision concerning the publication of employee's criminal histories shall include the criminal background check results required under the provision of the Act concerning criminal background check results pursuant to the Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that every person who has been twice convicted in any state or federal court of a felony offense that contains the same element of the intentional or knowing infliction of great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement as the felony offense for which the person is now to be sentenced and the current offense was committed after the 2 prior convictions, shall be adjudged an habitual violent offender. Provides that, except when the death penalty is imposed, anyone adjudged a habitual violent offender shall be sentenced to a term of natural life imprisonment.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Includes disabled persons within the provisions granting an assessment freeze homestead exemption to senior citizens. Changes the name to the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (now Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption). Effective immediately.