Rep. Fred Crespo

Amends the School Code. With respect to the requirement that all contracts for the purchase of supplies and materials or work involving an expenditure in excess of $25,000 or a lower amount as required by school board policy be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, exempts contracts for goods or services procured through a cooperative organized in any state in the United States of America or the District of Columbia that awards contracts by a competitive process and whose membership is limited to governmental agencies. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that if an Executive Inspector General determines that conduct at issue in a summary report resulted in the loss of public funds in an amount of $5,000 or more, then the Commission must make the report, or a redacted version of the report, available to the public. Authorizes the Commission to redact information in a report if it determines that the identity of any person named in the report is unnecessary. Provides that, prior to publication, the Commission shall permit the Executive Inspector General (rather than the Inspector General) to review documents to be made public and offer suggestions for redaction or provide a response that shall be made public with the summary report.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning Chicago laborers and retirement board employees.

Appropriates $125,000 to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and $47,500 to the Department of Agriculture.

Requests that the Auditor General conduct an audit of Medicaid MCO capitation payment development, State GRF expenditures on MCOs, and a review of healthcare outcomes for Medicaid individuals enrolled in MCOs.

Creates the Northwest Entertainment and Recreation Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Cigarette Tax Act and the Tobacco Products Tax Act of 1995. Provides that a person who is both a licensed distributor and a licensed retailer shall be issued a single license number by the Department of Revenue. Provides that records may be kept electronically and may be kept at an out-of-state location so long as those records are made available upon reasonable notice for the purpose of investigation and control by the Department of Revenue. Amends the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Minors and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. In provisions that provide for increased penalties for retailers that do not have training programs, provides that those training programs may be conducted electronically. Provides that, if a retailer has a training program in place prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act, has a training program approved by another state, or follows the guidelines set forth by the federal Food and Drug Administration, then that training program shall be deemed to meet the minimum standards in this State. Effective January 1, 2016.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that investigatory files and reports of the Office of an Executive Inspector General may be divulged to the head of the State agency affected by or involved in the investigation when an Executive Inspector General determines that it involves a risk to public safety or is in the best interest of the State. Effective January 1, 2016.

Amends the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that a home rule municipality may file a petition to disconnect fire protection district territory from the district if: the municipality's fire department services at least 80% of the municipality; the disconnection will not cause the territory of the district to be noncontiguous; and the loss of assessed valuation by reason of the disconnection of the territory will not impair the ability of the district to render adequate fire protection service to the territory remaining in the district. Provides that territory disconnected shall remain liable for its proportionate share of any bonded indebtedness outstanding as of the date of disconnection. Provides for petition, hearing, notice, and objection requirements. Further provides that if a court finds that the petition complies with the Section and that the allegations of the petition are true, the court shall order that the territory be disconnected.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Executive Ethics Commission may levy an administrative fine of (i) $250 against any officer, member, or employee under the jurisdiction of the Commission who fails to complete the ethics training within 30 days after the deadline set by the Commission for the completion of that training, (ii) $350 against any officer, member, or employee under the jurisdiction of the Commission who fails to complete the ethics training within 31 to 60 days after the deadline set by the Commission for the completion of that training, and (iii) $500 against any officer, member, or employee under the jurisdiction of the Commission who fails to complete the ethics training more than 61 days after the deadline set by the Commission for the completion of that training.