Rep. Fred Crespo

Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. On and after February 1, 2016, prohibits a person required to be registered under the Act, his or her spouse, and his or her immediate family members living with that registered lobbyist from serving in any countywide elective public office in a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more. Provides that the restriction imposed by the amendatory Act does not apply to a registered lobbyist, his or her spouse, or any immediate family member living with that registered lobbyist who was serving in a countywide elective public office prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act. Allows any such person to serve out the remainder of the term of the office to which he or she was elected. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Articulation Initiative Act. Requires all public institutions of higher education to participate in the Illinois Articulation Initiative through submission and review of their courses for statewide transfer consistency. Requires (i) all sending and receiving institutions to maintain a complete Illinois Articulation Initiative General Education Core Curriculum package to ensure seamless transfer; (ii) all institutions to maintain up to 4 core courses in an Illinois Articulation Initiative major, provided the institution has equivalent majors and courses; and (iii) all institutions to provide faculty, as appointed by the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board, to serve on panels in the review of courses. Provides that all courses approved for Illinois Articulation Initiative codes must be directly transferable either as a part of the General Education Core Curriculum package or as equivalent major courses, insofar as a specific major is offered at the receiving institution. Provides that students receiving the General Education Core Curriculum package must not be required to take additional freshmen or sophomore level general education courses and must be able to transfer seamlessly. Sets forth the duties of the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the School Code's construction.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that if an officer or employee objects to a request for information by an Executive Inspector General based on any applicable rights or protections under State or federal law, the officer or employee may seek resolution of the objection by the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides that if an officer or employee refuses or fails to provide information requested by an Executive Inspector General, the Executive Inspector General may notify the Executive Ethics Commission and seek an order compelling the officer or employee to produce the information requested by the Executive Inspector General.

Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if, at the end of any levy year, a taxing district has reserves of 50% or more of its operating budget for that levy year, then, for the next levy year, "extension limitation" means 0% or the rate of increase approved by the voters. Preempts the power of home rule units to tax. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Defines "underground" and "undergrounding". Provides that public utilities shall underground specified electric transmission lines under certain conditions. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall allow a public utility to recover from all retail customers in its service territory all reasonable and prudent costs that it incurs related to the undergrounding of such transmission lines. Provides that a public utility shall record and defer such costs as a regulatory asset to be included in the public utility's total rate base and amortized over a reasonable period that is equal to the expected life of such transmission line. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the head and employees of a State agency affected by or involved in an investigation shall keep confidential and shall not disclose information exempted from disclosure under the Act or the Freedom of Information Act. Permits disclosure of investigatory files, reports, and requests for information of or by the Office of an Executive Inspector General to the head of a State agency affected by or involved in an investigation.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that beginning in Fiscal Year 2016, allocations to public universities based upon performance metrics shall not amount to less than 5% of the overall higher education budget amount for public universities from the General Revenue Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Requires elected state officials to indicate on their statements of economic interests the name and employment information of any family member of that person who had been employed during the previous calendar year by: (i) a State agency or department, or (ii) any other entity that receives State funding. Defines "family member" to mean the spouse, ancestors, siblings, children, step-children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the spouses of siblings, children, step-children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that all agencies shall submit their most recent biennial audit conducted by the Auditor General and any other management, performance, or other audits conducted by the Auditor General within the preceding 2 years to the appropriations committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Provides that appropriations committees shall take audit reports released by the Auditor General into consideration during the budgeting process.