Honors Reverend Father Panagiotis K. Malamis of the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Demetrios parish in Elmhurst, for his 35 years of service and 40th anniversary of his ordination.
Congratulates the people of the Village of Addison on the 125th anniversary of Village incorporation.
Congratulates Fire Chief Leigh Fabbri, of the Addison Fire Protection District, on his retirement.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that disorderly conduct involving a person who knowingly does any act in such unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace and which involves a threat of destruction of a school building or school property, or a threat of violence, death, or bodily harm directed toward persons at a school or school function or school event, whether or not school is in session, is a Class 4 felony (rather than a Class C misdemeanor). Amends the Harassing and Obscene Communications Act. Provides that obscene messages or harassment by telephone or through electronic communications that involves a threat of destruction of a school building or school property, or a threat of violence or bodily harm directed toward persons at a school or school function or school event, whether or not school is in session, is a Class 4 felony (instead of a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class A misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense).
Creates the Crossing of Railroad Right-of-way Act. Applies only to crossings of a railroad right-of-way that is owned by a land management company and not a registered rail carrier. Provides that public utilities that locate their facilities within the railroad right-of-way for a crossing shall pay the land management company a one-time standard crossing fee of $1,500 for each crossing. Provides special circumstances under which the standard crossing fee is not imposed. Provides that, if the parties cannot agree that special circumstances exist, the dispute shall be submitted to non-binding arbitration. Provides procedures for the non-binding arbitration and provides that, if the parties cannot resolve their dispute based on the arbitrator's recommendation within 30 days, either party may, upon the expiration of the 30-day period, give written notice to the other party of the commencement of a binding arbitration proceeding. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the State Finance Act, the School Code, and the Public Community College Act. Creates the School Wind and Solar Generation Program to fund wind generation projects and solar generation projects for school districts and community college districts. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to implement and administer the program; allows the Department to award full or partial grants for, without limitation, engineering studies, feasibility studies, research studies, and construction costs. For each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014, requires the State Comptroller to order transferred and the State Treasurer to transfer $5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the School Wind and Solar Generation Fund, a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that all money in the Fund must be used for the purposes of the program. Allows school districts and community college districts to own and operate solar generation turbine farms (not just wind generation turbine farms) that directly or indirectly reduce energy or other operating costs. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department shall create a task force to examine the process used by State and local governmental agencies to conduct criminal history record checks as a condition of employment or approval to render provider services to such an agency. Provides that the task force shall include but need not be limited to representatives from several specified State agencies and large regional school districts. Requires the task force to provide a plan to the General Assembly by February 1, 2010 that addresses specified issues aimed at revising the process for conducting criminal history record checks in order to reduce duplication of effort and make better use of resources and more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that as a condition of eligibility to participate in the child care assistance program, a child care provider must authorize in writing an investigation to determine whether the child care provider has ever been charged with a crime and, if so, the disposition of those charges. Provides for confidentiality of information received by the Department of Human Services. Eliminates a provision that the Department of Human Services shall request the Department of Children and Family Services to conduct periodic investigations of the Central Register maintained under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Illinois Insurance Code, and the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Provides that a policy or plan that provides coverage for hospital or medical treatment on an expense incurred basis, may offer a reasonably designed program for wellness coverage that allows for certain incentives for participation in health behavior wellness programs that are approved or offered by the insurer or plan. Provides that wellness coverage, as defined in the Act, shall satisfy the requirements for an exception from the general prohibition against discrimination based on a health factor under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Contains a nonacceleration clause. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2010.
Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning posting of certain notices.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a tax checkoff for the Crisis Nursery Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Fund. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that, from appropriations to the Department of Human Services, the Department shall make grants in equal amounts to the member organizations of the Crisis Nursery Coalition of Illinois. Effective immediately.
