Creates the Mercury Reduction Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency may participate in the establishment and implementation of a multi-state clearinghouse to assist in carrying out the purpose of mercury reduction. Provides that beginning July 1, 2005, no mercury-added product may be offered for final sale or use or distributed for promotional purposes in the State without prior written notification to the Environmental Protection Agency by the manufacturer of the product. Sets forth the requirements for this notification. Sets forth restrictions on the purchase or sale of certain mercury-added products. Provides that beginning July 1, 2006, no person may crush, shred, flatten, or otherwise process a motor vehicle for scrap metal without first making a good faith effort to remove any mercury light switches and mercury headlights. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2006, the Pollution Control Board must modify its rules governing universal hazardous waste as appropriate to promote the recycling, recovery, and proper management of elemental mercury and mercury-added products on a statewide basis. Sets forth penalties for violations of the Act. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Adds "vehicle recycler" to the list of persons who may not knowingly shred, scrap, dismantle, recycle, incinerate, handle, store, or otherwise manage any white good that contains any white components. Provides that no owner, operator, agent, employee of a junkyard or scrap dealership, or vehicle recycler may knowingly shred, scrap, dismantle, recycle, incinerate, handle, store, or otherwise manage any end-of-life motor vehicle that contains any mercury-added component. Defines "vehicle recycler", "end-of-life motor vehicle", and "mercury-added component". Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act and the Excellence in Academic Medicine Act. Provides that Alzheimer's disease and related disorders affect an estimated 4,500,000 (rather than 1,500,000) Americans and approximately 200,000 (rather than 111,000) Illinois citizens. Provides that the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee shall review and evaluate State programs and services provided by State agencies that are directed toward persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and recommend changes to improve the State's response to this health problem. Provides that payments to hospitals affiliated with each Regional Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center shall be effected through the Illinois Department of Public Aid under the Excellence in Academic Medicine Act. Creates the Alzheimer's Disease Center Fund (and amends the State Finance Act to include the fund as a special fund in the State treasury). Creates an Alzheimer's Disease Center Program to provide financial incentives to the Regional Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Centers established under the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act.
Amends the Collection Agency Act. Provides that a collection agency may not impose a fee or charge for any child support payments collected through the efforts of a federal, State, or local government agency. Provides that no collection agency that collects child support payments shall (i) impose a charge or fee for collection of a current child support payment, (ii) fail to apply collections to current support as specified in the order for support before applying collection to arrears or other amounts, or (iii) designate a current child support payment as arrears or other amount owed. Requires the Department of Professional Regulation to determine a fee rate of not less than 25% but not greater than 35%, based upon presentation by the licensees as to costs to provide the service and a fair rate of return. Effective immediately.
Amends the Nursing Education Scholarship Law. Authorizes scholarships for registered nurses pursuing graduate degrees in nursing and to students in areas identified as designated shortage areas. Provides that 20% of scholarships shall be for recipients pursuing graduate degrees and reduces percentages for other recipients. Removes provisions concerning scholarships for pursuing a hospital-based diploma in nursing.
Creates the Safe Bottled Water Act and amends the State Finance Act. Requires that water-bottling plant and private water source operators obtain a license from the Department of Public Health, and imposes a license fee of $150. Imposes an additional fee of $50 for late submission of applications for licensure. Imposes like fees for the registration of out-of-state water-bottling plants. Prescribes minimum standards for various activities in connection with bottled water or vended water. Preempts the exercise of home rule powers in connection with the licensing of activities relating to bottled water. Authorizes the Department to conduct inspections and undertake other activities in connection with administering the Act, and makes it a Class A misdemeanor to interfere with a representative of the Department who is conducting an inspection or other authorized activity. Makes other violations of the Act a petty offense. Creates the Safe Bottled Water Fund, to consist of moneys paid to the Department of Public Health under the Safe Bottled Water Act and to be used by the Department for administering the Act. Effective January 1, 2005.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is an affirmative defense to a violation of a municipal ordinance that prohibits, regulates, or restricts the private ownership of firearms if the individual who is charged with the violation used the firearm in an act of self-defense or defense of another. Effective immediately.
Amends the Federally Subsidized Housing Preservation Act. Changes the short title to the Federally Assisted Housing Preservation Act, and replaces references to "subsidized housing" with references to "assisted housing". Requires the owner of an assisted housing development to give 12 (instead of 6) months notice of the owner's intent to sell or otherwise dispose of the assisted housing; also requires notice of the owner's intent to complete prepayment or complete termination of the development's participation in a federal subsidy program or termination of the development's affordability restrictions. Provides for representation of a tenant association by a not-for-profit corporation or private purchaser. Requires that the owner offer the property for sale to a tenant association within 60 days after the association has complied with the requirements of the Act concerning notice to the owner. Requires that a tenant association notify the owner of its intent to purchase the property within 90 (instead of 30) days after receiving the owner's offer of sale. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Deletes a provision that includes beginning and ending dates for the operation of a Great START (Strategy to Attract and Retain Teachers) program. Deletes provisions (i) requiring a working committee of the Child and Development Advisory Council of the Department of Human Services to make certain recommendations concerning the Great START program by October 1, 2000 and (ii) requiring the Department to evaluate the Great START program, gather data on the program, and submit a report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2002. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Deletes a provision prohibiting a municipality from exercising its zoning powers outside of the corporate limits of the municipality with respect to facilities of telecommunications carriers. Effective immediately.
Amends the Election Code. Authorizes the State Board of Elections to take such action as necessary to give effect to directions of the national committee of an established political party regarding certification of the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate selected at the national nominating convention in 2004.