Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning a hotel tax imposed by municipalities of 500,000 or more population.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that no construction shall commence on any new commercial scale nuclear power plants (rather than new nuclear power plants) that are to be located in the State, and no certificate of public convenience and necessity or other authorization shall be issued therefor by the Commission unless the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency finds that the United States Government, through its authorized agency, has identified and approved a demonstrable technology or means for the disposal of high level nuclear waste, or until such construction has been specifically approved by a statute enacted by the General Assembly. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission may issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity and provide any other authorizations necessary to allow operating nuclear power plants to install pilot-scale projects and technologies. Effective immediately.
Amends the Transitional Bilingual Education Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Council on Bilingual Education contained in the Council's December 2011 report before the 2012-2013 school year. Effective immediately.
Amends the Election Code. Provides that when an employee is absent from work to serve as an election judge, the employer may not require an employee to use earned vacation time or any form of paid leave time to serve as an election judge. Effective immediately.
Amends the Local Government Debt Reform Act. Provides that, whenever a governmental unit has been granted the power or authority to issue bonds, the governmental unit may incur debt provided that the governmental unit shall first make a finding that the particular instrument of indebtedness selected is the most cost-effective means and is the most appropriate method for the particular purpose for which the funds are to be used. Effective immediately.
Amends the Election Code. With respect to nomination petitions for independent candidates to appear on the general election ballot, (i) makes the minimum signature requirement the same as that for an established party candidate seeking the same office (now, a higher minimum), (ii) permits circulation not more than 75 (now, 90) days before the filing deadline, and (iii) makes the filing deadline 75 days after the general primary (now, between 141 and 134 days before the general election).
Amends the Election Code. Provides that the candidate's statement shall include language affirming that the candidate is not affiliated directly or indirectly with any terrorist organization or any terrorist front organization (instead of any communist organization).
Amends the School Code. Provides that as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2012-2013 school year or a subsequent school year must successfully complete 4 (instead of 3) years of mathematics, one of which must be Algebra II or its verified technical equivalent, and 3 (instead of 2) years of science, one of which must be a laboratory science.
Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person who (i) filed a statement of candidacy as an established political party's candidate at a general primary or (ii) voted at an established political party's general primary may not file a statement of candidacy as an independent candidate or as a different party's candidate at the immediately following general election. A person may file a statement of candidacy for a partisan office as a qualified primary voter of an established political party regardless of any prior filing of candidacy for a partisan office or voting the ballot of an established political party at any prior election. Effective immediately.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that no public utility, company, electric generation facility, alternative retail electric supplier, or alternative retail gas supplier shall be required to purchase synthetic natural gas or electricity derived from synthetic natural gas. Provides that a public utility, company, electric generation facility, alternative retail electric supplier, or alternative retail gas supplier that made an election to purchase substitute natural gas under specified provisions of the Act shall not be required to make such a purchase. Effective immediately.
