Amends the General Assembly, State Employee, Downstate Teacher, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows certain eligible employees to elect to participate in a self-managed program of retirement benefits instead of the program of retirement benefits currently offered and automatically enrolls certain participants in the General Assembly Retirement system, certain SERS members who are employed in double-exempt positions, and certain TRS members who are employed in a contractual position with a governing board. Provides that a self-managed plan shall authorize a participating employee to accumulate assets for retirement through a combination of employer and employee contributions that may be invested at the employee's direction in mutual funds, collective investment funds, or other investment products and used to purchase annuity contracts. Requires the System to make the self-managed plan available by January 1, 2010. Provides that, to the extent that the changes made by the amendatory Act are determined to be a new benefit increase under new benefit increase provisions, the changes are exempt from the 5-year expiration provision. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Creates the Illinois Innovation Zone Act. Sets forth the findings of the General Assembly. Specifies the criteria for an area to qualify as an Innovation Zone. Contains provisions concerning the initiation of Zones by a municipality or county. Contains provisions concerning the application of a county or municipality to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for certification as a Zone. Contains provisions concerning Department review of Zone applications. Contains provisions concerning the process of certification of an area as a Zone by the Department. Contains provisions concerning the amendment and decertification of Zones. Contains provisions concerning the adoption of tax increment financing. Specifies the powers and duties of the Department. Contains provisions concerning State incentives regarding public services and physical infrastructure. Contains provisions concerning Zone administration. Contains provisions concerning (1) State regulatory exemptions in Zones, (2) State and local regulatory alternatives, and (3) exemptions from regulatory relaxation. Creates the Illinois Innovation Council and specifies its responsibilities, powers, and duties. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act and the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act to add provisions concerning tax credits for businesses located in a Zone. Amends the Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, and Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to add specified exemptions concerning Zones.
If and only if House Bill 723 of the 96th General Assembly becomes law, amends the Election Code. In the event a person is designated by a party nominating committee to fill a vacancy in nomination for a general election, requires that the person file the required candidate documents at the location otherwise required for filing documents with respect to the office sought (now, with the State Board of Elections), and requires that objections to the persons nominating petitions be heard by the electoral board that otherwise has jurisdiction with respect to objections to nominating petitions for the office sought (now, heard by the State Board of Elections). Effective January 1, 2010.
Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Provides that Circuit judges and associate judges assigned to domestic violence cases are encouraged to participate in domestic violence training; such training is recommended to be developed and administered by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Provides that the Office of the State's Attorney shall develop a protocol to educate victims of domestic violence requesting the issuance of orders of protection. Provides that the Office of the State's Attorney shall: (1) refer each victim of a domestic violence offense to individualized support and advocacy; (2) develop additional techniques and protocols that will enhance Assistant State's Attorneys in prosecuting domestic violence cases; (3) develop protocols to facilitate early identification of individuals with the propensity to commit escalating violence; (4) refer victims of domestic violence to accessible civil legal services; and (5) refer victims of domestic violence to such services that provide counseling, shelter, day care, or emergency financial assistance. Provides that all domestic violence protocols to be developed or updated shall incorporate applicable best practices, principles and guidelines of the most current domestic violence protocol developed for law enforcement, prosecution, and the judiciary by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
Amends the General Assembly, State Employee, Downstate Teacher, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires the retirement systems to each establish and administer a self-managed plan that shall offer participants the opportunity to accumulate assets for retirement through a combination of participant and State contributions that may be invested in mutual funds, collective investment funds, or other investment products and used to purchase annuity contracts, either fixed or variable or a combination of fixed and variable. Provides that, for a member who first becomes a member after January 1, 2011, for a member of the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois who becomes employed in a double-exempt position after January 1, 2011, and for a member of the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois who becomes employed in a contractual position with the governing board after January 1, 2011, any portion of the member's yearly salary that exceeds the Social Security Covered Wage Base for that year shall be subject to the self-managed plan. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In the definition of "clean construction or demolition debris", provides that the term includes debris with contaminants that do not exceed certain levels. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a special authorization for clean construction or demolition debris fill operations that accept urban soil or other urban construction or demolition debris from the Chicago metropolitan area or the Metro-East area. Requires the Agency to grant interim authorization to any such facility, subject only to a demonstration that the acceptance of any such material will not adversely impact existing groundwater. Requires the Agency and the Pollution Control Board to adopt rules concerning the special authorizations. 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).
Congratulates the members of the Wheaton Warrenville South High School Tigers football team on the occasion of winning the IHSA Class 7A State Tournament.
Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Requires that the economic impact analysis for a proposed rule affecting small businesses be prepared by the agency promulgating the rule (now, the Business Assistance Office of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity). Requires each agency to perform periodic reviews of its rules in order to evaluate their affect upon small businesses.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning possession of explosives or explosive or incendiary devices.