Amends the Animal Control Act. Authorizes the animal control warden to find a dog vicious if (i) the dog without justification, attacks a person and causes serious physical injury or death, (ii) the dog is found to be a "dangerous dog" upon 3 separate occasions, or (iii) the animal control warden determines that the dog constitutes an undue danger to the public. (now, only a circuit court may determine that a dog is "vicious"). Sets forth certain factors that must be considered in determining whether the dog is an undue danger, including: (i) the circumstances of the dog's infraction; (ii) whether the dog's behavior was justified; (iii) the breed, prior history, and physical characteristics of the dog; (iv) the recommendation of a certified applied behaviorist, a board certified veterinary behaviorist, or another recognized expert in the field; (v) the report of the investigating animal control warden, deputy administrator, or law enforcement officer; and (vi) Department guidelines. Requires that the animal control warden give notice of the infraction that is the basis of the investigation to the owner and conduct a thorough investigation prior to a vicious determination. Provides that the owner of a dog found to be vicious by the animal control warden shall be subject to a fine in the amount of $5,000, for each vicious finding, to be assessed by local law enforcement. Prohibits an order that a vicious dog be euthanized without judicial review. Authorizes the State's Attorney or any citizen of the county in which the dog exists to file a complaint in the circuit court asking that the court find the dog to be a vicious dog. Sets forth that all costs of impoundment, disposition, boarding, medical, or other costs related to the determination shall be borne by the owner. Requires the petitioner to prove the dog is a vicious dog by clear and convincing evidence; however, if animal control warden has found the dog to be vicious then there is a mandatory presumption that the dog is vicious. Sets forth conditions for appealing vicious dog determinations. Provides that the court proceeding for determining a dog vicious shall be an available remedy in addition to and independent of the determination of the animal control warden. Authorizes the finder of fact to consider the breed of the dog in any determination as to whether an individual dog is vicious. Requires the animal control warden to follow guidelines promulgated by the Department for determining that a dog is vicious. Sets forth that in adopting the guidelines, the Department shall follow the rulemaking procedures of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Animal Control Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning rabies inoculations.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Changes certain NPDES permit fees as follows: (i) for publicly owned treatment works and certain other public waste water supply treatment facilities with Design Average Flow rates of at least 500,000 gallons per day but less than 1,000,000 gallons per day, $3,750 (now, $7,500); (ii) for these facilities with Design Average Flow rates of at least 1,000,000 gallons per day but less than 5,000,000 gallons per day, $7,500 (now, $15,000); (iii) for mines producing coal, $1,000 (now, $5,000); and (iv) for mines other than mines producing coal, $1,000 (now, $5,000). Authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to refund the difference between the fee amounts paid by a waste water treatment facility for a permit issued for a period beginning July 1, 2004 or later and the reduced fee amounts due under this amendatory Act. Effective January 1, 2007.
Amends the Counties Code to eliminate a limitation on fines or penalties in excess of $50 for dogs running at large. Amends the Animal Control Act. Provides that a county board may appoint an Administrative Law Judge to conduct an administrative hearing to determine that a dog is vicious under the Act. Sets forth certain requirements for being an Administrative Law Judge. Authorizes an animal control officer or law enforcement officer who determines, upon investigation, that probable cause exists to believe a dog poses an immediate threat to public safety to seize and impound the dog. Sets forth certain provisions relating to a vicious dog determination by an Administrative Law Judge. Provides that in a court determination that a dog is vicious, the judge has the discretion to order that the vicious dog be euthanized. Sets forth that an owner of a dog that is impounded or found to be vicious has 35 days before that dog may be euthanized (now, 15 days). Requires the Department to establish and maintain an Internet website containing information on dogs declared vicious or dangerous. Authorizes the State's Attorney for the county in which the dog exists to file a complaint in the circuit court asking that the court declare a dog to be an uncontrollable vicious dog. Provides that a dog found to be an uncontrollable vicious dog by the circuit court shall be euthanized. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. In a Section setting forth reasons to impose an extended term sentence, authorizes such an extension when a defendant commits any felony and the defendant used, possessed, exercised control over, or otherwise directed an animal to assault a law enforcement officer engaged in the execution of his or her official duties or in furtherance of the criminal activities of an organized gang in which the defendant is engaged. Effective immediately.
Congratulates Bruce N. Johnson on his retirement as police chief of the villages of Round Lake Park and Hainesville.
Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Allows the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Board to establish conditions and procedures under which the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan may discount or subsidize premiums for unemployed or retired coal miners who are federally eligible and whose employer-provided health insurance coverage was terminated on September 28, 2004, and to accept funds appropriated for this purpose. Allows unemployed or retired coal miners who are federally eligible and whose employer-provided health insurance coverage was terminated on September 28, 2004 to be eligible for the Plan even though their premiums may be discounted or subsidized. Requires federally eligible unemployed or retired coal miners whose employer-provided health insurance coverage was terminated on September 28, 2004 to pay the discounted or subsidized premiums established by the Board. Effective immediately.
Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. In a provision concerning refunds, allows claims for taxes paid for undyed diesel fuel used by a commercial motor vehicle for the purpose of shifting other vehicles solely on private property and by equipment that is used solely on airport property for moving aircraft or freight. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Comptroller Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Health Care Services Lien Act. Changes the definition of "health care provider" to include licensed long-term care facilities. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may require a school district to share financial information relevant to a proper investigation of the district's financial condition and the delivery of appropriate State financial, technical, and consulting services to the district under certain circumstances. Makes other changes concerning the State Board of Education's power to certify that a district is in financial difficulty. In the School District Financial Oversight Panel and Emergency Financial Assistance Law, provides that panel members shall be paid a stipend of not more than $100 per meeting, the amount of which must be documented in the Panel's annual budget and approved by the State Superintendent. Makes changes concerning emergency financial assistance grants and loans, including having the Illinois Finance Authority provide the loans and increasing the maximum amounts for loans and grants. In the Downstate School Finance Authority for Elementary Districts Law, provides that the members of a School Finance Authority shall be paid a stipend approved by the State Superintendent of not more than $100 per meeting. Makes changes concerning emergency financial assistance, including allowing grants to be provided by the State Board and having the Illinois Finance Authority provide loans (instead of the State Board). Provides that the annual budget of a school district (other than the Chicago school district) must be balanced and must be filed with the State Board. Provides that, to the extent the budget is not balanced, the district shall also adopt and file with the State Board a deficit reduction plan to balance the district's budget within 3 years. Deletes a provision exempting a financially distressed district from the debt limit. Provides that a school district must notify the State Board prior to issuing any form of long-term or short-term debt that will result in outstanding debt that exceeds 75% of the debt limit or any other provision of law. Repeals a Section concerning financially distressed districts. Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective July 1, 2006.