Rep. Elaine Nekritz

Amends the School Construction Law. In provisions concerning early childhood construction grants, provides that a public school district or other eligible entity must provide local matching funds in an amount equal to 10% of the grant (rather than the amount of the grant). Provides that the Capital Development Board may adopt rules that include requirements that new or improved facilities be used for early childhood and other related programs for a period of at least 10 years. Effective July 1, 2010.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that all third-party sales representatives engaged in the marketing of retail electricity supply, including exclusive and non-exclusive agents, must, prior to the customer signing a contract, disclose in writing that they are not employed by the electric utility operating in the applicable service territory and, if applicable, that they are compensated in whole or part on a commission basis. Provides that for telephonic solicitations, the disclosure may initially be made verbally prior to the customer signing a contract, with a follow-up written disclosure required prior to any customer contract being finalized. Includes the Illinois Power Agency and its employees from being exempt as being licensed agents, brokers, and consultants engaged in the procurement or sale of retail electricity supply for third parties and changes the requirements of parties already subject to licensure. Provides that any person or entity required to be licensed under specified provisions must, among other requirements, disclose in plain language in writing to all customers, prior to the customer signing a contract, the total anticipated remuneration to be paid to it by any third party over the period of the proposed underlying customer contract. Removes provisions requiring agents, brokers, and consultants to file copies of their verified financial statements with the Commission on an annual basis. Makes changes concerning disciplinary actions against agents, brokers, and consultants. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2011, a person may not (i) use a weight or other product to balance a vehicle wheel or tire if the weight or other product contains lead or mercury or (ii) sell, offer to sell, distribute, or offer to distribute a weight or other product for balancing a vehicle wheel or tire if the weight or other product contains lead or mercury. Also provides that, on and after January 1, 2012, a person may not sell a new vehicle equipped with a weight or other product used to balance a vehicle wheel or tire if the weight or other product contains lead or mercury. Effective immediately.

Creates the Developmental Disability Institutional Safety Act ("Brian's Law"). Requires the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Department of Public Health to develop teams of monitors to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals residing at State-operated developmental disability institutions. Authorizes these teams to conduct site visits at these institutions and to report on their observations. Requires the Departments to develop and implement action plans to respond to these reports. Requires the Departments to develop a team of experts to investigate and report on the deaths of individuals who are under the care of these institutions. Requires the Departments to develop plans of prevention within 90 days after the completion of an investigation into the death of an individual at one of these institutions. Requires the Department of Human Service to provide certain information to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Amends the Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act. Provides that neglect includes the failure to follow medical and personal care protocols, such as dietary restrictions, regardless of whether that failure causes injury, and that abuse includes inadequate medical care that, regardless of the final cause of death, compromises an individual's health or leads to serious medical consequences followed by the individuals' death.

Amends the Whistleblower Act. Provides that "employee" means any individual who is employed on a full-time, part-time, or contractual basis by an employer and also includes a licensed physician who practices his or her profession, in whole or in part, at a hospital, nursing home, clinic, or any medical facility that is a health care facility funded, in whole or in part, by the State (instead of any individual who is employed on a full-time, part-time, or contractual basis by an employer).

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "railroad track equipment" as all vehicles operated upon rails for the purpose of the maintenance of railroads including, but not limited to, all hi-rail vehicles and on-track roadway maintenance machines. In provisions concerning approaching trains, provides that approaching railroad track equipment shall be treated the same as approaching trains.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that the notice of a judicial sale of a unit of a common interest community must contain a statement concerning liability for common expenses. Amends the Condominium Property Act to provide that a purchaser of such a unit at a judicial foreclosure sale or who acquires title from a mortgagee has the duty to pay certain proportionate common expenses. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Authorizes use of the Special Write-in Absentee Voter's Blank Ballot with respect to any election at which federal officers are nominated or elected (now, only at a general election at which federal officers are elected). With respect to absentee voting by military, overseas, and non-resident voters, (i) provides that military dependents need not have lived in Illinois, (ii) permits all categories of voters to apply for ballots by facsimile or electronic transmission (now, only military voters), (iii) requires election authorities to deliver ballots in person, by mail, or by facsimile or electronic transmission as requested by the voter if the election authority has the capability (now, delivered in person or by mail), (iv) defines "electronic transmission" to include electronic mail and the Internet, and (v) authorizes the Governor or the executive director of the State Board of Elections to modify registration and voting procedures during a military deployment or an emergency declared by the Governor or the U.S. President.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Governor's submission of the State budget.

Amends the War on Terrorism Compensation Act. Includes recipients of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal to the list of veterans entitled to receive compensation in the amount of $100 for their military service. Effective immediately.