Creates the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Provides that candidates for the Supreme Court may apply for a public financing benefit in connection with their campaign. Sets the amount of the public financing benefit at $750,000 for the general primary and general election cycle. Sets requirements for qualifying for the public financing benefits. Limits the amount of private contributions qualified candidates may accept. Limits the amounts that non-participating candidates may accept from private sources during campaign periods to $1,000 in the aggregate. Provides that qualified candidates must be distributed a line of credit from the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund to be used for lawful political expenditures. Provides for the increase of the line of credit if non-complying candidates make certain expenditures. Sets penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Illinois Supreme Court may require attorneys to contribute money to the Fund not to exceed $25 annually. Contains other provisions. Amends the Election Code. Provides that a payment for electioneering communications is an "expenditure". Provides that a group that "accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $3,000 for the purpose of electioneering communications" is a political committee. Allows the Board of Elections to impose a fine against a committee that fails to report expenditures that could trigger matching funds under the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to print on its standard individual income tax form a provision by which the taxpayer may make a contribution (not less than $1) to the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Clerk of the Courts Act. Requires circuit court clerks to transfer $1 from each appearance fee paid to the State Treasurer for deposit into the Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund and, to defray that expense, the county board may, by resolution, require the clerk of the circuit court in the county to charge and collect a Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund fee of not more than $1, which shall be paid at the time that any appearance fee is paid. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. Provides that the Section that explains the powers granted in the statutory short form power of attorney for property is expanded so that the financial transaction subsection states that an agent may open, close, or control a Totten Trust, a Payable on Death Account, or a similar arrangement with a financial institution, but the agent's authority does not include any powers over accounts titled in the name of a trust pursuant to the Trust and Trustees Act, unless specifically authorized by a person's power of attorney for property. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code with respect to the Property Tax Appeal Board. Provides that the rules of practice and procedure of the Board shall differentiate cases involving a requested change of assessed value of $300,000 or more on non-farm property other than that consisting solely of 6 or fewer residential units from cases involving other categories of property, allowing a simplified procedure for the latter and requiring the rules of evidence and motion practice as applied in the circuit courts of the State to be applied in rules adopted by the Board concerning the former. Makes changes concerning hearings, presumptions and burdens of proof, case management and discovery, procedures for review and correction of assessments, limitation on the assessment level claims in counties that classify, and sales ratio studies. Authorizes a taxing district to, without referendum, adopt a levy to recapture revenue lost by a property tax refund it is required to make. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning tax objection procedures, provides that, within 30 days after the filing of a complaint objecting to a valuation of property, the plaintiff must serve a notice of the action upon each of the taxing districts in which the property is located. In actions concerning a complaint objecting to a valuation of property, requires the county collector to notify the affected taxing districts of (i) any order based upon the agreement or stipulation of the parties granting any relief to the plaintiff, (ii) any trial or hearing on a dispositive motion, and (iii) the entry of a final circuit court order ordering a reduction in the assessment of any property. Sets forth requirements for the notices.
Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Toll Highway Authority has the power to enter into an intergovernmental agreement or contract with a unit of local government or other public or private entity for the collection by electronic means of tolls, fees, or revenues. Requires the Governor to appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, an Inspector General for the Authority, setting forth his or her powers and duties. Places certain restrictions on directors of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and their employees and agents concerning receiving financial benefit from their positions or employment with the Authority. Makes changes concerning enforcement of tolls. Provides that the Office of the Inspector General shall be represented in all legal matters by the Attorney General. Provides that the Authority may spend toll highway funds only for specified purposes. Provides that the Authority must hold and publicize an annual public hearing on its annual budget. Requires the Authority to establish an amnesty program for toll violations. Establishes procedures for, and limitations on, the amnesty. Sets procedures for administrative adjudication of violations recorded by photo surveillance. Provides that toll evasion offenses adjudicated in the Authority's administration system are not subject to the fine range for petty offenses. Provides that it is a violation of the Act to operate on a toll highway a vehicle with a license plate covered with any material that obstructs the electronic image recording of the plate. Provides that a law enforcement officer may confiscate a license plate if the plate was treated with a substance to block electronic image recording. Deletes language providing that any person may file an action against the Authority for civil damages for any personal injury or property damage caused by agents or employees of the Authority. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Coal Resources Development Law of 1997. Provides that beginning January 1, 2005, electric utilities and electric suppliers annual pro rata contributions to the Energy Efficiency Program shall be assessed from a total amount of $45,000,000 (currently 3,000,000), the pro rata amount based upon the number of kilowatt-hours sold by each such entity in the 12 months preceding the year of contribution. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development Program Act. Provides that a recipient of Program grants must be constructing, modifying, altering, or retrofitting an (i) ethanol plant (now, just plant) that has annual production capacity of no less than 30,000,000 gallons of renewable fuel per year or a (ii) biodiesel plant. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish and administer grant programs including: the Illinois Renewable Fuels Majority Blended Ethanol Program, the Illinois Corn Grain to Fuel Research Consortium Assistance Program, the Illinois Renewable Fuels Corn-to-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Research Program, the Illinois Renewable Fuels Biodiesel Infrastructure Grant Program, the Illinois Renewable Fuels Ethanol Development Intergovernmental Assistance Program. Sets forth the purposes and conditions for these grant programs. Provides that subject to appropriation (now, subject to appropriation from the Build Illinois Bond Fund), the Director is authorized to award Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund grants. Sets forth that the annual aggregate amount for these grants shall not exceed $25,000,000 in Fiscal year 2007 and 2008 and $15,000,000 thereafter (now, may not exceed $15,000,000). Specifies how these grant funds shall be allocated. Sets forth certain limitations on spending on the various Program grants including for research conducted at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Facility at SIU-Edwardsville not to exceed $1,000,000 annually, and a one-time grant in FY 2007 not to exceed $3,000,000 for construction, remodeling, and expansion of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Facility at SIU-Edwardsville. Provides that normal operating and execution of renewable fuels programs in existence on January 1, 2006 within the Department from the Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund shall not exceed $5,000,000 annually. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury to fund these grant programs. Sets forth certain conditions for the operation of this Fund. Provides for certain annual payments from the General Revenue Fund to the Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, to provide that on or after July 1, 2006 and on or before June 30, 2016, those tax rates apply to 90% of the proceeds of sales made on gasohol (now, apply to 80% of the proceeds of sales made on gasohol). Amends the Motor Fuel and Petroleum Standards Act to provide that beginning January 1, 2008 a minimum of 10% of all motor fuel sold or offered for sale in Illinois must be denatured ethanol and that beginning January 1, 2012 a minimum of 15% of all motor fuel sold or offered for sale in Illinois must be denatured ethanol. Effective July 1, 2006.
Amends the Township Code. Removes a provision that makes a Section concerning the regulation of certain occupations applicable only in counties with a population of less than 3,000,000. Makes corresponding changes.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that whenever, as the result of a final order of the Property Tax Appeal Board or any court, a property assessment is reduced for a tax year for which the taxes have already been paid and the subject property is still owned by the same person, entity, or a successor entity, the chief county assessment officer shall award to the taxpayer obtaining the order a compensatory assessment reduction for the next assessment year available for assessment adjustment. Provides that the amount of the compensatory assessment reduction shall be equal to the assessment reduction for the prior year or years as ordered by Property Tax Appeal Board or court and provides that the amount may be carried forward. Provides that the award of compensatory assessment reductions shall take place prior to and shall be considered in the determination of tax rates by the county clerk. Provides that the award of compensatory assessment reductions shall not affect the determination of the fair market value of the subject property or its assessed valuation once the compensatory assessment reductions have been exhausted.
Creates the 50 Caliber Rifle and 50 Caliber Ammunition Regulation Law in the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that any person who, within this State, manufactures or causes to be manufactured, distributes, transports, or imports into the State, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives or lends a 50 caliber rifle or 50 caliber ammunition is guilty of a Class 2 felony. Provides that any person who, within this State, possesses a 50 caliber rifle or 50 caliber ammunition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Provides that a first violation of these provisions is a petty offense punishable by a fine not exceeding $500, if the person was found in possession of no more than 2 firearms and certain conditions are met. Permits certain persons and entities to obtain a permit to possess or manufacture 50 caliber rifles and 50 caliber ammunition.