Rep. Karen May

Amends the Illinois Water Well Construction Code. Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health, by January 1, 2012, to (i) establish standards for the certification and licensing of individuals and contractors constructing and modifying closed loop wells and (ii) issue permits for the construction and modification of closed loop wells. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Prohibits the manufacture, distribution, and use of paper containing bisphenol A for the making of business or banking records. Requires paper manufacturers to, among other things, replace bisphenol A with an alternative chemical. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to gather and certify certain information about alternative chemicals. Requires the Agency to convene an Advisory Committee on Least Toxic Alternatives to Bisphenol A. Sets forth requirements that apply to members of the Committee. Delays the applicability of the prohibitions on the manufacture, distribution, and use of bisphenol-A-containing paper for the making of business or banking records if the United States Environmental Protection Agency has not identified a safe, commercially available alternative to bisphenol A prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Oil and Gas Act. Provides that the Director of Natural Resources shall adopt rules that require, prior to such hydraulic fracturing, the owner or operator to perform a suitable mechanical integrity test of the casing or of the casing-tubing annulus or other mechanical integrity test methods using procedures that are established by administrative rule. Provides that each owner or operator that begins extracting natural gas from shale shall report to the Department specified information within 30 days after the completion of all stages of the hydraulic fracturing stimulation. Requires that the owner or operator shall post the chemical disclosure information on certain specified websites. Provides that the owner or operator shall provide information to the Director as to the amounts, handling, and, if necessary, disposal at an identified appropriate disposal facility, or reuse of the well stimulation fluid load recovered during flow back, swabbing, or recovery from production facility vessels. Provides that the storage of the well stimulation fluid load shall be protective of an underground source of drinking water by the use of either tanks or lined pits. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to require or allow disclosure of trade secrets or commercial information that is exempt from inspection or copying when provided to the Department together with a claim made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act that such information is proprietary, privileged, or confidential and that disclosure may cause competitive harm to the person or business. Provides that the provision only applies to the extraction of natural gas from shale.

Amends the Election Code. Sets limits on contributions from political party committees to candidate political committees during an election cycle at which candidates seek election at a general election.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that any judge, circuit clerk or clerk of court, public official or employee, court reporter, or other person who knowingly and without lawful authority falsifies any public record received or held by any judge or by a clerk of any court commits a Class 3 felony. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that none of the amount received by an individual as primary social security old age and disability retirement benefits shall constitute disqualifying income.

Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In a Section concerning estimated taxes, provides that, if a taxpayer is entitled to a refund after the payment of the fourth installment, then he or she may apply the amount of the refund to the first installment due in the next taxable year.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device (rather than only prohibiting the composing, sending, or reading of electronic messages while operating a vehicle) unless the electronic communication device is used in hands-free or voice-activated mode or one of 5 other limited exceptions apply.