Appropriates $700,000, or so much of that amount as may be necessary, from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for the purpose of making a grant to the Arc of Illinois for operating a LifeSpan Project. Effective July 1, 2005.
Creates the Identity Theft Notification Act. Requires any data collector that owns or uses personal information in any form that includes personal information concerning an Illinois resident, to disclose any breach of the security of the system following discovery or notification of the breach in the security of the data, without regard for whether the data has been accessed by an unauthorized third party for legal or illegal purposes. Provides that notice may be provided in one of the following ways: (1) written notice; (2) electronic notice; or (3) substitute notice if the person or business demonstrates that the cost of providing notice would exceed $250,000, or the affected class of persons to be notified exceeds 500,000, or the person or business does not have sufficient contact information. Provides a private right of action for a violation of the Act.
Creates the Business Location Efficiency Incentive Act. Authorizes companies applying to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for certain economic development assistance tax credits to seek increased or extended tax credits if (i) the company's proposed project site is located in an area that capitalizes upon affordable workforce housing or accessible mass transit, (ii) the company submits to the Department an approved remediation plan to improve housing or access to mass transit, or (iii) the company's project is located in labor surplus areas. Provides for the Department's awarding of such incentives. Repeals the Act on December 31, 2010.
Amends the Energy Conservation and Coal Development Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the evaluation of loan applications.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that, for public schools, the "transition charge" is: (i) 0.5 cents per kilowatt-hour during the period October 1, 1999 through December 31, 2004, 1.25 cents per kilowatt-hour in calendar year 2005, and 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in calendar year 2006, multiplied in each year by the usage identified in paragraph (1); or (ii) an amount equal to the following percentages of the amount produced by applying the applicable base rates or contract rate to the identified usage: 8% for the period October 1, 1999 through December 31, 2002, 10% in calendar years 2003 and 2004, 15% in calendar year 2005 and 25% in calendar year 2006 (now, the transition charge for public schools is calculated in the same manner as that of all nonresidential retail customers). Requires each Illinois gas corporation to file annually a set of transportation schedules or tariffs applicable to public schools authorizing a public school association to aggregate the purchase of natural gas for its members. Requires the transportation schedules or tariffs to (i) establish certain delivery charges; (ii) authorize a public school association to contract with the gas corporation at monthly market prices for interstate pipeline capacity; (iii) require the gas corporation to provide certain usage projections; and (iv) authorizes the corporation to impose a penalty under limited circumstances. Authorizes the Illinois Commerce Commission to suspend the transportation schedule or tariff for up to 3 months. Requires energy sellers to comply with applicable Commission rules. Provides that any agreement between a public school association and an energy seller is void if the energy seller does not comply with Commission rules. Requires each gas corporation to file an annual statement of its revenues and incremental charges incurred as direct result of the aggregation of natural gas for public schools. Authorizes the Commission to promulgate rules reasonable and necessary to administer the aggregation program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Allows a deduction from federal adjusted gross income, in arriving at base income for Illinois income tax purposes, of an amount equal to earnings in a special needs trust, to the extent included in adjusted gross income. Defines "special needs trust" as a trust that is not liable to pay or reimburse the State or any public agency for financial aid or services to the individual, as provided in the Trusts and Trustees Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, lowers the compulsory school age from 7 years to 5 years; makes a related change. Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, requires all school districts to establish kindergarten for the instruction of children who are 5 years of age or older.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that reimbursement under the Medicaid program for prescription drugs shall be limited to reimbursement for 4 brand-name prescription drugs per patient per month. Provides that this limitation does not apply if (i) the brand-name drug was prescribed for an acute or urgent condition, (ii) the brand-name drug was prescribed for Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, a mental health condition, hemophilia, or respiratory diseases, (iii) the brand-name drug was prescribed for less than 30 days for acute infections, and (iv) a therapeutically equivalent generic medication has not been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Effective July 1, 2006.
Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that a vehicle owned or operated by the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority is exempt from tolls for using the toll highways constructed under the Act if the vehicle is being used to transport passengers for hire. Effective immediately.
Creates the Illinois Appliance Efficiency Standards Act. Provides minimum efficiency standards for certain new products sold or installed in this State including: (1) medium voltage dry-type distribution transformers; (2) metal halide lamp fixtures; (3) furnaces and boilers; (4) single-voltage external AC to DC power supplies; and (5) State-regulated incandescent reflector lamps. Authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to designate minimum standards for additional new products to promote energy conservation when cost effective for consumers. Authorizes the Pollution Control Board, by rule, to change the initial minimum efficiency standards. Authorizes the Pollution Control Board, by rule, to change the initial minimum efficiency standards. Sets forth that beginning January 1, 2008, no new medium voltage dry-type distribution transformer, single-voltage external AC to DC power supply, or State-regulated incandescent reflector lamps may be sold or offered for sale in this State unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the applicable minimum efficiency standards. Provides that beginning January 1, 2009, no new metal halide lamp fixture may be sold or offered for sale in this State unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the applicable minimum efficiency standards. Requires the Agency, in consultation with the Attorney General, to determine if implementation of State standards for furnaces and boilers requires a waiver from federal preemption. Provides that if a waiver from federal preemption is necessary, the State standard shall go into effect at the earliest date permitted by federal law. Sets forth that if a waiver from federal preemption is not needed for the State then the State standards shall go into effect on June 1, 2008. Requires manufacturers to test their products and certify the results to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Adds other provisions. Effective immediately.
