Rep. Eddie Washington

Creates the Judicial Campaign Reform Act and amends the Election Code, the State Finance Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, and the Clerks of Courts Act. Creates a voluntary program of public financing of election campaigns for the offices of judges of the Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Courts, administered by the State Board of Elections. Establishes funding mechanisms and provides penalties for violations. Sets mandatory contribution limits with respect to all judicial election campaigns. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2009.

Amends the State Finance Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Act. Extends the duration and increases the amounts of deposits of certain use and occupation tax proceeds into the McCormick Place Expansion Project Fund. Increases certain bond authorization limits of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority from $2,107,000,000 to $2,457,000,000 and makes changes to the required maturity dates of the bonds. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the New Markets Development Program Act. Defines terms. Provides that taxpayers that make a qualified equity investment earn a vested right to certain tax credits against income, franchise, and insurance premium taxes. Credits are not transferable. Sets annual caps on credits. Provides for recapture. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to promulgate rules. Sunsets after fiscal year 2012 unless reauthorized by the General Assembly. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Shaken Baby Prevention Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Safe Homes Act. Provides that a landlord may not disclose to others that a tenant or a member of the tenant's household exercised rights under the Act or any information provided by them to the landlord under the Act, except in civil proceedings or when the tenant or a member of the tenant's household who is the victim waives this restriction. Provides that furnishing evidence to support a claim of domestic or sexual violence against a tenant or a household member shall not waive any confidentiality or privilege that may exist between the victim and a third party. Provides that certain remedies available to a landlord or tenant are the sole and exclusive remedies for violations of the lock-change provisions of the Act (instead of providing that those remedies provided to a landlord or tenant are "sole and exclusive" without regard to the type of violation). Provides that a landlord who violates these provisions by disclosing confidential information is liable for damages resulting from the disclosure or $2,000, whichever is greater, along with attorney's fees and costs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Provides that coverage under the Plan shall automatically terminate as of the effective date of any medical assistance, except in cases where the effective date of the medical assistance is the date that the application for medical assistance was submitted to the Department of Human Services and that date is different than the date that the applicant is determined to be eligible for medical assistance. Provides that in that circumstance, coverage under the plan shall terminate on the date that the applicant was determined to be eligible for medical assistance. Effective immediately.

Honors Bishop William Haven Bonner for his work in the community.

Amends the Counties Code, if and only if House Bill 656 of the 95th General Assembly becomes law. Provides that the County Boards of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties must report annually to the General Assembly and the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability certain information regarding moneys received from a retailers' occupation tax and a service occupation tax imposed by the Regional Transportation Authority. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Bernice Patterson Wilson on her retirement as an educator in the East St. Louis Public Schools, District #189.

Congratulates Mrs. Josephine Janie Sparks of North Chicago on her 100th birthday.