Rep. Sam Yingling

Amends the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that rural fire protection districts shall be governed by an elected, rather than an appointed, board of trustees consisting of 5 members with 4-year terms. Provides guidelines for 7-member elected boards to transition to 5-member elected boards. Provides for the continuation of terms of trustees appointed or elected prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act, as well as for filling vacancies. Further provides for the election and terms of trustees elected after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides nomination requirements for trustees. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for tax year 2013 and thereafter, any taxing district, upon a majority vote of its governing authority, may order the county clerk to abate any portion of its taxes on commercial property on which a family-owned business is located. Effective immediately.

Amends the Township Code. Provides that, during his or her term of office, a General Assembly member is not eligible to serve as a township officer. Specifies that this restriction applies to the election and appointment of township officers on and after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to deny an application for the construction, development, or operation of a new municipal waste incinerator if the incinerator is located within one and one-half miles of a public school. Requires the Agency to deny any application for the renewal or amendment of a permit for the construction, development, or operation of a new municipal waste incinerator, or any other municipal waste incinerator, if the incinerator is located less than one and one-half miles from a public school. Effective immediately.

Amends the Community Self-Revitalization Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that counties and municipalities may provide for an abatement of the taxes imposed by the county or municipality on property upon which a commercial or industrial facility has been newly constructed or improved. Provides that the governing body of the county or municipality shall determine the period of time during which the abatement will apply, which shall not exceed: (i) 10 years if the facility is a LEEDS certified facility or a facility that will be used to provide direct medical services; or (ii) 5 years in the case of all other qualified facilities.

Amends the Township Code. Provides that the electors of a township with fewer than 15 miles of road under the jurisdiction of the township highway commissioner may elect to abolish the position of township highway commissioner and transfer to the township board all of its functions and responsibilities. Allows the question of whether to abolish the position of township highway commissioner to be submitted to the electors by a majority vote of the township board, by a majority of electors at the annual meeting, or by a petition signed by registered voters residing within the township.

Makes application to Congress for the calling of a convention for proposing amendments to the United States Constitution.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that if a member or participant of a pension fund is convicted of, or pleads guilty to, a felony, other than a felony requiring forfeiture of that annuity or pension, then the board of trustees for that system or fund shall suspend the payment of that annuity or pension during that member's or participant's incarceration for that offense. Provides that, upon completion of the term of incarceration for that offense, the member or participant may seek reinstatement of his or her annuity or pension by filing a request for reinstatement of benefits with the applicable pension fund or retirement system in the manner prescribed by the applicable fund or system. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Assembly, Downstate Police, Downstate Firefighters, Chicago Police, Chicago Firefighters, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), Chicago Municipal, Cook County, Cook County Forest Preserve, Chicago Laborers, Chicago Park District, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, State Employees, State Universities, Downstate Teachers, Chicago Teachers, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that in any matter involving a question of whether pension benefits should be terminated because of a felony, the board of the fund or system shall make the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of the county in which the felony occurred parties to the proceeding. Provides that the Attorney General or the State's Attorney may contest the eligibility of the person convicted of the felony and may seek judicial review of the board's decision not to terminate benefits because of a felony conviction. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective immediately.