Amends the Downstate Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions concerning survivors' benefits, defines "an act of duty" to include any action in furtherance of the police officer's official duties, regardless of whether the police officer performs these functions during scheduled work hours.
Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, with respect to motor fuel and gasohol taxed at a rate of 6.25%, the tax imposed under these Acts may not exceed $0.15 per gallon. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, for taxable years 2005 and 2006, the rate on any tax imposed under the Act may not be increased from the rate imposed in the 2004 taxable year. A school district, however, may increase property tax rates by referendum. Provides that, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, for taxable years 2005 and 2006, the equalized assessed value of property shall be the same as the equalized assessed value of that property for the 2004 taxable year. If, however, a parcel of property is improved during taxable year 2005 or 2006, the assessment of that property shall be the assessment for the 2004 taxable year plus the increase in assessed value solely as a result of the improvement and, once the 2004 assessment is increased to reflect an improvement, the assessment for that property shall remain the same for the duration of the assessment freeze period. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that no person shall sell a gift certificate that is subject to an expiration date or a fee. Provides that the face value of a gift certificate may not be reduced in value and the holder of a gift certificate may not be penalized in any way for non-use or untimely redemption of the gift certificate. Deletes language requiring that a gift certificate subject to a fee or expiration date contain a statement clearly and conspicuously printed on the gift certificate stating the expiration date or whether there is a fee. Makes other changes.
Urges the President and Congress should commit the leadership of the U. S. Government to effective implementation of the United Nations World Summit Outcome Document on the responsibility of states to protect their populations.
Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Adds members of a school board, the Chicago Board of Education, or the governing body of a private school as mandated reporters. Provides that any person who knowingly and willfully violates any mandated-reporter provision of the Act other than a second or subsequent violation of transmitting a false report is guilty of a Class 4 felony (instead of a Class A misdemeanor) for a first violation and a Class 3 (instead of Class 4) felony for a second or subsequent violation. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Identification Card Act. Provides that the fees for an applicant under 18 years of age are one-half of the fees otherwise charged. Effective July 1, 2006.
Creates the Family and School Communications Protection Registry Act. Requires the Attorney General to establish and operate, or contract with a qualified third party to establish and operate, a Family and School Communications Protection Registry. Provides that a parent, guardian, individual, or an entity, who is responsible for a contact point to which a minor may have access, may register that contact point with the Attorney General. Provides that a person shall not send, cause to be sent, or conspire with a third party to send a message to a contact point that has been registered for more than 30 calendar days with the Attorney General if the primary purpose of the message is to, directly or indirectly, advertise or otherwise link to a message that advertises a product or service that a minor is prohibited by law from purchasing, viewing, possessing, participating in, or otherwise receiving. Provides that, except in specified instances, a person shall not release information concerning another person or provide access to contact points or other information contained on the Family and School Communications Protection Registry. Establishes certain exceptions to a violation of the Act. Provides that if the Attorney General has reason to believe that a person has violated the Act, he or she may investigate the business transaction of that person. Provides civil and criminal penalties for a violation of the Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to exempt information contained in the Family and School Communications Protection Registry from the requirements of the Act. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Family and School Communications Registry Fund. Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a person commits the offense of communication registry violation when he or she knowingly violates the Family and School Communications Protection Registry Act. Provides that a person who commits the offense of communication registry violation shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor for the first offense, a Class A misdemeanor for the second offense, and a Class 4 felony for each subsequent offense after the second offense. Effective immediately.
Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the "mandatory transition period" extends through the date on which the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved declarations of competitive service for all classes of service offered in the service areas of all electric utilities that, on December 31, 2005, served at least 100,000 customers (now, the mandatory transition period extends through January 1, 2007). Prohibits the Commission from taking certain actions prior to 2008 (now, the prohibition is during the mandatory transition period) with respect to (i) initiating, authorizing, or ordering any change by way of increase or (ii) in approving an application for a merger, imposing a condition requiring any filing for an increase, decrease, or change in or other review of an electric utility's rates or enforcing such a condition. Deletes a provision prohibiting the Commission from initiating, authorizing, or ordering any change by way of a decrease. Deletes a provision that provides that the Commission is not prohibited from approving the application of an electric utility to implement an alternative to rate of return regulation or a regulatory mechanism that rewards or penalizes the utility through adjustment of rates based on utility performance. Provides that, during the remainder of the mandatory transition period, if any, the Commission may modify rates. Requires the Commission to hold a hearing on any petition by an electric utility requesting the Commission to declare a tariffed service provided by the utility to be a competitive service (now, the Commission shall hold a hearing if the Commission deems it necessary). Provides that the Commission shall only declare the class of tariffed service to be a competitive service if the electric utility demonstrates that at least 33% of the customers in the electric utility's service area that are eligible to take the class of tariffed service instead take service from alternative retail electric suppliers and that at least 3 alternative retail electric suppliers provide service that is comparable to the class of tariffed service to those customers in the utility's service area that do not take service from the electric utility (now, the Commission is required to declare the service to be a competitive service for an identifiable customer segment or group of customers or a clearly defined geographical area within the electricity's service area if the service or a reasonably equivalent substitute service is reasonably available to the customer segment or group or in the defined geographical area at a reasonable price from one or more other providers other than the electric utility or an affiliate and the utility has lost or is reasonably likely to lose business for the service to the other provider or providers). Requires the Commission to make its determination and issue its final order declaring or refusing to declare the service to be a competitive service within 180 (now, 120) days after the date the petition is filed. Deletes provisions that, if the Commission fails to make the determination within that time results within that time period, the petition is deemed to be granted. Effective immediately.
