Appropriates $22,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for truants' alternative and optional education programs. Effective July 1, 2007.
Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to provide coverage for habilitative services, including, but not limited to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy for children under the age of 19 with congenital or genetic defects existing at or from birth or with a defect acquired at a young age. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
Amends the Payday Loan Reform Act. Changes the definition of "payday loan" to include any loan with a finance charge exceeding an annual percentage rate of 36% (instead of with a finance charge exceeding an annual percentage rate of 36% and with a term that does not exceed 120 days). Provides that no lender may make a payday loan with periodic payments unless the periodic payments are substantially equal term payments and, if paid as scheduled, result in full payment of the principal and interest owed on the loan at the end of the loan term. Requires the licensee, as part of the information that he or she must collect and maintain, to include the total number of lawsuits filed by the licensee or its agent against consumers to collect on payday loans from consumers during the preceding calendar year. Prohibits a licensee or a person making payday loans from evading the requirements and prohibitions of the Act by use of a device or subterfuge including, but not limited to, (i) disguising a payday loan as a different type of transaction, or (ii) characterizing a required fee as a purchase of a good or service in connection with a payday loan. Authorizes the Department to develop rules to determine if any person or entity seeks to evade the applicability of this Act by any device, subterfuge, or pretense. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, in any municipality with a collective bargaining agreement covering the employment of fire and police personnel, discharge and suspension hearings for fire and police personnel shall be based upon impartial arbitration.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall require that all public utilities bury high power electric transmission lines along: (i) major highways with an average daily traffic of at least 12,000 motor vehicles; and (ii) any new highway, the construction of which is under State, local, or township jurisdiction.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Authorizes a home rule municipality, by ordinance, to order the county clerk to abate, for a period not to exceed 10 years, any percentage of the taxes levied by the municipality and any other taxing district on each owner-occupied single-family residence that is located in an area of urban decay within the corporate limits of the municipality. Limits the amount of the abatement to 2% of the taxes extended by all taxing districts on all parcels located within the township that contain residential dwelling units of 6 units or less. Sets forth procedures for adopting an abatement ordinance. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning annexation of unincorporated territory.
Amends the School Code. Subject to appropriation, requires the State Board of Education to establish and administer a program that provides stipends to teachers who choose to teach at hard-to-staff public schools in this State. Provides that under the program, if a teacher who has at least 4 years of experience agrees to teach at a hard-to-staff school for 5 years, the teacher is entitled to a $20,000 stipend over those 5 years. Provides that the stipend may be paid out each year that the teacher teaches at a hard-to-staff school or may be paid as a lump sum after the teacher has completed 5 years of teaching at a hard-to-staff school.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of any municipality may regulate chronic nuisance offenses within the municipality. Defines "chronic nuisance offenses". Provides that the ordinance may impose increased penalties for repeated violations.
Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Code.
