Amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act. Adds "aeronautic use" to the recreational and conservation uses that are addressed in the Act. Provides that "aeronautic use" means the entry onto a private airstrip on the land of another to conduct recreational non-commercial flight activities with ultra light or other aircraft, or any related activity. Provides that except as specifically provided by the Act, a land owner owes no duty of care to keep private airstrip premises safe for entry or use by others for recreational non-commercial flight activities, except as to known hazards or defects, provided that this shall not be construed to impose liability or remove the immunity conferred by the Act for failure to guard or warn of a dangerous condition created by the forces of nature. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the State Forest Act. Removes language that provides the Department of Natural Resources shall establish and operate nurseries to produce and distribute plants and plant materials. Removes language that the Department shall provide, without charge, plants and plant materials to various entities, including State agencies and local governments, for conservation and commemorative plantings. Provides that the Department shall not sell plant and plant materials to the general public, mining companies, and other industries. Removes the provision that Christmas trees, roundwood, and other materials derived from State distributed plants or plant materials may be utilized, sold, or removed. Effective immediately.
Amends the Use Tax Act and the Service Use Tax Act. Removes provisions of the Acts, beginning on the first day of the first month to occur not less than 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, providing that the terms "retailer maintaining a place of business in this State" (in the Use Tax Act) and "serviceman maintaining a place of business in this State" (in the Service Use Tax Act) include a retailer or serviceman having a contract with a person located in this State under which the person directly or indirectly refers potential customers to the retailer or serviceman by a link on the person's Internet website. Effective immediately.
Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Toll Highway Authority may exercise any powers it has under the Toll Highway Act on the effective date of this amendatory Act to construct new railroad tracks. Provides that the Authority may charge an access fee to any passenger or freight rail operator who wishes to use tracks which the Authority has constructed using powers granted under this amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that alcoholic liquors may be delivered to and sold at Memorial Hall, located at 211 North Main Street, Rockford. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning new vehicle dealers.
Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Specifies that the State Board of Elections does not qualify as a public employer under the Act. Provides that employees of the State Board of Elections do not qualify as public employees under the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Employee, State Universities, and Downstate Teacher Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that service credit is not available for unused sick leave accumulated by a person who first participates in the System on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Oil and Gas Act. Creates a new provision concerning the extraction of hydrocarbons from shale using hydraulic fracturing. Provides the Department of Natural Resources shall, by rule, require an operator of a well on which a hydraulic fracturing treatment is performed to (i) complete specified forms that includes the total volume of water used and each chemical ingredient, subject to certain federal requirements, (ii) post the form on a specified website, (iii) submit the form to the Department, and (iv) provide the Department a list of all other chemical ingredients not previously listed. Provides that the Department, shall, by rule, require a service company that performs hydraulic fracturing treatments to (i) provide the operator of the well certain information, (ii) prescribe a process by which an entity may withhold and declare certain information as a trade secret but still comply with the disclosure requirements, (iii) require a person challenging a claim of entitlement to a trade secret to file the challenge by a specified date, (iv) limit the persons who may challenge a claim of entitlement to a trade secret, (vi) require, when a trade secret challenge occurs, that the Department promptly notify the service company performing the hydraulic fracturing treatment on the relevant well, and (v) prescribe a process, consistent with federal rules, that permits a health professional or emergency responder to obtain trade secret information. Provides that the protection and challenge of trade secrets under the provision is also governed by the State's Freedom of Information Act.
Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that upon written approval by the Governor, the Toll Highway Authority may exercise any powers it has under the Toll Highway Act on the effective date of the amendatory Act to design and construct new railroad tracks. Provides that the Authority may charge an access fee to any passenger or freight rail operator who wishes to use tracks which the Authority has constructed using powers granted under the amendatory Act. Provides that moneys in the Road Fund may not be used to implement the new provisions. Provides that authorization must be granted to the Authority for each individual and distinct railroad track project. Effective immediately.