Rep. Joe Sosnowski

Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that any association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State is prohibited from requiring that a foreign exchange or international student be a participant of a specific cultural exchange organization in order for that student to be considered an eligible athlete. Effective immediately.

Amends provisions of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act requiring the payment of the monetary equivalent of all earned vacation time to an employee who resigns or is terminated without having taken all earned vacation time. Provides that, if the employee is terminating employment with the State of Illinois or a political subdivision of the State, the payment shall be made to the employee at least 90 days but not more than 120 days after termination of employment, unless otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement.

Proposes to amend the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Constitution. Repeals a provision that specifies that membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof shall be an enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Defines "vending machine" as a coin, currency, or debit or credit card operated machine that dispenses goods or services, and includes machines that use utility services. Provides that "vending machine" includes those machines that provide an enclosed space or area for the use of a customer or for the delivery of the goods or services. Excludes machines operated by the U.S. Postal Service for the sale of postage stamps or other postal products and services, or machines described in the Coin-Operated Amusement Device and Redemption Machine Tax Act, or video gaming machines defined under the Video Gaming Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the amount of the civil penalty imposed for a violation recorded by an automatic traffic law enforcement system shall not exceed $25 (rather than $100). Provides that the additional penalty for failure to pay the original civil penalty shall not exceed $25 (rather than $100).

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Provides that collective bargaining agreements governed by the Act and entered into on and after the effective date of the amendatory Act may not include a provision that permits employees to be late to work without a corresponding deduction in pay. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax checkoff to allow taxpayers to make contributions to Special Olympics Illinois and Special Children's Charities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code, the Counties Code, and the Clerks of Courts Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning stipends paid to supervisors of assessments, county treasurers, county coroners, county recorders, county auditors, sheriffs, and clerks of the circuit court to provide that: (1) in counties with a population under 100,000, those officials shall receive a full stipend amount; (2) in counties with a population of 100,000 or more but less than 400,000, those officials shall receive 50% of the stipend amount; and (3) in counties with a population of 400,000 or more, those officials shall receive no stipend. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Notice By Publication Act. Provides that whenever a governmental unit is required to provide notice by publication in a newspaper by law, order of court, or contract, the governmental unit may publish the notice on an official government website instead of in a newspaper. Provides conditions concerning the availability and format of the notice webpage. Repeals a Section concerning the placement of published notices on a statewide website and makes corresponding changes throughout the Act and in the Newspaper Legal Notice Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Park District Aquarium and Museum Act. Provides that any aquarium or museum organized under this Act must be open to the public without charge for a period equivalent to 26 days each year (now 52 days). Effective immediately.