Rep. Robert W. Pritchard

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Extends the repeal of the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 from January 1, 2014 to January 1, 2024. Amends the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Makes changes to provisions concerning definitions, legislative intent, issuance of license, unlawful acts, exemptions, qualifications for licensure under the Act, training for private security contractors and employees, uniforms, consumer protection, inspection of facilities, renewal of licenses, employee requirements, employment requirements, requirement for a firearm control card and training, armed proprietary security forces, injunctive relief, discipline, submission to physical or mental examination, complaints, investigations, and hearings, suspension of licenses, restoration of licenses, unlicensed practice, the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Board, powers and duties of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and confidentiality. Effective immediately.

Amends the Weights and Measures Act. Provides that weights and measures or weighing and measuring devices used for commercial or law enforcement purposes must have a Certificate of Conformance or have been certified by the Department or the city sealer on or before July 1, 2012. Provides that any apparatus certified by the Department or city sealer as of July 1, 2012 satisfies construction and installation requirements. Provides that the Department shall furnish an identification plate for registration and tracking purposes for any type of weight or measure or weighing or measuring device is impracticable to mark as required by the Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the General Assembly's Advisory Committee on Education Funding to conduct a thorough review of the existing distribution methods and expenditures of education funding and make recommendations to implement an education funding system.

Directs the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to form a working group to examine the best practices for academic advising of higher education students who are Monetary Award Program recipients.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. With respect to in-state tuition charges, provides that a person who is honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States shall be granted immediate classification as an in-state student on honorable discharge from the armed forces and, while in continuous attendance toward the degree for which he or she is currently enrolled, does not lose in-state student classification if the person has registered to vote in this State and has demonstrated objective evidence of an intent to be a resident of this State, which includes at least (i) an Illinois driver's license, (ii) Illinois motor vehicle registration, (iii) employment history in this State, (iv) transfer of major banking services to this State, (v) a change of permanent address on all pertinent records, or (vi) other materials of whatever kind or source relevant to domicile or residency status. Effective July 1, 2013.

Creates the Endow Illinois Tax Credit Act and amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to authorize an income tax credit to taxpayers who provide an endowment gift to a permanent endowment fund. Sets forth procedures and criteria for authorizing the credits. Provides that the aggregate amount of all credits that the Department may authorize may not exceed $10,000,000 in 2011, $25,000,000 in 2012, or $50,000,000 in 2013 and each calendar year thereafter. Provides conditions for eligibility. Requires the Department to make an annual report concerning the credits. Provides that the credit may be carried forward for 5 years. Exempts the credit from the Act's sunset provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Secretary of State Act. Adds that a depositor, an attorney licensed or formerly licensed to practice in the State or his or her representative, may deposit a will with the Secretary of State by certified mail. Provides that a depositor is responsible for any postage or delivery costs associated with the deposit of a will by certified mail. Provides that a depositor must prepay any postage or delivery costs associated with the mailing of a receipt by the Secretary of State to verify the deposit of the will. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that, if an application for an absentee ballot is received at least 45 days before the election and the local election authority fails to mail the absentee ballot not less than 45 days before the election, then the local election authority shall forgo any grant or payment of funds from the State Board of Elections for at least a year following the date of the election. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a person whose duty to register as a sex offender has been terminated by court order under the Sex Offender Registration Act is not considered a child sex offender for purposes of restrictions on residing or being present in certain areas and facilities imposed on child sex offenders. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections and the Sex Offender Registration Act. Provides that a person is not a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration Act if the person has been convicted of criminal sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child and: (1) the defendant was not more than 4 years older than the victim at the time of the offense; (2) the victim was at least 14 years of age at the time of the offense; and (3) the conviction is based on the ages of the defendant and the victim at the time of the offense and was not based on any element of force or coercion. Establishes procedures for termination of the duty to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act of a person so described who was convicted of those offenses before the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is not a violation of the Eavesdropping Article for a person to use an eavesdropping device to record a government official engaged in his or her official duties in a public place, including a police officer, unless the recording significantly impacts the government official's ability to perform these duties or creates a danger to the government official or others.