Amends the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government defined as "distressed" under criteria adopted by the Department of Natural Resources through administrative rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 90% (rather than 50%) for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement proposals, provided that no more than 10% of the amount appropriated under this Act in any fiscal year is made available as grants to distressed local governments. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Authorizes municipalities to adopt procedures for the impoundment of vehicles used in the commission of a reckless driving offense (a) as part of a funeral procession or (b) in such a manner that interferes with a funeral procession. Effective immediately.
Amends the Military Code of Illinois. Deletes a provision that creates within the Department of Military Affairs an honorary regiment of Colonels known as the Governor's Regiment and that provides that the Governor, from time to time as necessary, may appoint individuals to the Regiment with the honorary title of Colonel whose accomplishments, achievements, or service have contributed to the fellowship and goodwill of the State. Provides instead that the Department of Military Affairs shall establish by rule a recognition program to allow the Governor or the Adjutant General to recognize individuals or organizations who have contributed to the advancement of the Illinois National Guard. Effective immediately.
Amends the Military Leave of Absence Act. Provides that any full-time employee of a public institution of higher education who is a member of any reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or of any reserve component of the Illinois State Militia shall be granted leave from his or her public employment for any period actively spent in military service.
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for enhanced penalties for criminal damage to property and criminal defacement of property if the property damaged or defaced are individual graves, gravestones, or markers or property which memorializes or honors a person or group, including police officers, fire fighters, veterans, or historic figures.
Creates the Open Access to Research Articles Act. Provides that no later than 12 months after the effective date of the Act, each public institution of higher education shall develop an open access to research articles policy. Provides that all public institutions of higher education shall develop policies that provide for the submission, by all faculty employed by the public institution of higher education, to the employing institution of an electronic version of the author's final manuscript of original research papers upon acceptance by a scholarly research journal; the incorporation of certain changes and replacements regarding the manuscript; free online public access to the final peer-reviewed manuscripts or published versions upon publication; an irrevocable, worldwide copyright license granted by the author to the public; production of an online bibliography of all research papers that are publicly accessible; and long-term preservation of, and free public access to, published research articles. Sets forth provisions concerning applicability, other policy requirements, and reporting requirements.
Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Replaces provisions that specify when special education services shall be provided or the child must be placed in the appropriate program with provisions that require that special education and related services be provided in accordance with the student's IEP no later than 10 days after notice is provided to the parents pursuant to specified provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations and implementing rules adopted by the State Board of Education. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Replaces the provisions of the Section concerning actions for damages for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse with language providing that an action for damages based on childhood sexual abuse may be commenced at any time. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to actions pending on the effective date of the Act and to actions commenced on or after that date.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Adds child abduction involving luring of a child to the list of offenses for which evidence of the prior commission of that offense or other listed offense may be introduced in the trial or retrial of the accused for a listed offense to prove a propensity of the accused.
