Amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act. Provides that the Act is repealed on July 1, 2011 (now, repealed July 1, 2006). Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any person required to register with local law enforcement officials under the Sex Offender Registration Act must notify the Drivers Services Department of the Secretary of State's Office within 5 days after changing his or her residence address.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State Urban Education Partnership Grants.
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. For his or her first year of full-time attendance at an institution of higher learning, provides that a person is entitled to a $1,000 grant if he or she (i) is in the legal custody of his or her grandparent and receives public aid assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code, (ii) has graduated from high school with a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and (iii) has been recommended for the grant by the principal of his or her high school.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a person who engages in a pattern of criminal offenses in 2 or more counties of this State or who attempts or conspires with other persons to engage in a pattern of criminal offenses is guilty of a Class 4 felony. Defines "pattern of criminal offenses" as (1) two or more criminal offenses committed as part of the same plan, scheme, or adventure; (2) a sequence of 2 or more of the same criminal offenses committed that are not separated by an interval of more than 30 days between each offense; or (3) 2 or more criminal offenses committed, each proceeding from or having as an antecedent element a single prior incident or pattern the elements of which constitute the offense of deceptive practices, robbery, burglary, theft, identity theft, false personation, certain violations of the Illinois Credit Card and Debit Card Act, or of the Illinois Identification Card Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Provides that an Applicant may qualify for tax credits if the Applicant has 100 or fewer employees and is located or will locate in a county for which the annual unemployment rate was at least 1% higher than the average annual statewide unemployment rate during the most recent year for which those statistics are available from the Department of Employment Security, the project will involve an investment of at least $500,000 in capital improvements to be placed in service, and the project will employ at least 2 New Employees within the State as a direct result of the project. Effective immediately.
Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the "mandatory transition period" extends through the date on which the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved declarations of competitive service for all classes of service offered in the service areas of all electric utilities that, on December 31, 2005, served at least 100,000 customers (now, the mandatory transition period extends through January 1, 2007). Prohibits the Commission from taking certain actions prior to 2010 (now, the prohibition is during the mandatory transition period) with respect to (i) initiating, authorizing, or ordering any change by way of increase or (ii) in approving an application for a merger, imposing a condition requiring any filing for an increase, decrease, or change in or other review of an electric utility's rates or enforcing such a condition. Deletes a provision prohibiting the Commission from initiating, authorizing, or ordering any change by way of a decrease. Deletes a provision that provides that the Commission is not prohibited from approving the application of an electric utility to implement an alternative to rate of return regulation or a regulatory mechanism that rewards or penalizes the utility through adjustment of rates based on utility performance. Provides that, during the remainder of the mandatory transition period, if any, the Commission may modify rates. Requires the Commission to hold a hearing on any petition by an electric utility requesting the Commission to declare a tariffed service provided by the utility to be a competitive service (now, the Commission shall hold a hearing if the Commission deems it necessary). Provides that the Commission shall only declare the class of tariffed service to be a competitive service if the electric utility demonstrates that at least 33% of the customers in the electric utility's service area that are eligible to take the class of tariffed service instead take service from alternative retail electric suppliers and that at least 3 alternative retail electric suppliers provide service that is comparable to the class of tariffed service to those customers in the utility's service area that do not take service from the electric utility (now, the Commission is required to declare the service to be a competitive service for an identifiable customer segment or group of customers or a clearly defined geographical area within the electricity's service area if the service or a reasonably equivalent substitute service is reasonably available to the customer segment or group or in the defined geographical area at a reasonable price from one or more other providers other than the electric utility or an affiliate and the utility has lost or is reasonably likely to lose business for the service to the other provider or providers). Requires the Commission to make its determination and issue its final order declaring or refusing to declare the service to be a competitive service within 180 (now, 120) days after the date the petition is filed. Deletes provisions that, if the Commission fails to make the determination within that time results within that time period, the petition is deemed to be granted. Effective immediately.
Creates the Rural Technology Development Zone Act. Allows the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to designate 3 rural areas in the State as rural technology development zones. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall submit a report to the General Assembly outlining the progress in improving wireless telecommunications and Internet access within rural technology development zones. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to provide a tax credit for investments in technology infrastructure required to provide wireless telecommunications and Internet access in rural technology development zones. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. Expands the fire truck revolving loan program to include EMS service vehicles. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.
Amends the Landlord and Tenant Rights Act. Creates the Illinois Mobile Home Landlord and Tenant Dispute Board, and sets forth its membership requirements. Provides that the Board shall act as a liaison between the State and mobile home park owners and tenants. Authorizes the Board to refer possible violations of the Act to the Attorney General.
