Amends and re-enacts provisions of the Civil Practice Article of the Code of Civil Procedure concerning actions on account of bodily injury or death or physical damage to property based on negligence or product liability based on strict tort liability. Provides that the court shall not instruct the jury of the consequence of any findings of fault of any plaintiff or defendant under specified provisions of the Code. Deletes language providing that the court shall instruct the jury in writing that the defendant shall be found not liable if the jury finds that the contributory fault of the plaintiff is more than 50% of the proximate cause of the injury or damage for which recovery is sought. Deletes language providing that: any defendant whose fault is less than 25% of the total fault attributable to the plaintiff, the defendants sued by the plaintiff, and any third party defendant except the plaintiff's employer, is severally liable for non-medical damages; and any defendant whose fault is 25% or greater of the total fault attributable to the plaintiff, the defendants sued by the plaintiff, and any third party defendants except the plaintiff's employer, is jointly and severally liable for non-medical damages. Adds language providing that: any defendant whose fault is less than 25% of the proximate cause of the injury or damage for which recovery is sought by the plaintiff is severally liable for non-medical damages; and any defendant whose fault is 25% or greater of the proximate cause of the injury or damage for which recovery is sought by the plaintiff is jointly and severally liable for non-medical damages. Contains applicability provisions.
Sponsored bills
Recognizes the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and declares April 24 as a "Day of Remembrance for the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide of 1915".
Amends the Community College Districts Article of the Public Community College Act. Provides that if the board of trustees of a community college district issues a monetary severance package to a district employee using State funds, the exact amount of that monetary severance package shall be deducted from the next disbursement from the State Comptroller to that district. Effective immediately.
Creates the Board of Legislative Repealers Act. Establishes the Board of Legislative Repealers as a not for profit corporation. Directs the Board to determine instances in which State laws and regulations are duplicative, in conflict, contradictory, anachronistic, obsolete, or have been held unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court or the Illinois Supreme Court, and to create a system for receiving public comments, and to recommend changes in the law that it deems necessary to repeal, modify or revise such laws and regulations. Authorizes the Board to set a schedule to make the identifications required by the Act and to adopt criteria to be used to determine whether a State law or regulation is duplicative, in conflict, contradictory, anachronistic, obsolete, or has been held unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court or the Illinois Supreme Court. Requires the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the Legislative Information System, the Legislative Reference Bureau, and the Legislative Research Unit to provide technical support and information to the Board, as directed by the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services. Authorizes the Board to adopt bylaws necessary to implement the Act. Makes conforming changes to the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984, the Legislative Reference Bureau Act, and the Legislative Information Service Act. Effective July 1, 2016.
Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall produce a redistricting plan using a computer program. In the year following each Federal decennial census year, requires the State Board of Elections to designate its computer program by April 15 and to file the redistricting plan by June 1, which is presumed valid and has the force and effect of law. The computer program designated by the State Board of Elections must disregard specified data and must consider certain prioritized factors; the computer program shall otherwise produce districts in a random manner. Effective beginning with redistricting in 2021 and applies to members elected in 2022 and thereafter.
Amends the School Code with respect to a provision concerning third party non-instructional services. Provides that, notwithstanding any other law of this State, nothing in the Code prevents a board of education from entering into a contract with a third party for non-instructional services currently performed by any employee or bargaining unit member or from laying off those educational support personnel employees upon 90 days written notice to the affected employees (instead of allowing a board of education to enter into a contract with a third party for non-instructional services currently performed by any employee or bargaining unit member or lay off those educational support personnel employees upon 90 days written notice to the affected employees if certain conditions are met). Effective immediately.
Amends the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act. Provides that the term "public agency" includes any county health department. Effective June 1, 2016.
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.
Creates the Notice and Opportunity to Repair Act. Contains legislative findings and defines terms. Requires the service of notice to a construction professional of the complained-of defect in the construction by the homeowner prior to commencement of a lawsuit. Allows the professional to make an offer of repair or settlement and to rescind this offer if the claimant fails to respond within 30 days. Requires the claimant to file with the court a list of known construction defects. Directs the professional to provide a statutory notice to the homeowner upon the execution of a contract.
Amends the Election Code. Provides that any person who knowingly files an application to vote, accepts a ballot, or enters a voting machine on more than one occasion on the same election day where the ballot or machine lists any of the same candidates and issues (except to legally give assistance, to replace a spoiled or rejected ballot, or at the direction of a judge of elections), shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony. Provides that any person who knowingly makes a false statement, material to the issue or point in question, in any affidavit, certificate or sworn oral declaration required by any provision of the Code shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony. Provides that an indictment or information for perjury alleging that the offender has knowingly made contradictory statements, material to the issue or point in question, in affidavits, certificates, or sworn oral declarations required by any provision of the Code, need not specify which statement is false. Provides that at the trial, the prosecution need not establish which statement is false. Effective immediately.