Urges the General Assembly to create a task force to study the 911 call centers and to determine whether staffing levels are adequate.
Urges the Department of Veterans' Affairs to provide technical and financial services to enable the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans to begin providing services to homeless veterans of the United States military as soon as possible.
Amends the Park District Code. Provides that the Fox Valley Pleasure Driveway and Park District is reorganized as a matter of law as the Fox Valley Park District. Provides for the transition from the existing park district board consisting of 6 appointed trustees with 4-year terms to a board of 5 elected commissioners with 6-year terms by providing for the appointed trustees now serving to be replaced as their terms expire by elected commissioners. Includes language concerning the length of terms for the commissioners elected in the first 2 elections held after the reorganization that corresponds to other portions of this Division. Makes corresponding changes in other Sections of the Code. Effective immediately.
Congratulates Brian Peterson on becoming an Eagle Scout.
Directs the Auditor General to audit the Department of Corrections education programs in its youth facilities.
Proclaims November 15, 2006, as Premature Birth Awareness Day in Illinois and encourages all citizens to be cognizant of the many wonderful and lifesaving services the March of Dimes Illinois Chapter provides to the people of Illinois.
Mourns the death of Thaddeus Weisner of Aurora.
Honors Bill Powell as Aurora's first African-American Chief of Police.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Creates the offense of being an armed habitual criminal. Provides that a person commits the offense of being an armed habitual criminal if he or she receives, sells, possesses, or transfers any firearm after having been convicted a total of 3 or more times of any of the following offenses: first degree murder; aggravated battery; aggravated battery with a firearm; unlawful use of a weapon by a felon; robbery; armed robbery; residential burglary; home invasion; vehicular hijacking; gunrunning; intimidation; armed violence; criminal sexual assault; aggravated criminal sexual assault; predatory criminal sexual assault of a child; aggravated domestic battery; or any violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act or the Cannabis Control Act that is punishable as a Class 3 felony or higher. Provides that a violation is a Class X felony. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a prisoner serving a sentence for being an armed habitual criminal shall receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Increases the retirement formula for sheriff's law enforcement employees (SLEPs) to 2.5% of the final rate of earnings for each year of SLEP service. Increases the maximum pension payable to a SLEP from 75% to 80% of the final rate of earnings. Removes the 2-year service requirement for earning new benefits after a return to service as a SLEP. Makes these changes apply to persons in service on or after July 1, 2004. Also increases the additional employee contribution paid by SLEPs to 2.5% of salary. Eliminates the reduction in benefit imposed on a surviving spouse who is more than 5 years younger than the deceased member, for the surviving spouse of any member who dies on or after the effective date. Allows a SLEP to convert up to 10 years of non-SLEP service credit into SLEP credit by paying the difference in employee and employer contributions, plus interest. Makes the additional unfunded liability for all changes subject to a full 30-year amortization period. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
