Rep. Brent Hassert

Amends the Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act. Permits a unit of local government to require homeowners who maintain a private sewage disposal system within the unit of local government to provide verification, on an annual basis, to the unit of local government of a valid contract with a licensed private sewage disposal system installation contractor. Effective immediately.

Amends the Sanitary District Act of 1907, the North Shore Sanitary District Act, the Sanitary District Act of 1917, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act, the Sanitary District Act of 1936, the Metro-East Sanitary District Act of 1974, and the Eastern Will Sanitary District Act. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, requires a sanitary district that locates its facilities within the railroad right-of-way for a crossing, other than a crossing along the public roads of this State pursuant to the Telephone Line Right of Way Act, to pay the railroad a one-time standard crossing fee of $750 for each crossing. Provides that the standard crossing fee is in lieu of any license or any other fees or charges to reimburse the railroad for its direct expenses incurred as a result of the crossing. Requires the district to also reimburse the railroad for any actual flagging expenses associated with the crossing in addition to the standard crossing fee. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning possession of explosives or explosive or incendiary devices.

Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that the rate of a Regional Transportation Authority retailers' occupation tax and service occupation tax imposed on sales of food for human consumption and certain prescription and nonprescription medicines shall be 1% (now, 1.25%) in Cook County and 0.25% (now, 0.75%) in the counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake McHenry, and Will. Effective immediately.

Creates the Eastern Will County Regional Cooperation and Planning Act. Contains a short title only.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorders to the extent that the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders are not already covered by the policy or plan. Provides that this coverage shall be subject to a maximum benefit of $36,000 per year, but shall not be subject to any limits on the number of visits to an autism service provider. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code and the School Code. Allows a school board, after the determination of the assessed valuation of the property of the school district, to order the county clerk to abate any portion of the district's taxes on all or any part of the property within the district.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption, increases the maximum amount of the exemption in all counties, from $3,500 to $5,000 and provides that the maximum amount must be increased each year by the lesser of (i) 2% or (ii) the percentage increase during the immediately prior taxable year in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Increases the general homestead exemption to $7,500 beginning in taxable year 2009 (now, the general homestead exemption is $6,000 for taxable years 2009 and thereafter).

Amends the County Economic Development Project Area Property Tax Allocation Act. Provides that any county may, by ordinance, propose the establishment of an economic development project area that shares a border with a county highway and does not extend more than 2 miles from the highway in any direction. Provides that, with respect to a county TIF district that borders a county highway, the term "economic development project costs" includes costs associated with reconstruction and expansion of a county highway. Provides that the project area may not extend into any municipal TIF district that exists on the date the ordinance is passed and may not extend outside of the boundaries of the county.