Rep. Rich Brauer

Amends the Wildlife Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning veteran's and educational preference.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2008, each taxpayer who was a member in good standing of a volunteer fire department during the entire taxable year is entitled to an income tax credit. Provides that the credit may not exceed $500 or the amount of the taxpayer's liability under this Act, whichever is less. Prohibits the carry forward of an excess tax credit to a succeeding year's tax liability. Exempts the provisions from the sunset requirements. Effective July 1, 2008.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Under specified circumstances, allows for a maximum of 5 additional charter schools exclusively for truants or dropouts in Chicago if the limit on the number of charter schools that may operate at any one time in the rest of the State has not been reached. Provides that if any of the additional charter schools are not used exclusively for truants or dropouts, then the State Board of Education shall withhold and the charter school shall forfeit all State funding designated for that school.

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, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to provide coverage for habilitative services, including, but not limited to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy for children under the age of 19 with congenital or genetic defects existing at or from birth or with a defect acquired at a young age. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Directs the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, the Illinois Preservation Agency, the Illinois Department of Transportation, or other public entities, to conduct a study of current historic barn restoration and preservation efforts and needs in Illinois, the benefits that an historic barn restoration and preservation program in Illinois could have on tourism and other economic development activities in rural areas, and programs and incentives in place in other states to promote historic barn restoration and preservation.

Creates the Outdoor Lighting Control Act. Provides requirements for shielding or filtration for the listed lamp types, unless the lighting contains an automatic shutoff device and is not used from 11:00 p.m. until sunrise. Exempts fossil fuel light produced directly or indirectly by the combustion of natural gas or other utility-type fossil fuels and those outdoor lighting fixtures installed prior to the effective date of the Act from the requirements of the Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency may identify and designate, as dark areas, areas that are especially suitable for astronomical observations or that provide nocturnal benefits to flora and fauna due to their darkness; and shall submit a proposed plan to preserve areas designated as dark areas.

Amends the Service Use Tax Act. Makes a technical change concerning stating the tax as a distinct item.

Amends the State Parks Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Coal and Energy Development Bond Act. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to use certain funds for grants to the owner of a municipal generating station located in Sangamon County, Illinois and having at least 2 coal-fired generating units with accredited summer capacity greater than 100 megawatts each (now, the grants are to be awarded to the owner of a generating station located in Illinois and having at least 3 coal-fired generating units with accredited summer capacity greater than 500 megawatts each) (i) for the purposes specified in the Act and (ii) for payment of the owner's costs for designing, acquiring, constructing, installing, and testing facilities to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions at one newly developed generating unit to allow that unit to meet the requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act while continuing to use coal mined in Illinois as its source of fuel. Amends the General Obligation Bond Act to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately.