Rep. Rich Brauer

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to create a pilot program to provide incentives for teachers and other support staff such as school counselors to earn the national certification of Behavioral Analyst under the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code.

Amends the School Code. Provides that if a school is not making adequate yearly progress, the school report card assessing the performance of a district's schools and students must be mailed to the registered parent or guardian of each student enrolled in the school. Requires that the mailing include an explanation as to why the school failed to meet adequate yearly progress and a clear explanation of options available to the students under the law. Provides that the report card must be completed and disseminated prior to August 1 (instead of October 31). Provides that a school board must adopt and publish a school calendar for the upcoming school year no later than March 1st of each year. Provides that the opening date must be no earlier than the day after Labor Day. Provides that a request by a parent or guardian to transfer his or her child from one school to another within the school district pursuant to federal law must be made no later than 30 days before the start of the school year (instead of 30 days after the parent or guardian receives notice of the right to transfer pursuant to federal law). Provides that supplemental services for the transferring student must be available no later than the 6th day of the school year. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Changes the definition of "mandatory transition period" to include the period from the effective date 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. Requires the Commission to order certain utilities to file and implement tariffs to reinstate all 2006 rates within 10 days after the effective date. Prohibits the Commission from taking certain actions prior to 2010 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 a utility's rates or enforcing such a condition. Requires the Commission to hold a hearing on a petition by a utility requesting the Commission to declare a service to be competitive (now, the Commission shall hold a hearing if the Commission deems it necessary). Provides that the Commission shall only declare the class of service to be competitive according to certain criteria (now, the Commission is required to declare the service to be competitive if the service or a reasonably equivalent substitute is available at a reasonable price from other providers other than the utility or an affiliate and the utility has lost or is reasonably likely to lose business for service to other providers). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to create a pilot program to provide incentives for teachers and other support staff such as school counselors to earn the certification of Behavioral Analyst under the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code.

Appropriates $18,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Central Management Services for fiscal year 2007 for merit compensation employees of State government. Effective immediately.

Creates the Outdoor Lighting Control Act. Sets forth shielding and filtration requirements for specified lamp types when used for outdoor lighting, unless the lighting contains an automatic shutoff device and is not used from 11:00 p.m. until sunrise. Provides for exemptions. 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 Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Provides that cosmetology and esthetics include the practice of tinting eyelashes and eyebrows.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning promotional preferences.

Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Provides that schools must conduct a minimum of 2 bus evacuation drills (instead of one) during each academic year. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the IMRF Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In the provisions allowing certain annuitants to hold elective office without participating in the Fund or losing their retirement annuities, allows a separate election for each term of office. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.