Amends the Public University Energy Conservation Act. Provides that "energy conservation measure" includes construction of a new building or facility that is designed to reduce energy consumption or operating costs.
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 Illinois Global Partnership Act. Removes the Partnership's (i) authority over and responsibility for the marketing and representation of the State's agribusiness and (ii) authority to share Department of Agriculture employees.
Amends the State Facilities Closure Act. Creates the Correctional Facilities Panel. Provides that the Panel shall perform a detailed examination of the State's correctional facilities and the respective populations and workforces of the facilities. Sets forth the membership of the panel. Provides that no correctional facility managed or operated by the Illinois Department of Corrections may be closed, eliminated, or otherwise required to reduce its 2007 average daily population or average daily workforce by more than 20% prior to the completion of the submission of the final report by the Correctional Facilities Panel. Effective immediately.
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.
Creates the Agritourism and Farm Animal Activity Liability Act. Makes legislative findings including that the use and exhibition of farm animals significantly contributes to the Illinois economy and these activities have inherent risks. Provides definitions for terms that include agritourism activity, agritourism and farm animal professional, and inherent risks of farm animal and agritourism activity. Provides that an agritourism and farm animal activity professional is not liable for injury to or death of a participant in an activity if the professional provided a specified written warning, did not engage in willful and wanton disregard for the participant's safety, and did not fail to warn of a known danger. Provides written warning requirements that are to be posted and included in written contracts. Provides that the failure to comply with the warning requirements prevents a professional from invoking the liability limits of the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning boundary changes.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State goals and assessment.
Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the redevelopment project in the TIF district created by an ordinance that was adopted on September 9, 1999 by the Village of Downs must be completed by December 31 of the thirty-second year (now, the 23rd year) after the year in which the ordinance was adopted. Effective immediately.
Creates the War on Terrorism Veterans Act. Provides that a memorial honoring persons who earned the Southwest Asia Service Medal serving in either Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom may be constructed by a private entity on a portion of the State property in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Effective immediately.
