Amends the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development Program Act. Provides that a recipient of Program grants must be constructing, modifying, altering, or retrofitting an (i) ethanol plant (now, just plant) that has annual production capacity of no less than 30,000,000 gallons of renewable fuel per year or a (ii) biodiesel plant. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish and administer grant programs including: the Illinois Renewable Fuels Majority Blended Ethanol Program, the Illinois Corn Grain to Fuel Research Consortium Assistance Program, the Illinois Renewable Fuels Corn-to-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Research Program, the Illinois Renewable Fuels Biodiesel Infrastructure Grant Program, the Illinois Renewable Fuels Ethanol Development Intergovernmental Assistance Program. Sets forth the purposes and conditions for these grant programs. Provides that subject to appropriation (now, subject to appropriation from the Build Illinois Bond Fund), the Director is authorized to award Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund grants. Sets forth that the annual aggregate amount for these grants shall not exceed $25,000,000 in Fiscal year 2007 and 2008 and $15,000,000 thereafter (now, may not exceed $15,000,000). Specifies how these grant funds shall be allocated. Sets forth certain limitations on spending on the various Program grants including for research conducted at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Facility at SIU-Edwardsville not to exceed $1,000,000 annually, and a one-time grant in FY 2007 not to exceed $3,000,000 for construction, remodeling, and expansion of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Facility at SIU-Edwardsville. Provides that normal operating and execution of renewable fuels programs in existence on January 1, 2006 within the Department from the Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund shall not exceed $5,000,000 annually. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury to fund these grant programs. Sets forth certain conditions for the operation of this Fund. Provides for certain annual payments from the General Revenue Fund to the Renewable Fuels Development Program Fund. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, to provide that on or after July 1, 2006 and on or before June 30, 2016, those tax rates apply to 90% of the proceeds of sales made on gasohol (now, apply to 80% of the proceeds of sales made on gasohol). Amends the Motor Fuel and Petroleum Standards Act to provide that beginning January 1, 2008 a minimum of 10% of all motor fuel sold or offered for sale in Illinois must be denatured ethanol and that beginning January 1, 2012 a minimum of 15% of all motor fuel sold or offered for sale in Illinois must be denatured ethanol. Effective July 1, 2006.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Election Code. Provides that a U.S. service member's absentee ballot application entitles the member to ballots for elections in 2 consecutive calendar years (now, one calendar year). Provides that absentee ballots of U.S. service members and overseas civilians that are received within 14 days after an election are eligible to be counted if postmarked or dated on or before 11:59 p.m. of the day before the election. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Allows an income tax deduction for individuals in an amount equal to 50% the aggregate cash donations made to a qualified charitable entity during the taxable year, but not to exceed $2,000 per year. Defines "qualified charitable entity". Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. In school districts other than the Chicago school district, allows sick leave for birth, adoption or placement for adoption, or foster care of a child. Allows the school board to require a certificate from a physician or other health care provider as a basis for pay during this leave after an absence of 30 days. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. Makes a technical change in a Section authorizing the Department of Revenue to adopt rules.
Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that certain tax exemptions apply from the effective date of the legislation that created the exemptions through June 30, 2011. Amends the Property Tax Code. Extends the date of repeal of a Section concerning the assessment of vegetative filter strips from December 31, 2006 to March 1, 2007. Effective immediately.
Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Prohibits health care plans from requiring enrollees to substitute their participating primary care physician during inpatient hospitalization, such as with a hospitalist physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches (now, provides no example), without the agreement of the participating primary care physician. Effective immediately.
Amends the Township Code. Deletes the sunset provision that limits, as of January 1, 2006, the authority of a township to formally request that the county board commence specified proceedings concerning demolition, repair, or enclosure of dangerous and unsafe or uncompleted and abandoned buildings that are located outside of any municipality but within the township and, if the county declines the request, that the township may commence such proceedings. Effective immediately.
Congratulates Vickie Lannie on her retirement and thanks her for her efforts to make this State a better place to live.
Congratulates the Illinois Central College women's basketball team on winning the Championship Title of the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division II Tournament.