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 Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that subject to appropriation, the Department shall conduct a program to encourage all gas stations that offer diesel fuel and are located within a quarter mile of a 4-lane interstate highway to provide, by 2010, at least one pump with a 5% or higher blend of biodiesel fuel.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the posted speed limit in a highway construction or maintenance zone applies only during those periods when workers are present.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that the exemption from an eavesdropping violation for recordings made simultaneously with a video recording of an oral conversation between a peace officer who has identified his or her office and a person stopped for an investigation of an offense under the Illinois Vehicle Code applies only if the recordings are used: (1) as evidence of traffic or criminal law violations that arise from the same stop for the investigation of an offense under the Illinois Vehicle Code; (2) to investigate the veracity of a complaint against the peace officer if the complainant was a participant at the traffic stop in which the incident that gave rise to the complaint occurs; or (3) to evaluate the peace officer's performance for the sole purpose of providing continuous training to members of the police department. Provides that each police department that uses a recording for any of these purposes must have adopted a policy describing the procedures to be followed by a peace officer of the department who conducts investigative stops and makes these recordings. Effective immediately.
Amends the Motor Fuel and Petroleum Standards Act. Provides that a retailer of motor fuel shall have at least one retail motor fuel dispensing device at his or her facility that dispenses motor fuel containing at least 10% by volume of ethanol.
Amends the Use Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that a transaction reporting return in the case of a motor vehicle or trailer that is required to be registered with the Secretary of State is filed in a timely manner if it is mailed to the Secretary of State within 20 days after the day of delivery of the motor vehicle or trailer, as indicated by the postmark, rather than if it is filed with the Department of Revenue within 20 days after the day of delivery of the item.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the money deposited in the Park and Conservation Fund from certificates of title shall be used for the acquisition and development of recreational paths or trails (instead of bike paths). Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Requires the county clerk to abate the amount of $400 from property taxes levied on each parcel of qualified residential property that is owned by a volunteer firefighter. Provides that the Department of Revenue must adopt rules concerning the abatement and prepare application forms. Effective immediately.
Amends the Wildlife Code. In a Section regarding deer hunting permits, provides that persons not in possession of any firearm or archery device are not required to have a hunting license or permit when participating in the taking of deer as an observer or driver of deer, but shall wear blaze orange as required. Effective July 1, 2006.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the local authority of a city, village, or incorporated town or park district may decrease the speed limit in a residential district to less than 25 miles per hour if the Department of Transportation has conducted a study of the park district, city, village, or incorporated town and agrees to the reduction.