Rep. Jim Sacia

Urges the President to take emergency action to ensure water levels do not fall below a level needed by commercial navigation on the Mississippi River and to direct the Army Corps of Engineers to avert potential economic disaster on this vital avenue. Urges the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite and fully implement alternative emergency measures to remedy this situation and to deviate from planned operations outlined in the Missouri River Master Water Control Manual and exercise its authority to address situations when appropriate.

Congratulates the administration, faculty, and students of Highland Community College on the occasion of the institution's 50th anniversary of providing quality education.

Creates the Plastic Bulk Merchandise Container Act. Provides that a person who is in the business of recycling, shredding, or destroying plastic bulk merchandise containers, before purchasing 5 or more plastic bulk merchandise containers from the same person, shall obtain a proof of ownership, create a record of the sale, and verify the identity of the seller. Provides that a person who is in the business of recycling, shredding, or destroying plastic bulk merchandise containers shall not pay for the containers in cash and shall record the method of payment used to purchase the containers. Requires the purchaser to keep a record of the sale for one year. Provides that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a petty offense and subject to a fine not exceeding $500. Provides that the Attorney General may inspect records and investigate alleged violations.

Amends the Abandoned Mined Lands and Water Reclamation Act. Prohibits annual expenditures for non-coal reclamation from exceeding 2% of the Department of Natural Resources' annual budget for mine reclamation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes length limits for the distance between the kingpin and the center of the rear axle of a semitrailer longer than 48 feet, in combination with a truck tractor.

Amends the Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse and Dependency Act. Provides that treatment under the supervision of a licensed program designated by the Department of Human Services is not available to: a first-time offender charged or convicted of possession of 15 grams or more (rather than any amount) of methamphetamine; or a person who is otherwise ineligible for probation under specified provisions of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act.

Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act and Illinois Vehicle Code to provide that: the Secretary of State must inquire as to whether an applicant for a State identification card or driver's license is a veteran for purposes of issuing a State identification card or driver's license with a veteran designation; the Secretary shall determine by rule what forms of proof of a person's status as a veteran are acceptable; and the Secretary may disclose an individual's social security number or associated information to the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs for the purpose of confirming veteran status. Defines "veteran" and other terms. Effective January 1, 2013.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall issue Gold Star license plates to all siblings of a person who has lost his or her life while serving in the Armed Forces (instead of to only one surviving sibling in the absence of a surviving parent).

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Sets forth provisions concerning health care cooperatives. Provides that in addition to all other provisions of the Article concerning domestic mutual companies, a company seeking to organize as a health care cooperative shall meet certain requirements. Sets forth provisions concerning the naming of and applications for entities seeking to organize as health care cooperatives. Amends the Co-operative Act. Exempts domestic mutual insurance companies licensed as health care cooperatives by the Director of Insurance from the prohibition against using the term "Co-operative" as part of a corporate or other business name or title without complying with the provisions of the Co-operative Act. Sets forth provisions concerning health benefit purchasing cooperatives. Provides that the purpose of a health benefit purchasing cooperative is to provide health care benefits for certain eligible individuals under a single group health care policy or plan through a contract between the health benefit purchasing cooperative and an insurer authorized to do health insurance business in the State. Sets forth provisions concerning the design, the articles, the membership basis and capital stock, the membership criteria, the health care benefits, and the annual progress report of health benefit purchasing cooperatives. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961 in relation to child sex offenders residing or being present near certain places. Changes the definition of "child sex offender" to provide that the victim is a person under 18 years of age at the time of the offense. Changes the definition of "sex offense" to include forcible detention, custodial sexual misconduct, sexual misconduct with a person with a disability, sexual relations within families, promoting prostitution (other than arranging or offering to arrange a situation in which a person may practice prostitution), grooming, traveling to meet a minor, and permitting sexual abuse of a child. Changes cross references to conform to Public Act 96-1551.