Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to administer a student loan repayment assistance program for public sector attorneys. Subject to a separate appropriation made for such purposes, each year requires the Commission to award a grant to each qualified applicant in an amount equal to 10% of the amount of law school student loans he or she must repay that year. Provides that if a grant recipient receives a grant each year for 10 years and the amount of law school student loans he or she must repay in each of those years is at least 5% of the attorney's gross annual income, then the grant amount for the 10th year shall equal the remainder of the amount that he or she owes on the law school student loans. Provides that the total amount in grants that a person may receive must not exceed $60,000. Provides that a person is a qualified applicant if, among other qualifications, (i) the person is an attorney licensed in this State, (ii) the person is employed in a public sector job, but does not have to be employed as an attorney in that job, and (iii) the person agrees to provide at least 12 hours of pro-bono work at a qualified public sector agency each year that he or she receives a grant. Effective July 1, 2009.
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Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall combine best practices and methods and programmatic functions of the Illinois Future Teacher Corps Program and the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching's Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program into one program, to be known as the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program and managed by the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that this consolidated program shall be fully operational before July 1, 2012 and that Fiscal Year 2012 shall be the last year that Illinois Future Teacher Corps scholarships are available. Provides for a transition period. Requires the Commission to transfer funding from the Illinois Future Teacher Corps Program to the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that following the completion of the transition of funding, all applications for scholarship assistance shall be in a form determined by the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that the eligibility requirements apply only to Illinois Future Teacher Corps scholarships. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning posting of certain notices.
Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Establishes a time frame within which an initial agreement must be reached or conciliation and arbitration attempted.
Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Provides that a person may not under any circumstances charge a fee to a claimant for assistance in completing an application form for a property tax relief grant or pharmaceutical assistance under the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Capital Crimes Litigation Act. Provides that each provider of proposed capital litigation services must specify the best preliminary estimate that can be made in light of information received in the case at that point, and the provider must sign this estimate under the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relating to verified statements made under the penalty of perjury. Provides that a provider of proposed services must also specify (1) his or her hourly rate; (2) the hourly rate of anyone else in his or her employ for whom reimbursement is sought; and (3) the hourly rate of any person or entity that may be subcontracted to perform these services. Provides that the court must certify reasonable and necessary expenses of the petitioner for travel and per diem (lodging, meals, and incidental expenses). Provides that these expenses must be paid at the rate as promulgated by the United States General Services Administration for these expenses for the date and location in which they were incurred, unless extraordinary reasons are shown for the difference. Provides that if the State Treasurer finds within 14 days of his or her receipt of a certification that the compensation and expenses to be paid are unreasonable, unnecessary, or inappropriate, he or she may return the certification to the court setting forth in detail the objection or objections with a request for the court to review the objection or objections before resubmitting the certification. Provides that the State Treasurer may only seek a review of a specific objection once. Provides that the claimant has 7 days from his or her receipt of the objections to file a response with the court. Provides that with or without further hearing, the court must promptly rule on the objections.
Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that an alternative retail electric supplier shall be responsible for procuring cost-effective renewable energy resources as required under specified provisions of the Act in a specified manner. Provides that an alternative retail electric supplier shall comply with the renewable energy portfolio standards by any one or a combination of specified means. Contains provisions concerning the use of renewable energy certificates. Contains provisions concerning alternative compliance payments for alternative retail electric suppliers. Provides that each alternative retail electric supplier shall, by September 1, 2011 and by September 1 of each year thereafter, prepare, and submit to the Illinois Commerce Commission a report that provides information certifying compliance by the alternative retail electric supplier with specified provisions. Provides that upon complaint or the Commission's own motion, the Commission may conduct a contested case to review allegations that the alternative retail electric supplier has violated specified provisions. Contains an exemption from specified requirements for electric utilities that meet certain criteria. Provides that biennially, the Commission shall submit to the General Assembly a report that discusses the status of renewable energy in the State and the effect of certain provisions on electricity prices and retail and wholesale electric markets.
Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Provides that a charter school shall comply with all provisions of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act; which is declaratory of existing law. Provides that "educational employer" under the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act includes the governing body of a charter school; which is declaratory of existing law.
Amends the Personnel Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Reaffirms our support of Illinois' sister-state relations with Taiwan, first established on August 27, 1992.