Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that all crossbows used to hunt in this State must have a minimum peak draw weight of 125 pounds and a maximum draw weight of 300 pounds.
Amends the Illinois Oil and Gas Act. Provides that no person shall falsify or otherwise misstate any information on or relative to any application, permit, required record, or other document required to be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources by the Act or any rules or procedures adopted under the Act. Requires that when an inspector or other authorized employee or agent of the Department determines that any permittee or any person engaged in conduct or activities required to be permitted under the Act has falsified or otherwise misstated any information on or relative to any application, permit, required record, or other document, a notice of violation shall be completed and delivered to the Director of Natural Resources or his designee. Sets a penalty of $5,000 for falsification or misstatement of information.
Amends the General Obligation Bond Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that in proceedings involving the allocation of parental responsibilities, if there is an allegation of drug abuse made against a parent, the court shall order drug testing of the parent before issuing a final allocation judgment.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the maximum reduction under the General Homestead Exemption is $7,000, and indexes the maximum reductions in all counties to the Consumer Price Index. Effective immediately.
Declares Taylorville to be the Chilli Capital of the State of Illinois.
Urges the General Assembly to work towards a biennial budget.
Urges the Illinois Commerce Commission to prepare a report on the cost and efficiency benefits of using Illinois coal at Illinois coal-burning plants, including any legislative impediments and the impact on residential and commercial ratepayer; urges the Illinois Power Agency to prepare a report on the effect that burning Illinois coal has on reliability and capacity for the Midwest region and the mechanisms that could be utilized to provide cost recovery of incremental environmental investments to generators switching to Illinois coal; urges the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to prepare a report on the economic benefits and job creation potential from switching to Illinois coal and the result of more coal production; urges the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to prepare a report on the environmental impact (including reduced C02 emissions) of burning Illinois coal with the use of flue gas desulfurization equipment, reduced rail travel and associated C02 emission reductions, more efficient energy production as a result of Illinois coal's high energy density and the potential for the development of the carbon storage capacity of the Mount Simon Sandstone and the impact of bringing Illinois air emission standards in line with those of the federal government; and urges the Illinois Department of Revenue to prepare a report on the impact on State and local taxes from Illinois power plants switching to Illinois coal.
Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Increases the penalty for the possession of any amounts of cathinone and synthetic cathinone substances (commonly known as bath salts) from a Class 4 felony to a Class X felony.
Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that a resident youth 18 and under may apply to the Department of Natural Resources for a Youth Trapping License, which extends limited trapping privileges. Provides that the Youth Trapping License shall be renewable and expire on the March 31 following the date of issuance. Provides that possession of a Youth Trapping License shall serve in lieu of a valid trapping license, but does not exempt the licensee from compliance with the requirements of the Code. Provides that a youth with a Youth Trapping License shall not trap or carry a hunting device, including, but not limited to, a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow unless the youth is accompanied by and under the close supervision of a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois trapping license. Provides that at age 19 years or when the youth chooses to trap by himself or herself, he or she is required to successfully complete a trapper safety course approved by the Department prior to being able to obtain a full trapping license and subsequently trap by himself or herself. Provides that in order to be approved for the Youth Trapping License, the applicant must request a Youth Trapping License from the Department and submit a $7 fee, which shall be separate from and additional to any other stamp, permit, tag, or license fee that may be required for trapping under the Code. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules for the administration of the program, but shall not require any certificate of competency or other trapping education as a condition of the Youth Trapping License. Provides that no trapping license shall be issued to any person born on or after January 1, 2015, unless he or she presents to the Department evidence that he or she has a certificate of competency.
