Rep. Sue Scherer

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that a person commits the offense of Criminal Disposal of PCBs if he or she disposes of, or accepts for disposal, PCBs or PCB Items regulated under Subpart D of 40 C.F.R. 761 at a site or facility that is less than 500 feet above an aquifer that currently provides the only source of potable water for a community water supply serving a municipality with a population in excess of the entire population of the county where the site or facility is located, according to the last U.S. Decennial Census. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Property Control Act. Provides that all airplanes and helicopters owned by the State, except those designated for emergency use and those used by a public university as part of a course in aviation, are surplus property and must be sold by a competitive sealed bid method (now, a transferable airplane may be disposed of only if (i) it is no longer needed, (ii) it will not be used as a trade-in, and (iii) a public university or college offering aviation-related instruction or training has not listed its need for an airplane). Requires that the sale proceeds be deposited into the General Revenue Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for an employer to refuse to make certain reasonable accommodations in the workplace for an employee protected under an order of protection. Provides that an employer is not required to make the reasonable accommodations if they cause undue hardship on the work operations of the employer. For purposes of the new provisions, defines "undue hardship" as significant difficulty or expense on the operation of an employer, when considered in light of: (1) the nature and cost of the reasonable accommodation needed; (2) the overall financial resources, number of employees, and the number, type, and placement of the work locations of an employer; and (3) the type of operation of the employer, including the composition, structure, and functions of the workforce of the employer, the geographic separateness of the employee's work location from the employer, and the administrative or fiscal relationship of the work location to the employer. Provides that prior to making the reasonable accommodations, an employer may verify that an employee is protected by an order of protection entered under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.

Amends the School Code. Lowers the compulsory school age from 7 years to 6 years; makes a related change. Effective July 1, 2013.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice to claim that another has infringed upon a United States patent if the claim falsely threatens adverse administrative or judicial action, the assertions lack a reasonable basis in fact or law, the person making the assertion is not, or does not represent, a person with a current right to license the patent, or the claim fails to make certain other disclosures. Effective January 1, 2015.

Amends the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Adds the Gray wolf, American black bear, and Cougar to the list of protected species under the Act.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Telecommunications Article.

Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Provides that an entity that installs or operates a private business switch service shall install and operate that service such that when a user dials the digits "9-1-1" the emergency call can be connected to the 9-1-1 system without first dialing any number or set of numbers. Sets forth penalties for failing to comply with the requirements of this amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Park District Code. Provides that the Fox Valley Pleasure Driveway and Park District is reorganized as a matter of law as the Fox Valley Park District. Provides for the transition from the existing park district board consisting of 6 appointed trustees with 4-year terms to a board of 7 elected commissioners with 4-year terms by providing for the appointed trustees now serving to be replaced as their terms expire by elected commissioners. Includes language concerning the length of terms for the commissioners elected in the first 2 elections held after the reorganization that corresponds to other portions of this Division. Makes corresponding changes in other Sections of the Code. Effective immediately.