Rep. Raymond Poe

Amends the State Employees Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a member who is laid off and later returns to service may establish service credit for a period of up to 2 years of that layoff during which he or she was not recalled to service. Requires the applicant to pay both employee and employer contributions, plus interest. Effective immediately.

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.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that, upon the permanent or temporary closure of any licensed facility operating as a child care institution, maternity center, day care center, part day child care facility, or day care agency, the facility must provide written notice of the closure to the parents or guardians of those children to whom the facility provides services. Provides that this notice must be provided at least 30 days prior to the closing of the facility. Provides for the imposition of fines for failure to provide the notice. Prohibits a license applicant from obtaining a renewal of an existing license or a new license until the fines have been paid. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code, the Automotive Repair Act, and the Automotive Collision Repair Act. Provides that, when a vehicle is towed or hauled away, the relocator or possessor of the vehicle must, within 10 days of relocation, notify the registered owner and any lienholders of the vehicle, via certified mail, return receipt requested, that the vehicle has been relocated. Provides that, if notification is not provided during that time, the relocator or possessor of the vehicle is entitled to recover from the lienholder not more than 10 days of storage charges. Provides that, if notification is provided within 10 days, the relocator or possessor of the vehicle is entitled to recover from the lienholder charges for the number of days in storage. Provides that the relocator or possessor of the vehicle is entitled to charge the lienholder for the reasonable costs of a title search necessary to identify the lienholder. Provides that no vehicle shall be released to the owner, lienholder, or other legally entitled person until all authorized charges have been paid. Provides that a lienholder is entitled to one free inspection of the vehicle, with proper notice and during regular business hours. Effective January 1, 2006.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code, the Automotive Repair Act, and the Automotive Collision Repair Act. Provides that, when a vehicle is towed or hauled away, the relocator or possessor of the vehicle must, within 10 days of relocation, notify the registered owner and any lienholders of the vehicle, via certified mail, return receipt requested, that the vehicle has been relocated. Provides that, if notification is not provided during that time, the relocator or possessor of the vehicle is entitled to recover from the lienholder not more than 10 days of storage charges. Provides that, if notification is provided within 10 days, the relocator or possessor of the vehicle is entitled to recover from the lienholder charges for the number of days in storage. Provides that the relocator or possessor of the vehicle is entitled to charge the lienholder for the reasonable costs of a title search necessary to identify the lienholder. Provides that no vehicle shall be released to the owner, lienholder, or other legally entitled person until all authorized charges have been paid. Provides that a lienholder is entitled to one free inspection of the vehicle, with proper notice and during regular business hours. Effective January 1, 2006.

Amend the School Code. Provides that if a school board contracts with a person to provide photographs of 12th grade pupils for a school yearbook, then the contract may not prohibit a pupil from supplying his or her own photograph for the yearbook, subject to the school board's reasonable specifications.

Amends the Downstate Teachers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Extends the deadline for application for early retirement without discount from June 30, 2005 to June 30, 2010; also reduces the required contribution for some members. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a motor vehicle owner must carry at least $5,000 of liability coverage for environmental restoration.

Amends the State Employees Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a member who participated in the University of Illinois Government Public Service Internship Program may establish creditable service for up to 2 years of that participation. Provides that, instead of repaying the entire amount of a refund, a member may repay a portion of the refund and receive credit for the portion of the refund that was repaid. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.