Sen. Emil Jones

Amends the Illinois Family Case Management Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. In provisions concerning the leasing of property by a sanitary district, exempts from the lease requirements any academic institution of learning which has been in existence for 5 years prior to the lease, provided that the lease limit the institution's use of the leased land to only those purposes relating to the operation of the institution's academic, "community service", or physical educational programs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Banking Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the primary powers of banks.

Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. Provides that school student records or information contained in those records may be released to SHOCAP committee members who fall within the meaning of "state and local officials and authorities" for the purpose of identifying criminal trends and victim information to prevent outbreaks of violence by and against students. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that the SHOCAP committee shall adopt, by a majority of the members, criteria to identify criminal trends in order to prevent outbreaks of violence by or against students and criteria to determine when sharing of juvenile victim information would deter further acts of violence by or against juveniles. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that the Pollution Control Board must conduct a regulatory proceeding to determine the appropriate water quality and effluent standard for boron, if any. Prohibits the State from enforcing the State Boron standard, unless and until the Pollution Control Board determines, in the regulatory proceeding described above, whether Boron standards are appropriate in Illinois.

Amends the Cemetery Care Act to require a cemetery association holding $75,000 or less in its care funds to file a report with the Comptroller in lieu of other annual report requirements and to require that the Comptroller examine at least annually every licensee who holds $750,000 or more (now, $250,000 or more) in its care funds. Effective immediately.

Amends the Cemetery Oversight Act. In a provision concerning qualifications for licensure, provides that an applicant for licensure as a customer service employee must not have committed a violation of the Act or any rule adopted under the Act that renders the applicant unqualified for licensure (now, provision only applies to licensure as a cemetery manager). In a provision concerning the bond requirement, provides that if any paid officer of a cemetery association fails to maintain the bond or letter of credit, then all of the members of the board of trustees shall remain jointly and severally liable for damages and the paid officer who failed to maintain the bond or letter of credit shall be criminally liable. Amends the Crematory Regulation Act. In a provision concerning grounds for denial or discipline, replaces reference to "Comptroller" with "Department". Provides that after initial licensure, if any person comes to obtain at least 51% (now, 25%) of the ownership over the licensed crematory authority, then the crematory authority shall have to apply for a new license. Amends the Cemetery Protection Act. Defines "cemetery authority". Contains a nonacceleration clause.

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that in the case of a custody proceeding in which a stepparent has standing, a judge shall not interfere with the decision making rights that a natural parent was granted in a prior custody proceeding. Effective immediately.

Amends the Respiratory Care Practice Act. In a Section concerning exemptions, provides that a person enrolled in a respiratory care education program shall be exempt from the Act if he or she meets certain conditions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that if an employer fails to include all commissions earned by a separated employee in the final compensation paid to the separated employee within the time limit set forth in the Act, the employer shall, in addition to any other penalties, pay the employee an amount equal to 3 times the amount of the commissions that were not paid, as well as the employee's court costs, attorney's fees, and any other associated costs incurred in successfully pursuing a legal action against the employer. Effective immediately.