Sen. Elgie Sims

Amends the Circuit Courts Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the court seal.

Amends the General Obligation Bond Act. Increases by $100,000,000 the amount of General Obligation Bonds authorized to be sold for grants to school districts for school improvement projects authorized by the School Construction Law. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of the Part of the Code concerning copying fees for medical records, a health care facility or health care practitioner shall not charge more than $20 for the expense of reproducing a patient's records if those records are requested in connection with a claim or appeal under any provision of the federal Social Security Act. Provides that 5 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act: (i) the new provisions limiting certain fees to $20 become inoperative; and (ii) a health care facility or health care practitioner shall not charge any fee to reproduce a patient's records if those records are requested in support of an application for benefits under the Titles of the federal Social Security Act concerning federal old-age, survivors, and disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income for the aged, blind, and disabled.

Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a Section on payment by the pension fund of certain health insurance costs, increases the annual payment limit from $65,000,000 to $80,000,000. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections, if and only if Senate Bill 1304 of the 99th General Assembly becomes law. In the provisions concerning authorized fines, provides that the additional fines imposed in sentencing for a criminal or traffic offenses concerning wheel and axle loads and gross weights is $10 for each $40 of fine imposed (rather than $15 of each $40 of fine imposed). Effective immediately or on the date Senate Bill 1304 of the 99th General Assembly takes effect, whichever is later.

Proposes to amend the Education Article of the Illinois Constitution. Requires the State to provide for an adequately funded system of high quality public educational institutions and services. Effective upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act.

Creates the Higher Education Emergency Relief Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Illinois Securities Law of 1953. Creates an exemption from certain filing and registration requirements under the Act for intrastate securities offerings that meet certain conditions, including that (1) the offering meets all of the requirements of the federal exemption for intrastate offerings provided under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933; (2) the aggregate purchase price of all securities sold by an issuer within any 12-month period does not exceed certain monetary limitations; and (3) the aggregate amount sold to any purchaser in an offering of securities made within any consecutive 12-month period does not exceed certain monetary limitations. Provides that an issuer may make an offering or sale of securities through the use of one or more qualified Internet portals, subject to certain requirements, including that (i) the Internet portal shall at all times be owned by a corporation or other legal entity which is either organized under the laws of, or is otherwise qualified to do business in, this State; (ii) the Internet portal shall establish and maintain commercially reasonable measures to limit access to any information concerning an offering or sale of the subject securities to residents of this State; and (iii) the Internet portal shall establish and maintain a secure method of communication through the Internet portal itself that will permit potential investors to communicate with one another and with representatives of the issuer about the offering. Requires the Secretary of State to collect a $100 fee for securities offered or sold under the exemption created under this amendatory Act; and a $300 fee for the registration and renewal of a qualified Internet portal.

Amends the Gasoline Storage Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Chief Judge of the circuit court of the county may by administrative order establish a program for electronic monitoring of offenders with regard to drug-related and alcohol-related offenses, in which a vendor approved by the county board supplies and monitors the electronic monitoring device, and collects the fees on behalf of the county. Provides that the program shall include provisions for indigent offenders and the collection of unpaid fees. Provides that the program shall not unduly burden the offender and shall be subject to review by the Chief Judge. Effective immediately.