Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for enhanced penalties for criminal damage to property and criminal defacement of property if the property damaged or defaced are individual graves, gravestones, or markers or property which memorializes or honors a person or group, including police officers, fire fighters, veterans, or historic figures.
Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Provides that the governing board of each public university shall, with respect to each campus of the university that administers a priority registration system, grant the same priority in that system as graduate students receive to a service member or veteran who is a resident of this State for any academic term attended for 4 academic years, which he or she shall use within 15 years after leaving military service. Provides that a former service member who received a dishonorable discharge or a bad conduct discharge is not eligible for priority registration. Provides that the priority registration shall apply to registration for all degree and certificate programs offered by the university after the military or veteran status of the student has been verified by the university.
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act in the provision concerning the Illinois National Guard and Naval Militia grant program. Provides that beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year, any person who has served over 10 years in the Illinois National Guard shall be awarded an additional grant to the State-controlled university or community college of his or her choice, consisting of an exemption from tuition and fees for not more than the equivalent of an additional 2 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms. Effective immediately.
Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that at least 50% of any grant made to a unit of local government under the Act must be paid to the unit of local government at the time the Department awards the grant. Provides that the remainder shall be distributed quarterly on a reimbursement basis. Effective immediately.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In regard to the nursing home prescreening project, requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in conjunction with other specified State agencies, to execute written interagency agreements no later than October 1, 2013 to effect the establishment of procedures to permit providers immediate access to eligibility scores. Effective immediately.
Amends the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986. Provides that there must be an open meeting and vote of the membership before a residential housing cooperative may be dissolved.
Amends the Illinois Clinical Laboratory and Blood Bank Act. Removes the definition of "therapeutic optometrist" and replaces it with a definition of "optometrist". In a provision concerning the examination of specimens, provides that a clinical laboratory shall examine specimens only at the request of, among others, a licensed optometrist (instead of a therapeutic optometrist for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes related to the use of diagnostic topical or therapeutic ocular pharmaceutical agents). Provides that an optometrist licensed in Illinois (instead of a therapeutic optometrist) may include certain information concerning a diagnosis or other matters on a laboratory report form.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In a Section concerning a credit for wages paid to ex-felons, removes a provision providing that the credit may not exceed $600 for each qualified ex-offender. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset. Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Provides that each Agreement entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall contain a provision stating that the Applicant shall establish a goal of hiring qualified ex-offenders so that no less than 10% of the jobs created or retained under the Agreement are filled by qualified ex-offenders. Effective immediately.
Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Changes the definition of "student intern" to include a person whose term of employment, in addition to certain other requirements: (1) is an academic credit requirement in a graduate institution; (2) immediately succeeds a full quarter, semester or trimester of academic enrollment in a graduate institution, with certain requirements; or (3) immediately succeeds graduation from the high school or undergraduate or graduate institution. Effective immediately.
Provides that if and only if Senate Bill 1556, as passed by the 97th General Assembly, becomes law, the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act is amended (i) to prohibit the Governor from designating public employees who are classified as or who hold the title of Chief Stationary Engineer, Assistant Chief Stationary Engineer, Sewage Plant Operator, Water Plant Operator, Stationary Engineer, or Plant Operating Engineer for exclusion from collective bargaining and (ii) to specify that public employees who are classified as or who hold the employment title of Chief Stationary Engineer, Assistant Chief Stationary Engineer, Sewage Plant Operator, Water Plant Operator, Stationary Engineer, or Plant Operating Engineer qualify as public employees for purposes of the Act. Effective immediately.
