Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from disclosure names, addresses, and other personal information of a public body's licensees, registrants, permittees, and utility customers, except when requested by news media. Effective immediately.
Amends the Good Samaritan Act. In a Section requiring a free medical clinic to post an explanation of its exemption from civil liability for that exemption to apply, as an alternative to this posting, provides that the clinic may provide an explanation of the exemption in writing to each person who is enrolled as a patient or member of that free medical clinic or, in the case of a minor patient or member, to the parent or guardian of that minor. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure in relation to class actions. Adds additional requirements concerning: prerequisites to the maintenance of a class action (including provisions that a class action may be certified only if: the plurality of the class members are residents of Illinois or if the plurality of the class members were physically in Illinois when the cause of action arose; and a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of the controversy); where a class action may be brought; preliminary determinations to be made by the court; notice to the class; coupon and other noncash settlements; loss by class members under a proposed settlement; and attorney's fees.
Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Extends to June 1, 2008 the period for applying to establish credit for service as a teacher or administrator employed by a private school. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Requires the emergency operations plan to include the needs of those with pets and service animals.
Amends the Perfusionist Practice Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the powers and duties of the Department.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates the rehabilitation of historic resource credit. Allows a credit against income taxes for 25% of the qualified expenditures for the rehabilitation of a historic resource. Provides that "historic resource" means certain publicly or privately owned historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, features, or open spaces located within a designated historic district or individually designated as historic. Provides that "qualified expenditures" means capital expenditures that qualify for a rehabilitation credit under Internal Revenue Code. Amends the Historic Preservation Agency Act to provide that the Historic Preservation Agency shall exercise all rights, powers, and duties set forth in the credit provisions. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that in actions arising out of bodily injury, death, or damage to property based on negligence or product liability based on strict tort liability there will not be joint and several liability, rather when more than one defendant is found to be liable, a defendant will only be liable for that percentage of the plaintiff's damages, found by the trier of fact, that the defendant's percentage of contributory fault, found by the trier of fact, represents. Amends the Joint Tortfeasor Contribution Act requiring, in the event that the obligation of one or more tortfeasors is uncollectible, the remaining tortfeasors to share, pro rata, the unpaid portion. Repeals Section stating that a plaintiff's right to recover the full amount of his or her tort judgment from any one or more defendants is unaffected by the Contribution Act.
Amends the Library Records Confidentiality Act. Sets forth procedures under which a library may publish or make any information contained in its records available to the public if the information is requested by a sworn law enforcement officer who represents that it is impractical to secure a court order as a result of an emergency where the law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that there is an imminent danger of physical harm. Provides that these procedures shall not alter any right to challenge the use or dissemination of patron information that is otherwise permitted by law. Provides that the disclosure of information under these provisions does not constitute a privacy violation or a breach of confidentiality.
Creates the Limiting Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation Act. Provides that a party may bring a special motion to strike any claim that is based on an action involving public participation and petition. Provides that, if the moving party on a special motion to strike meets the prima facie requirements, the responding party must establish a probability of prevailing on the claim. Outlines the procedures for filing a special motion to strike. Provides that a moving party on a special motion to strike who prevails is entitled to costs of litigation, reasonable attorney's fees incurred in connection with the motion, and any additional relief, including sanctions upon the responding party and its attorneys or law firms, that the court determines necessary to deter reputation of the conduct and comparable conduct by others. Effective immediately.
