Sen. William E. Peterson

Amends the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing Act. Provides that no person shall, without a valid license as a professional counselor issued by the Department, offer to render or render professional counseling services to individuals, corporations, or the public (now, offer to render or render professional counseling services to individuals, corporations, or the public if the words "professional counselor" or "licensed professional counselor" are used to describe the person offering to render or rendering them, or "professional counseling" is used to describe the services rendered or offered to be rendered).

Mourns the death of Ralph R. Sowka of Palatine.

Mourns the death of Ila M. Bauer, mayor of Round Lake Park.

Creates the Wooded Land Assessment Task Force concerning the assessment of wooded land and property under forestry management programs. Urges the Department of Revenue to accept the reduced valuation of certain wooded land for the 2006 and 2007 taxable years.

Mourns the death of Harry Mills Martin of Buffalo Grove.

Mourns the death of Frank J. Nustra of Highwood.

Amends the Township Code. Provides that when a petition is filed, signed by not less than 5% or 50 of the registered voters of the township, whichever is greater, that recommends that the board commence the preparation of an open space plan, the township clerk shall provide a public notice within 5 business days after the petition is filed, by the regular notice procedures, of the existence of the filed petition. Provides that a hearing shall be conducted no less than 30 days after the petition was filed to determine the validity of the petition, which may be challenged in accord with the general election law. Provides that a subsequent petition to adopt the open space plan that the township board adopted shall be approved if the petition is determined to be valid following a public notice and a public hearing. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that an Illinois resident may purchase ammunition from a person outside of Illinois. Provides that a resident purchasing ammunition outside the State of Illinois must provide the seller with a copy of his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card and either his or her Illinois driver's license or Illinois State Identification Card prior to the shipment of the ammunition. Provides that the ammunition may be shipped only to an address on either of those 2 documents. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that privately owned firefighting vehicles are authorized emergency vehicles. Provides that firefighting vehicles that are not owned by a local fire department, the State, or the federal government may be equipped with red or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights. Provides that motorized equipment or vehicles not owned by the State of Illinois or any of its political subdivisions that are designed and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and parking lots and are equipped with a snow plow 12 feet in width may be equipped with amber lights of that type. Provides that the provisions of the Code limiting the size, weight, and load of vehicles do not apply to snow and ice removal equipment that is no more than 12 feet in width, if the equipment displays flags and is equipped with lighting that meet specified requirements.

Creates the Payday Loan Reform Act. Provides that the Division of Financial Institutions of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall license and regulate entities that offer payday loans (loans under which a lender accepts a post-dated check, authorization to debit a consumer's bank account, or an interest in a consumer's wages as security for the loan). Establishes requirements and restrictions applicable to license applications and licensing. Contains provisions regarding: limitations, requirements, and disclosures applicable to loan agreements, terms of loans, finance charges, and renewal of loans; revocation, suspension, and surrender of licenses; information to be available to the public; complaint handling; hearings; books and records; reports; advertising; prohibited acts; bonding; administrative rules; and other matters. Amends the Financial Institutions Code to provide for the administration of the Payday Loan Reform Act. Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act to provide that the Act does not apply to payday loans. Provides that a violation of the Payday Loan Reform Act constitutes a violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Effective immediately.