Sen. Matt Murphy

Mourns the death of Jeffrey Drake Butterfield of Palatine, formerly of Glencoe.

Mourns the death of Roger William Grandt of Arlington Heights.

Mourns the death of Ted Czerniak of Des Plaines.

Mourns the death of Bennett P. Trapani of Mount Prospect.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a county may subject itself to the alternative general homestead exemption by adopting an ordinance within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that the base year for a county that adopts an ordinance within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act is tax year 2008. Provides that the alternative general homestead exemption applies on a permanent basis. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in Cook County, one or more contiguous townships may be disconnected from the county and may form a new county. Provides that the disconnection must be approved by referendum. Preempts home rule powers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that, for persons dying after December 31, 2008 (now, December 31, 2009), the "State tax credit" is the amount of the federal credit for state tax allowable under the Internal Revenue Code. Effective immediately.

Proposes to amend the Executive and Finance Articles of the Illinois Constitution. Adds an elected Auditor General as an officer of the executive branch of State government. Eliminates the position of Auditor General appointed by the General Assembly. Specifies the same powers and duties for the elected officer as for the appointed officer, with the addition of (i) the power of subpoena and (ii) the power to investigate all matters relating to government operations, financial or otherwise. Provides that the Auditor General is subject to oversight and audit as the General Assembly may provide by law. Effective upon being declared adopted and applies to the office of Auditor General first filled by election in 2014.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption, provides that in all counties (now, in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants), the county board may by resolution provide that if a person has been granted a senior citizens homestead exemption, the person qualifying need not reapply for the exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit for individual taxpayers in an amount equal to the total amount of expenditures made by the taxpayer during the taxable year for the purpose of modifying the taxpayer's primary residence to accommodate a person with a disability. Provides that the amount of the credit may not exceed $500 in any taxable year. Provides that the credit may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero. Provides that, if the amount of the credit exceeds the taxpayer's liability for the taxable year, the excess credit may not be carried forward or back and shall not be refunded to the taxpayer. Exempts the credit from the Act's automatic sunset provisions. Effective immediately.