Sen. Matt Murphy

Mourns the death of Amanda Jean Prucnell of Rolling Meadows.

Mourns the death of Aida Guss of Palatine.

Creates the FY2009 Budget Implementation Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to make the changes in State programs that are necessary to implement the FY2009 budget. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning boundaries.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a political committee created within 30 days before an election must file its statement of organization within 24 hours (now, within 5 business days) after its creation and must file the statement electronically.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department shall create a task force to examine the process used by State and local governmental agencies to conduct criminal history record checks as a condition of employment or approval to render provider services to such an agency. Provides that the task force shall include but need not be limited to representatives from several specified State agencies and large regional school districts. Requires the task force to provide a plan to the General Assembly by February 1, 2010 that addresses specified issues aimed at revising the process for conducting criminal history record checks in order to reduce duplication of effort and make better use of resources and more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that as a condition of eligibility to participate in the child care assistance program, a child care provider must authorize in writing an investigation to determine whether the child care provider has ever been charged with a crime and, if so, the disposition of those charges. Provides for confidentiality of information received by the Department of Human Services. Eliminates a provision that the Department of Human Services shall request the Department of Children and Family Services to conduct periodic investigations of the Central Register maintained under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In counties of less than 3,000,000, provides that if an owner fails to file an application for any homestead exemption (instead of only the senior assessment freeze), a certificate of error may be issued. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that a statement of a witness is not excluded at the trial or hearing of any defendant by the hearsay rule or as a violation of any right to confront witnesses if the witness was killed, bribed, kidnapped, secreted, intimidated, or otherwise induced by a party, or one for whose conduct such party is legally responsible, to prevent the witness from being available to testify at such trial or hearing. Provides that the party seeking to introduce the statement shall disclose the statement sufficiently in advance of trial or hearing to provide the opposing party with a fair opportunity to meet it. Provides that the disclosure shall include notice of an intent to offer the statement, including the identity of the declarant. Provides that prior to ruling on the admissibility of a statement under this provision, the court shall conduct a hearing outside the presence of the jury. Provides that except in cases where a preponderance of the evidence establishes that the defendant killed the declarant, the party seeking to introduce the statement shall be required to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the party who caused the unavailability of the witness did so with the intent or motive that the witness be unavailable for trial or hearing. Provides that the court is not required to find that the conduct or wrongdoing amounts to a criminal act. Provides that nothing in this provision shall be construed to prevent the admissibility of statements under existing hearsay exceptions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law. Requires the Department to establish and maintain a website known as the Illinois Accountability Portal. The website shall provide direct access to information concerning State employees and individual consultants, State expenditures, State tax credits, State contracts, and revocations and suspensions of occupation and use tax certificates of registration and professional licenses.

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that a guardian shall not consent to a ward's sterilization without a court order, but a court order is not required if a procedure is medically necessary to preserve the ward's life or prevent a serious impairment even though it may result in sterilization. Provides that if the motion of a guardian seeking to consent to a ward's sterilization shows that sterilization is warranted, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem, who shall be an attorney or a qualified disabilities or mental illness advocate. Provides that the court may appoint counsel for the ward, and shall do so upon the ward's request, if the ward objects to sterilization, or the ward's position is adverse to the guardian ad litem. Provides that the court shall advise the ward of his or her right to appointed counsel. Provides for a medical and psychological evaluation to assess the ward's capacity concerning sterilization. Provides that the court shall determine if the ward has the capacity to consent to sterilization by considering whether the ward is able to understand the relationship between sexual activity and reproduction; reproduction consequences; and sterilization. Provides that the ward shall not be deemed to lack capacity solely on the basis of a disability. Provides that if the court finds that the ward has capacity to consent, and the ward objects or consents, the court shall enter an order based on the ward's decision. If the court finds that the ward does not have capacity and has no clear desire for sterilization, the court shall apply standards. Provides that those standards include that the court shall not authorize sterilization unless the court clearly finds that the ward lacks decisional capacity, is fertile, and capable of procreation; the benefits outweigh the harm; less intrusive alternatives were considered; and sterilization is in the ward's best interest, considering trauma or psychological damage if he or she had a child. Provides that the court shall consider if the ward is sexually active, the ability of the ward to understand reproduction and contraception, and other factors relative to the ward's best interest. Includes other provisions.