Sen. Dan Kotowski

Mourns the death of Michael McLaughlin of Queens, New York.

Mourns the death of May Aldrin.

Amends the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Act. Changes the short title to the Energy Efficient Building Act. Provides a definition of "building". Applies the Act to residential and commercial buildings (now, all commercial buildings). Provides that the Capital Development Board must adopt the specified energy conservation code as the minimum requirements for commercial buildings and as the minimum and maximum requirements for the construction of residential buildings. Provides that units of local government may not regulate energy efficient building standards for residential buildings in a manner that is either less or more stringent than the standards in the Act. Provides that units of local government may not enact any annexation ordinance or resolution, or require or enter into any annexation agreement, that imposes energy efficiency building standards for residential buildings that are either less or more stringent than the energy efficiency standards in effect throughout the unit of local government. Provides that any unit of local government that has adopted any previously published editions of the International Energy Conservation Code on or before January 1, 2009 may continue to regulate energy efficient building standards under that Code and any supplements the unit of local government has adopted prior to January 1, 2009. Preempts home rule powers. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Repeals the Domestic Violence Surveillance Fund. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that when a person is charged with a violation of an order of protection, the court may, in its discretion (rather than shall), order the respondent to undergo a risk assessment evaluation if certain conditions are present. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that under the Domestic Violence Surveillance Program, the best available technology must have real-time and interactive capabilities that facilitate the following objectives: (1) immediate notification to the supervising authority of a breach of a court ordered exclusion zone; (2) notification of the breach to the offender; and (3) communication between the supervising authority, law enforcement, and the victim, regarding the breach. Changes the protective order violation fines to fees. Provides that the supervising authority of a domestic violence surveillance program shall assess a person either convicted of, or charged with, the violation of an order of protection an additional fee to cover the costs of providing the equipment used and the additional supervision needed for such domestic violence surveillance program. Provides that if the court finds that the fee would impose an undue burden on the victim, the court may reduce or waive the fee. Provides that the court shall order that the defendant may not use funds belonging solely to the victim of the offense for payment of the fee. Amends the Probation and Probation Officers Act. Provides that the Division of Probation Services shall (rather than may) develop standards to implement the Domestic Violence Surveillance Program and shall develop standards for collecting data to evaluate the impact and costs of the Domestic Violence Surveillance Program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Changes the elements of the offenses of stalking and cyberstalking. Provides that a person commits stalking when he or she knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, and he or she knows or should know that this course of conduct would cause a reasonable person to: (1) fear for his or her safety or the safety of a third person; or (2) suffer other emotional distress. Provides that if the conduct is committed using electronic communication, the offense is cyberstalking. Provides that a person also commits aggravated stalking when he or she, in conjunction with committing the offense of stalking, violates a stalking no contact order or a civil no contact order. Retains the same penalties for the offenses.

Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to restrict the dispensing and sale by an optometrist of ocular devices, such as contact lenses, that contain and deliver ocular pharmaceutical agents permitted for use or prescription under the Act.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Illinois Insurance Code, and the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Provides that a policy or plan that provides coverage for hospital or medical treatment on an expense incurred basis, may offer a reasonably designed program for wellness coverage that allows for certain incentives for participation in health behavior wellness programs that are approved or offered by the insurer or plan. Provides that wellness coverage, as defined in the Act, shall satisfy the requirements for an exception from the general prohibition against discrimination based on a health factor under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Contains a nonacceleration clause. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2010.

Creates the Foster Youth Successful Transition to Adulthood Act. Establish a program of transitional discharge from foster care for teenage foster children, enabling former foster youths under the age of 21 who encounter significant hardship upon emancipation to reengage with the Department of Children and Family Services and the Juvenile Court, in order to secure essential supports and services available to foster youth seeking to learn to live independently as adults. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that an abused, neglected, or dependent minor for whom the court has granted a supplemental petition to reinstate wardship may be placed in the custody of or committed to the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall provide or authorize child welfare services, aimed at assisting minors to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency as independent adults, to any minor eligible for the reinstatement of wardship, whether or not such reinstatement is sought or allowed, provided that the minor consents to such services and has not yet attained the age of 21. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that an abused, neglected, or dependent minor between the ages of 18 and 21 may be placed with the Department of Children and Family Services if (1) the court has granted a supplemental petition to reinstate wardship of the minor, or (2) the Court has adjudicated the minor a ward of the court, permitted the minor to return home under an order of protection, and subsequently made a finding that it is in the minor's best interest to vacate the order of protection and commit the minor to the Department of Children and Family Services for care and service.

Creates the Local Farm and Food Products Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Court of Claims Act and the Line of Duty Compensation Act. Provides that in any case for which benefits have not been paid within 6 months of the claim being filed in accordance with the Line of Duty Compensation Act, which is pending as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, and in which there are 2 or more beneficiaries, at least one of whom would receive at least a portion of the total benefit regardless of the manner in which the Court of Claims resolves the claim, the Court shall direct the Comptroller to pay the minimum amount of money which the determinate beneficiary would receive together with all interest payment penalties which have accrued on that portion of the award being paid within 30 days of the effective date of the amendatory Act.