Sen. Julie Morrison

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities applies to all real property that is the primary residence of a veteran with a disability (currently, the exemption applies only to property with an equalized assessed value of less than $250,000). Provides that, if the veteran has a service connected disability of 70% or more, then the maximum exemption amount is $250,000 (currently, the property is exempt). Effective immediately.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Mourns the death of Donald Dorge of Lake Forest.

Amends the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act. Repeals a provision that created the informational clearinghouse under the Act.

Condemns the practice of capuchin monkey races and urges the cancellation of any such scheduled acts.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that "ex parte communication" also includes situations when legislators impart or request material information or make a material argument regarding State university admissions or hiring or other personnel decisions at State agencies or universities. Modifies the term "interested party" to include a person or entity whose rights, privileges, or interests regard matters of university admissions or hiring or other personnel decisions at State agencies or universities. Adds the Illinois Board of Higher Education to the list of agencies required to report ex parte communications.

Mourns the death of Kenneth Chisholm Bennett of Lake Forest.

Amends the Child Death Review Team Act. Transfers the administration of child death review teams from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Department of Public Health. Provides that the Director of Public Health (rather than the Director of Children and Family Services), in consultation with the Illinois Child Death Review Teams Executive Council and specified persons who work in the field of investigating, treating, or preventing child deaths (rather than abuse or neglect in that subregion), shall appoint members to a child death review team in each of the Department of Children and Family Services' administrative regions (rather than subregions) of the State outside Cook County and at least one child death review team in Cook County. Provides that the staff of each child death review team must have complete access to the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) and any other Child Abuse Reporting systems; and that the Department of Public Health must provide one full-time statewide liaison to attend in person at all Executive Council meetings and team meetings throughout the State. Changes provisions concerning child death reviews; a child death review team's access to records and information held by the Department of Public Health and the Department of Children and Family Services; annual reports by the Illinois Child Death Review Teams Executive Council; and the establishment of a special Child Death Investigation Task Force.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.