Sen. Susan Garrett

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Increases the reimbursement amount to school districts for certificated employees who work with or on behalf of students with disabilities full time (instead of teachers, professional workers, directors, school psychologists, and readers) and non-certified employees by a specified amount each school year through the 2011-2012 school year. For each school year thereafter, provides that the reimbursement amount shall equal the amount from the previous school year increased by a percentage increase equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items. Effective immediately.

Amends the Water Use Act of 1983. Defines "high-capacity well". Imposes further restrictions on high-capacity wells and expands notice requirements. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Acknowledges the Save a Star Drug Awareness Foundation and their work to promote the dangers associated with prescription drug abuse.

Creates the Capital Investment Accountability Act. Requires the establishment of District Prioritization Committees and sets forth procedures for their operation. Requires the Department of Transportation and the committees to establish criteria and processes for reviewing, prioritizing, and selecting surface transportation projects. Sets forth procedures for the submission, review, and prioritization of projects. Requires legislative committees and the Department of Transportation to take certain actions with respect to adopting a comprehensive project prioritization plan. Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois to make corresponding changes with respect to the submission dates of reports by the Department of Transportation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Uniform Act for the Extradition of Persons of Unsound Mind. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. With respect to an executive branch State employee who is the subject of an Executive Inspector General's investigation and whose agency head or ultimate jurisdictional authority agrees with the Inspector General as to disciplinary action against the employee, establishes procedures for providing a redacted version of the Inspector General's summary investigation report to the Executive Ethics Commission, to the employee, and to the public, under certain circumstances.

Amends the Reduction of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the State Operations Continuity Act. Provides that if appropriations and reappropriations for a State fiscal year are not law by July 1 of the fiscal year, then appropriations and reappropriations in the same amount as those for the previous fiscal year become those for the current fiscal year. Contains other provisions. Effective June 1, 2008.

Amends the Pension Impact Note Act. Requires that a pension impact note for legislation affecting downstate police and downstate firefighter pension funds must demonstrate the fiscal impact of the legislation on at least 25 municipalities with the pension funds. Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes changes concerning prohibited transactions by fiduciaries of a pension fund established under the Downstate Police or Downstate Firefighter Article (Article 3 or 4), examinations of pension funds, and witnesses and adds provisions concerning consulting services, prohibitions on gifts for members of a board of trustees of a pension fund established under Article 3 or 4, fraudulent claims for disability pensions by police officers and firefighters, award of benefits, publication of a notice regarding the fiscal status of a pension fund established under Article 3 or 4, and a report by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability on pension funds established under Article 3 or 4. Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the Board of Trustees of Community College District No. 512 may create a pilot baccalaureate program under which the district may establish and offer bachelor's degrees in 2 fields of study if certain conditions are met, including requiring (i) that the degree programs not compete with any nearby public university, (ii) that the district identify and document unmet workforce needs, (iii) that the degree programs not require any additional funding from local taxes or the State, (iv) that the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education approve the offering of the degree programs, and (v) that the pilot program expire 4 years after the initial offering of the degree programs, unless otherwise extended by law. Effective immediately.