Sen. Susan Garrett

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.

Calls upon the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Human Services to act to ensure that agencies serving the developmentally disabled through contracts with the State receive the full 4% cost-of-living increase mandated by the General Assembly.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State policy.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that all final decisions of the corporate authorities of a municipality under a Division concerning zoning shall be deemed legislative actions.

Amends the State Employees Political Activity Act. Provides procedures and conditions for State employees to engage in political work. Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Prohibits the use of State funds for public service announcements featuring State executive branch constitutional officers during certain campaign periods. Amends the State Gift Ban Act. Deletes provisions concerning judges. Provides that certain gifts, contributions, and expenses are exempt from the gift ban and removes some of the current exemptions. Provides that an ethics commission may issue rulings and make advisory opinions. Requires ethics commissions to adopt certain rules and allows them to hold meetings in person or by telephone. Deletes provisions concerning units of local government and school districts. Amends the Open Meetings Act. Excludes ethics officers and ultimate jurisdictional authorities from the definition of a public body. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides for the disclosure of time sheets for the time spent working as a public employee or official or applications for reimbursement for certain expenses. Amends the Election Code. Provides that an entity that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $3,000 for the purposes of electioneering communications is a State and local political committee. Prohibits executive branch constitutional officers, employees, and candidates from soliciting contributions from the constitutional officer's employees and from promising anything of value in return for a contribution. Lists permitted expenditures of political committee funds. Provides that the fines for violations of the Act shall be up to the value of the unreported contribution. Amends the General Assembly Staff Assistants Act. Provides procedures and conditions for legislative staff assistants to engage in political work. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Deletes the current revolving door provisions. Prohibits former State officers or employees from accepting employment or receiving compensation from an employer under certain circumstances. Makes other changes. States that a 2/3 vote of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly is required for passage.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Includes disabled persons within the provisions granting an assessment freeze homestead exemption to senior citizens. Changes the name to the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (now Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption). Makes corresponding changes to a cross-reference to the exemption. Amends the States Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Designates the month of March as Hemophilia Awareness Month to enhance the understanding and proper treatment of hemophilia and to encourage participation in activities to support programs to properly treat hemophilia.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Adds a caption to a Section concerning arbitration of medical malpractice disputes.