Sen. Pamela J. Althoff

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Local Government Road Salt Purchase Reimbursement Fund. Provides that moneys in the Fund shall be used by the Department of Transportation to make grants to counties, municipalities, townships, and road districts in the northeastern Illinois region that entered into contracts for the purchase of road salt for the 2008-2009 winter season at a rate that exceeds the regional average. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the sum of $14,500,000 shall be transferred from the Fund for Illinois' Future to the Local Government Road Salt Purchase Reimbursement Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Electricity Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Law and the Illinois Municipal Code. Authorizes municipalities that impose certain taxes or fees on or collected by public utilities to conduct audits of those utilities to determine the accuracy of the taxes or fees paid to the municipality. Sets forth procedures under which a municipality may collect information from a public utility that is necessary to perform an audit. Sets forth procedures concerning the audit findings, liability for errors, penalties, confidentiality, and exemptions. Amends the Local Government Taxpayers' Bill of Rights Act. Limits the authority of municipalities (including home rule municipalities) to impose penalties with respect to certain taxes imposed under the Illinois Municipal Code or with respect to the municipal electricity infrastructure maintenance fee. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that State officers and employees prohibited from obtaining State contracts may not receive legal, banking, consulting, or other fees related to State government bond issuances. Prohibits waivers from the prohibition. Prohibits State contractors with contracts with an annual aggregate value of more than $25,000 from making political contributions to the executive branch constitutional officers responsible for awarding the contracts. Establishes penalties for violations. Requires that each State contract bid or offer in excess of $10,000 annual value must be accompanied by a disclosure of the bidder's or offeror's political contributions to the executive branch constitutional officer responsible for awarding the contract. Authorizes the State Comptroller to refuse payments under contracts for which those disclosures were not made. Makes other changes.

Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act, the amount equal to 1% of the amount of total net revenue realized from a tax on hotel operators gross receipts during the preceding month shall be deposited in the Local Planning Fund. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $37,806.75 from the General Revenue Fund to the McHenry County Board to pay for the reprinting of the November 2006 General Election Ballot. Effective immediately.

Amends the Park District Code. Makes a technical change in a Section containing the short title.

Amends the Downstate Teachers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows a teacher to establish credit for certain leaves of absence due to pregnancy. Includes new benefit increase compliance language. Effective immediately.

Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Grants quick-take eminent domain powers for a period of one year to the Village of Johnsburg for the construction of a Metra rail station and rail storage yard. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the earned income tax credit.

Creates the Accountable Schools Task Force to review and evaluate the complex issues involving the fiscal and performance accountability of the State's school districts and individual schools.