Sen. Dale E. Risinger

Amends the Southern Illinois University Management Act. Provides that the Illinois Ethanol Research Advisory Board shall establish and operate, subject to specific appropriation for the purpose of providing facility operating funds, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville as a State Biorefining Center of Excellence. Sets forth the purposes and goals of the Center.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Designates each September as Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month. Effective immediately.

Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Changes the repeal date of provisions creating the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund from December 31, 2007 to December 31, 2013. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, upon proper application, the Secretary of State shall issue registration plates designated as Gold Star license plates to any Illinois resident who is the surviving widow, widower, parent, or sibling of a person who served in the Armed Forces and lost his or her life while in service whether in peacetime or war, and that the surviving widow or widower and each surviving parent and sibling shall be issued one set of registration plates (rather than providing that only one set of the plates may be issued for each Gold Star awarded).

Amends the School Code. Subject to appropriation, requires the State Board of Education to establish and operate a renewable energy grant program to assist school districts in the installation, acquisition, construction, and improvement of renewable energy sources in the public schools. Provides that the grant shall cover 50% of the cost for which the grant is sought, up to a maximum grant of $1,000,000, if the applicant school district is able to demonstrate that it has funds to pay the other 50% of the cost. Effective July 1, 2007.

Mourns the death in Iraq of Senior Airman Daniel B. Miller Jr. of Galesburg.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961 relating to disorderly conduct. Provides that engaging in any loud protests of singing, chanting, whistling, or yelling with or without noise amplification, displaying any visual images that convey fighting words or actual or veiled threats against any other person, engaging in a directed protest march or picket at any public location when any of these activities are conducted within 300 feet of any entrance to a facility being used for a funeral or memorial service, or blocking access to such facility at any time during the period starting 30 minutes before any funeral or memorial service is scheduled to begin and ending 30 minutes after the funeral or memorial service terminates is disorderly conduct in which the penalty is a Class C misdemeanor. Provides that the provisions of the Act are severable. Effective immediately.

Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that no later than August 1 of each year, the Director of Revenue shall calculate the total amount of tax paid pursuant to the Gas Revenue Tax Act by persons eligible to receive assistance from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program during the 12-month period ending the previous June 30 and the total amount of Energy Assistance Charges paid by such persons during that same period. Provides that no later than September 1 of each year, the Director of Revenue shall cause an amount equal to the amount calculated under the foregoing provision in that year to be transferred from GRF to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund.

Amends the Counties Code. Includes Peoria County in the list of counties (i) that may establish a stormwater management planning committee for the purposes of preparing a stormwater management plan for presentation to and approval by the county board and (ii) that may adopt a schedule of fees in accordance with the stormwater management plan and levy an annual tax on all taxable property within the county. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wrongful Tree Cutting Act. Provides that the Act does not apply to a supplier of sanitary sewage collection services who may cut, or cause to be cut, any tree or timber that may impair that supplier's ability to provide safe and reliable service. Effective immediately.