Sen. Gary G. Dahl

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a homestead exemption for homestead property that is the subject of a charitable transfer from Habitat for Humanity to a partner family. Provides that the amount of the exemption is the equalized assessed value of the property less 33 1/3% of the actual costs incurred for the construction of the residence, and for each taxable year thereafter, the amount of the exemption is the amount of the exemption for the previous taxable year less 30% of that previous exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a person who becomes a judge, constitutional officer, or member of the General Assembly on or after the effective date shall participate in the State Employees' Retirement System, unless he or she participated in the Judges or General Assembly Retirement System before that date. Provides that those persons may not have their employee contributions paid on their behalf by the State. In the General Assembly Article, allows a person with more than 20 years of service to elect to stop contributing to the System instead of receiving the accelerated 3% increases to which he or she would otherwise be entitled. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that State funds may not be used to provide the Governor with, nor to reimburse the Governor for the cost of, more than one round trip from the Governor's county of residence to the seat of government during any week when the General Assembly is in session. Makes an exception for emergency situations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that, for persons dying after December 31, 2008 (now, December 31, 2009), the "State tax credit" is the amount of the federal credit for state tax allowable under the Internal Revenue Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that each appropriation for a gubernatorial or legislative member initiative must be by a separate line item appropriation that fully describes the initiative. Provides that no gubernatorial or legislative member initiative may be funded through a lump sum appropriation. Defines gubernatorial and legislative member initiatives. Effective July 1, 2008.

Amends the Illinois State Auditing Act. Provides for the establishment and operation within the Office of the Auditor General of an Appropriations Earmark Unit to conduct performance audits of earmarked appropriations that were not included as a separate line item in the Governor's proposed annual State budget. Requires operation of a telephone hot line to receive anonymous suggestions for audits of grant programs and earmarked appropriations. Requires the audits to be public records and filed with the Legislative Audit Commission. Requires a majority vote of the Commission in order to direct the Auditor General to cease conducting an audit. Effective July 1, 2007.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that each appropriation for a gubernatorial or legislative member initiative must be by a separate line item appropriation that fully describes the initiative. Provides that no gubernatorial or legislative member initiative may be funded through a lump sum appropriation. Defines gubernatorial and legislative member initiatives. Effective July 1, 2007.

Proposes to amend the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the pension benefits and rights for all executive branch and legislative branch constitutional officers and their employees shall be administered under a unified system enacted by law that provides the same rights and benefits for all members. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the State Finance Act. Prohibits appropriations and expenditures for legislative member initiatives. Provides that no legislative member initiative may be funded through a lump sum appropriation. Defines "legislative member initiative". Effective July 1, 2007.

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.