Sen. Don Harmon

Amends the Cigarette Use Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Amends the Aircraft Use Tax Law. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning determining selling price.

Amends the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the National Guard Veterans Exposure to Hazardous Materials Act. Provides that the Adjutant General shall assist any member of the Illinois National Guard who served in the Persian Gulf War or in an area designated as a combat zone by the President of the United States during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom who (i) has been assigned a risk level I, II, or III for depleted uranium exposure by his or her branch of service, (ii) is referred by a military physician, or (iii) has reason to believe that he or she was exposed to depleted uranium during such service, in obtaining federal treatment services, including a best practice health screening test for exposure to depleted uranium. Provides that no State funds shall be used to pay for such tests or other federal treatment services. Requires the Adjutant General to submit a report to the General Assembly by October 1, 2006. Creates a task force to: (1) initiate a health registry for veterans and military personnel returning from Afghanistan, Iraq, or other countries in which depleted uranium or other hazardous materials may be found; (2) develop a plan for outreach to and follow-up of military personnel; (3) prepare a report for service members concerning potential exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic chemical substances and the precautions recommended under combat and noncombat conditions while in a combat zone; and (4) make other recommendations. Requires the task force to submit a report to the General Assembly by January 31, 2007, and terminates the task force on the date that it submits the report or on January 31, 2007, whichever is earlier. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the powers and duties of the Department of Human Rights.

Amends the Attorney General Act. Makes a technical change in the Section concerning the short title of the Act.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Eliminates language providing that questions of credibility shall be considered by the Department of Human Rights in determining whether there is substantial evidence that a civil rights violation has been committed. Provides that review of certain decisions of the Director of Human Rights shall be conducted by the Human Rights Commission, rather than the Chief Legal Counsel of the Department. Provides that a civil action arising under the Employment Article or the Additional Civil Rights Violations Article of the Act may be commenced 180 days after the filing of a charge with the Department, regardless of the Department's findings, if any. In provisions authorizing a civil action under the Employment Article, Real Estate Transactions Article, or Additional Civil Rights Violations Article, provides that the plaintiff or the defendant may demand a trial by jury. Effective January 1, 2006, except some provisions are effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code concerning tax objection procedures and hearings. Provides that, in property tax rate objection cases, refunds may be granted only to the extent that the property taxes objected to were unauthorized, were above the limit allowed by an applicable State statute or were otherwise in violation of an applicable State statute, or were used for expenditures that were illegal or without a valid public purpose. Provides that refunds made after the funds in the Protest Fund are exhausted shall be made by the collector from the next funds collected beginning in the second budget year after entry of the final order until full payment of the refund and interest thereon has been made (now, the refunds must be made from the next funds collected after the entry of the final order). Provides that, for the purposes of tax objections based on budget or appropriation ordinances, "municipality" means all municipal corporations in, and political subdivisions of, this State (now, excepts out from this definition a number of units of local government) and eliminates a basis on which a taxpayer may file an objection under these provisions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.