Sen. Don Harmon

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that local police and sheriffs' departments have the duty to conduct investigations, make arrests, and take any other action necessary for the enforcement of the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law. Provides that moneys in the Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund may be used to hire off-duty local police and sheriffs' department officers to monitor construction or maintenance zones.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Illinois Department of Transportation, in cooperation with a local law enforcement agency, may establish in any county or municipality a system for automated enforcement of railroad crossing violations. Provides for automated recording of vehicles that enter a railroad crossing against the signal or that obstruct traffic at a railroad crossing. Provides for the issuance of a Uniform Traffic Citation to the owner of the recorded vehicle. Establishes procedures for contesting the violation. Provides that violation of the provision is a petty offense for which a fine of $250, or 25 hours of community service, shall be imposed. Provides that a fine of $500 shall be imposed for a second or subsequent violation. Provides that the Secretary of State may suspend for not less than 6 months the registration of a vehicle involved in a second or subsequent violation. Provides that photographs from a system established under the new provision, or under the provision establishing a similar pilot program, can be made available to governmental agencies for safety analysis of the railroad crossing.

Amends the Counties Code, the Abuse Prevention Review Team Act, the Nursing Home Care Act, and the Probation and Probation Officers Act. Provides that all deaths in licensed long-term care facilities and all deaths in hospitals in cases in which the deceased had been transferred to the hospital from a long-term care facility within the preceding 5 days must be reported to the coroner of the county in which the facility is located; requires that the coroner be notified immediately (instead of promptly) in the case of certain deaths. Repeals a provision repealing the Abuse Prevention Review Team Act on July 1, 2006. Requires a nursing home to request a criminal history background check on all residents; requires a nursing home to fax a resident's name and criminal history information to the Department of Public Health if the resident is an identified offender. Requires the Department of Public Health to conduct an Identified Offender Risk Analysis with respect to a nursing home resident who is an identified offender. Authorizes the Director of Public Health to waive certain requirements concerning notice to nursing home residents, employees, and visitors that an identified offender is a resident of the nursing home. Deletes a requirement that a probation officer provide copies of certain reports to certain facilities and State agencies. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides for a property tax exemption for property that is leased by a municipality or unit of local government to another entity whose property is not exempt for the purpose of parking or for waste disposal or processing. Makes other changes.

Mourns the death of Norbert Bochat of River Grove.

Mourns the death of Robert John Biancalana of Elmwood Park.

Mourns the death of Simone Mokrauer of Oak Park.

Mourns the death of veteran sports reporter Joseph C. Agrella.

Creates the Wooded Land Assessment Task Force concerning the assessment of wooded land and property under forestry management programs. Urges the Department of Revenue to accept the reduced valuation of certain wooded land for the 2006 and 2007 taxable years.

Mourns the death of Ethel Cotovsky of Oak Park.