Sen. Tim Bivins

Mourns the death of Ruth J. Wiggers of Lincoln.

Amends the School Code. Creates the School Security and Standards Task Force within the State Board of Education to study the security of schools in this State, make recommendations, and draft minimum standards for use by schools to make them more secure and to provide a safer learning environment for the children of this State. Sets forth provisions concerning the membership of the Task Force, meetings of the Task Force, State Board support for the Task Force, and the duties of the Task Force. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2014, the Task Force shall submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor on specific recommendations for changes to the current law or other legislative measures. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2014, the Task Force shall submit a report to the State Board on specific recommendations for model security plan policies for schools to access and use as a guideline, which report is exempt from inspection and copying under the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that the Task Force is abolished and these provisions are repealed on January 2, 2014. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that individuals that provide false insurance information in connection with an application for issuance or renewal of vehicle registration are guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. Provides that registration will not be issued if certain insurance information is not provided. Requires remittance agents to ask for insurance information in connection with an application for issuance or renewal of vehicle registration and to provide this information to the Secretary of State upon remittance.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a 3-axle truck mixer registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle, used exclusively for the mixing and transportation of concrete in the plastic state, may, when laden, transmit upon the road surface, except when on part of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, the following maximum weights: 22,000 pounds on a single axle; 40,000 pounds on a tandem axle; and 54,000 pounds gross weight on a 3-axle vehicle. Provides that a 3-axle combination sewer cleaning jetting vacuum truck registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle, used exclusively for the transportation of non-hazardous solid waste, may, when laden, transmit upon the road surface, except when on part of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, the following maximum weights: 22,000 pounds on a single axle; 40,000 pounds on a tandem axle; and 54,000 pounds gross weight on a 3-axle vehicle. Provides that both of these vehicles are not subject to the bridge formula. Removes provisions limiting to vehicles manufactured before or in the model year of 2014 and first registered in Illinois before January 1, 2015 the applicability of weight limit exceptions for certain 4-axle special hauling vehicles. Effective immediately.

Amends the Title Insurance Act to add an exception to the prohibition against a title insurance company, title insurance agent, or independent escrowee making disbursements in connection with any escrows, settlements, or closings out of a fiduciary trust account or accounts if the funds are good funds and the title insurance company, title insurance agent, or independent escrowee and the financial institution, as defined by the Act, are known to each other and agree to the use of these funds.

Amends the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Provides an exemption from the requirements of fingerprint vendors to any member of local law enforcement (A) in the performance of his or her duties and (B) within a county without a local fingerprint vendor. Provides that local law enforcement agencies may charge a reasonable fee related to the cost of offering fingerprinting services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Amends the definition of "imprisonment" to include electronic home detention served by an offender after the offender has been committed to the custody of the sheriff to serve the sentence and the sheriff has placed the offender in an electronic home detention program. Provides that when an offender is sentenced under a provision of law that requires the sentence to include a minimum term of imprisonment and the offender is committed to the custody of the sheriff to serve the sentence, the sheriff may place the offender in an electronic home detention program for service of that minimum term of imprisonment unless the offender was convicted of an excluded offense as defined in the Electronic Home Detention Law or the court's sentencing order specifies that the minimum term of imprisonment shall be served in a county correctional facility.

Designates the Rock River Trail Scenic and Historic Route.

States our belief that a school crime watch program should be established based on the Neighborhood Watch concept and independently or alternatively incorporated into the Neighborhood Watch program in order to make schools safer for our children.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.