Creates the Family and Personal Protection Act. Establishes statewide uniform standards for the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms in this State. Vests in the county sheriff the authority to issue concealed firearms permits to qualified applicants. Requires an applicant to complete a training course in handgun use, safety, and marksmanship. Also requires instruction in the law relating to firearm use. Requires an applicant to be at least 21 years of age. Prohibits an applicant who has been convicted of a felony or has a history of mental illness, addiction, or habitual alcohol use from obtaining a permit. Creates the Citizen Safety and Self-Defense Trust Fund in each county administered by the sheriff. Provides that the moneys in the Fund shall be used to administer the Act. Establishes restrictions on carrying concealed firearms. Establishes standards for the training course and for certifying instructors. Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the Family and Personal Protection Act supersedes an ordinance of a unit of local government inconsistent with that Act. Prohibits a home rule unit from regulating the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms. Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Exempts from an unlawful use of weapons and aggravated unlawful use of weapons violation persons who carry or possess firearms in accordance with the Family and Personal Protection Act. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Classifies community college districts as units of local government that must adopt resolutions regulating the political activities and the solicitation and acceptance of gifts by their officials and employees (now, classified as State agencies subject to the entire Act's regulation and enforcement by the Executive Ethics Commission and the Governor's Executive Inspector General). Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that contiguous territory not exceeding 13 square miles may be incorporated as a village if it is located in a county that (i) has a population of not less than 21,000 and not more than 23,000 and (ii) borders 2 states. Effective immediately.
Appropriates $64,200,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department on Aging for vendors of homemaker, chore, and housekeeping services to increase the wages paid to employees who provide homemaker, chore, and housekeeping services and to provide health insurance coverage to those employees and their dependents. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Classifies community college districts as units of local government that must adopt resolutions regulating the political activities and the solicitation and acceptance of gifts by their officials and employees (now, classified as State agencies subject to the entire Act's regulation and enforcement by the Executive Ethics Commission and the Governor's Executive Inspector General). Effective immediately.
Amends the Animal Control Act. Defines "potentially dangerous dog". Changes the burden of proof, on appeal from a finding of dangerous dog, to preponderance of the evidence (now clear and convincing evidence). Provides that a dog found running at large with 3 or more dogs may be deemed a potentially dangerous dog by the animal control warden or administrator. Requires potentially dangerous dogs to be spayed or neutered and microchipped within 14 days of reclaim. Provides penalties for violation of the Act.
Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Increases the penalty for the violation of certain provisions concerning animal fighting from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony for the first offense and from a Class 4 felony to a Class 3 felony for second or subsequent offenses. Effective immediately.
Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources may issue crossbow permits to persons age 62 and older upon appropriate verification of age. Effective immediately.
Amends the Administrative Review Law in the Code of Civil Procedure to provide that, in an administrative review of a decision of a hearing officer or a county zoning board of appeals, the only necessary parties are the hearing officer or the county zoning board of appeals and the applicant to the hearing officer or the county zoning board of appeals. Provides that a notice of the filing of the administrative review action and information about the administrative review process, including the method to intervene, must be sent by certified mail to each person who appeared before and submitted oral testimony or written statements to the hearing officer or the zoning board of appeals. Effective July 1, 2007.
Creates the Prescribed Burning Act. Allows for the prescribed burning of certain land under specified circumstances when approved by a certified prescribed burn manager. Provides that no property owner or his agent, conducting a prescribed burn pursuant to the requirements of the Act, shall be liable for damage or injury caused by fire or resulting smoke, unless gross negligence is proven or unless conducted without the approval of a prescribed burn manager. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with the Office of the State Fire Marshall, shall promulgate rules to implement the Act. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed as requiring certification as a prescribed burn manager to conduct prescribed burning on one's own property or on the lands of another with the landowner's permission. Effective immediately.