Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant

Amends the State Revenue Sharing Act and the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, from each income tax payment that the Department of Revenue receives, the Department must deposit certain amounts directly into the Local Government Distributive Fund (currently, the Department deposits the tax payment into the General Revenue Fund and the Treasurer then transfers a percentage of the net revenue to the Local Government Distributive Fund). Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, after the effective date of the amendatory Act, all new school building construction governed by the "Health/Life Safety Code for Public Schools" must include in its design and construction a storm shelter that meets the minimum requirements of the ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC-500), published jointly by the International Code Council and the National Storm Shelter Association. Provides that nothing in this language precludes the design engineers, architects, or school district from applying a higher life safety standard than the ICC-500 for storm shelters.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows a superintendent endorsement to be affixed to the Professional Educator License of a holder who has had at least 2 years of experience employed full-time in a general administrative position, among other qualifications. Effective immediately.

Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Provides that an entity that installs or operates a private business switch service shall install and operate that service such that when a user dials the digits "9-1-1" the emergency call can be connected to the 9-1-1 system without first dialing any number or set of numbers. Sets forth penalties for failing to comply with the requirements of this amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act. Adds material defects in the windows or doors to the list of disclosures required under the Act.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Creates a provision that provides that the Director of the Office of Retail Market Development shall conduct research, gather input, and develop and present a detailed plan designed to promote retail natural gas competition for residential and small commercial natural gas consumers. Provides that interested parties shall be given the opportunity to review the plan and provide written comments regarding the plan prior to its submission. Provides that to the extent the plan calls for Illinois Commerce Commission action, the Commission shall initiate any proceeding or proceedings called for in the final plan within 60 days after receipt of the final plan and complete those proceedings within 11 months after their initiation; nothing shall prevent the Commission from acting earlier to remove identified barriers to retail natural gas competition for residential and small commercial consumers. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code with respect to block grants for school districts other than the Chicago school district. Provides that not less than 14% (instead of 11%) of the Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3, which percentage shall increase to at least 20% by Fiscal Year 2016 (instead of 2015). Effective July 1, 2014.

Mourns the death of Patricia Rose Carney of Joliet.

Mourns the death of Tony A. Rasche of Moline.

Mourns the death of Celine Schwartz of Shorewood.