Sen. Jil Tracy

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure by deleting certain provisions concerning joint and several liability and adding language providing, except as otherwise provided, that: in specified types of actions, each defendant found liable is liable for only that percentage of the plaintiff's damages that represents the fault chargeable to that defendant in the comparison of the plaintiff's fault with the fault of all tortfeasors whose fault was a proximate cause of the death, injury, loss, or damage for which recovery is sought; and, except when the plaintiff is barred from recovering damages because the plaintiff's fault is more than 50% of the proximate cause of the injury or damage for which recovery is sought, the plaintiff is barred from recovering damages from a defendant in excess of the amount of damages obtained by applying the percentage of fault of that defendant to the amount of the plaintiff's damages and no defendant is jointly and severally liable for plaintiff's damages. Deletes or repeals all of the following provisions of the Joint Tortfeasor Contribution Act: if the obligation of one or more joint tortfeasors is uncollectable, the remaining tortfeasors shall share the unpaid portions of the uncollectable obligation in accordance with their pro rata liability; if equity requires, the collective liability of some as a group shall constitute a single share; and a plaintiff's right to recover the full amount of his or her judgment from any one or more defendants subject to liability in tort for the same injury to person or property, or for wrongful death, is not affected by the provisions of the Act.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Director of Corrections shall provide the Governor with monthly written reports, and the General Assembly with an annual written report, on the award of good conduct credit for meritorious service. Provides that these reports must include: (1) the number of inmates awarded good conduct credit for meritorious service; (2) the jurisdictions from which these inmates were committed and into which they were or will be released; (3) the average amount of good conduct credit for meritorious service awarded; (4) the holding offenses for good conduct credit for meritorious service awardees; and (5) the number of good conduct credit for meritorious service revocations. Provides that as to both reports, the Department of Corrections must publish the reports on its website within 48 hours of transmitting them to the respective parties. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the tuition rate and fee limit of 1/3 of the per capita cost applies until the effective date of the amendatory Act and beginning again 3 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Prohibits the use of public funds by a State agency, unit of local government, school district, or other governmental entity that receives public funds to contract for lobbying. Does not prohibit the use of public funds for lobbying by employees. Effective immediately.

Creates the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Act. Creates the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Program under the Act. Provides for administration of the program by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Sets forth eligibility requirements for veterans. Requires the Department to purchase or provide health care benefits for eligible veterans that are identical to the benefits provided to adults under the State's Medicaid program, except for nursing facility services and non-emergency transportation. Includes provisions for co-payments and monthly premiums for health care services. Gives the Department a charge upon claims and causes of action and a right of subrogation, and gives the Department the right to recover the reasonable value of benefits provided. Requires an annual report to the General Assembly by January 1 of each year beginning in 2012. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to add cross-references to the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Act. Repeals the Veterans' Health Insurance Program Act of 2008. Repeals the Military Emergency Direct Insurance Contingency Act on January 1, 2015. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure and the Good Samaritan Act to reenact certain provisions of Public Act 94-677, which was declared to be unconstitutional. Includes explanatory and validation provisions. Makes changes relating to the reenactment. Also makes these substantive changes: Amends the Code of Civil Procedure to lower the rate of interest payable on judgments; and to delay the accrual of interest in certain cases where a federal Medicare lien may exist against the judgment. Includes an inseverability provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Makes technical changes concerning the vacancies in a forest preserve district office and notifications of vacancies in county and forest preserve district offices. Provides that notification shall be given of each established political party within 3 days of the county board meeting where the vacancy was declared, rather than within 3 days of the occurrence of the vacancy. Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Authorizes a county board member in any county (now, in a county having fewer than 40,000 inhabitants), during his or her term of office, to concurrently hold the office of member of the board of education, regional board of school trustees, board of school directors, board of a community college district, or board of school inspectors. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall, by January 1, 2012, establish uniform procedures by which interested parties, including victims, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the Prisoner Review Board, may be notified of, and comment upon, the projected early release of an inmate because of an award of good conduct credit for meritorious service. Provides that these rules and regulations must provide that comments be submitted in writing or electronically. Provides that upon promulgation of these rules and regulations, the Department of Corrections may consider and shall include in the inmate's record any comments submitted by interested parties. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that an unemployed individual shall be eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week only if the Director finds that the unemployed individual has performed at least 20 hours of volunteer service per week for a nonprofit charitable organization which is qualified as exempt from taxation under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Provides that the Director, by regulation, may waive or alter the requirement for volunteer service for cases or situations in which the Director finds that compliance with the requirement would be oppressive or inconsistent with the purposes of the Act. Provides that the requirement for volunteer service shall not apply to the first 2 weeks of eligibility. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Deletes language providing that an action may be commenced in any county if all defendants are nonresidents of the State, and replaces it with language providing that if no defendants that are joined in good faith and with probable cause for the purpose of obtaining a judgment against them are residents of the State, an action may be commenced only in the county in which the transaction or some part thereof occurred out of which the cause of action arose. Makes various changes in provisions defining the residence of certain corporations, voluntary unincorporated associations, and partnerships. Deletes language providing that actions against an insurance company incorporated under the laws of this State or doing business in this State may be brought in any county in which the plaintiff or one of the plaintiffs resides. Provides that if no defendants are residents of this State, and the transaction, or some part thereof, out of which the cause of action arose did not occur in this State, the action must be dismissed for lack of proper venue. Makes changes in relation to motions claiming improper venue. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to actions filed on or after its effective date. Effective immediately.