Sen. Wm. Sam McCann

Mourns the death of Lonnie R. Skirvin of Kampsville.

Create the First Response Broadcasters Act. Defines "broadcaster" and "first response broadcaster". Provides that broadcasters shall, in cooperation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Illinois Broadcasters Association or its successor organization, develop comprehensive, coordinated plans for preparing for and responding appropriately to an emergency or disaster. Sets forth procedures for training and certification of broadcasters and priorities for distribution and confiscation of equipment, supplies, and facilities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that certain exemptions from violation of the statute concerning unlawful use of weapons and the statute concerning aggravated unlawful use of a weapon apply to the elected or appointed State's Attorney of a county as well as to a special investigator appointed by the State's Attorney under the Counties Code so long as they successfully complete a course consisting of not less than 40 hours of training that includes the theory of law enforcement, liability for acts, and the handling of weapons (rather than just to the special investigators). Effective immediately.

Amends the Employee Washroom Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Resolves that special funds in the State treasury that are dedicated for purposes concerning agriculture and conservation shall not be subject to sweeps, administrative charge-backs, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that would in any way transfer any funds from such special funds into any other fund of the State.

Amends the Riverboat Gambling Act. Provides that certain moneys under the Act that were to be paid to Chicago State University shall instead be transferred in specified amounts to the following funds: the State and County Fair Assistance Fund; the Partners for Conservation Fund, to be used for grants to soil and water conservation districts; the State Cooperative Service Trust Fund, to be used for grants to the State's cooperative extensions; the Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders Fund; and the Colt Stakes Purse Distribution Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the State and County Fair Assistance Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that the Fund shall be administered by the Department of Agriculture, and that the Department of Agriculture shall award grants from moneys appropriated from the State and County Fair Assistance Fund for the development, expansion, or support of county fairs that showcase Illinois agriculture products or byproducts. Effective immediately.

Designates the third Thursday in May of 2012 as Volunteer Emergency Responder Appreciation Day in the State of Illinois.

Amends the State Finance Act. Requires PAYGO budgeting. Provides that if a Public Act requires additional spending from State funds, then no appropriation for the additional spending required by the Public Act may be obligated or expended unless the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability certifies to the State Comptroller that the same or another Public Act specifically identifies adequate decreases in expenditures or enhancements in revenues to completely offset the additional spending required by the Public Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Urges Congress to adopt legislation prohibiting the EPA, by any means necessary, from regulating greenhouse gas emissions, including if necessary defunding the EPA greenhouse gas regulatory activities, to impose a moratorium on the promulgation of any new air quality regulations by the EPA, except to directly address an imminent health or environmental emergency, for a period of at least two years, and requires the present Presidential administration to sign an Executive Order prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions, to undertake a comprehensive study identifying all regulatory activity that the EPA intends to undertake in furtherance of its goal of "taking action on climate change and improving air quality", and to specify the cumulative effect of all of these regulations on the economy, jobs, and American economic competitiveness.