Sen. Chapin Rose

Creates the Clean-Coal Project Indemnification Act. Requires the Attorney General to appear and defend an operator of a clean-coal project in civil proceedings commenced against the operator arising from the escape or migration of injected carbon dioxide. Sets forth requirements and procedures for the representation. Requires the State to indemnify the operator unless the conduct or inaction that gave rise to the claim or cause of action was intentional, wilful, or wanton misconduct. Effective immediately.

Urges the Division of Insurance to engage in discussions concerning the sharing of health claims data with employers who purchase coverage and to develop rules and requirements that allow insured employers to obtain accurate and timely claims information for use in obtaining competitive quotes from the health insurance marketplace.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorders to the extent that the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders are not already covered by the policy or plan. Provides that this coverage shall be subject to a maximum benefit of $36,000 per year, but shall not be subject to any limits on the number of visits to an autism service provider. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Re-enacts and changes various provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relating to product liability actions that were added by Public Act 89-7, which was held to be void in its entirety by the Illinois Supreme Court in Best v. Taylor Machine Works, 179 Ill. 2d 367 (1997). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning new vehicle dealers.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that in cases involving involuntary manslaughter in which the victim was 12 years of age or younger at the time of the commission of the offense, the court may sentence the defendant to a term of imprisonment of up to twice the maximum term otherwise authorized. In aggravated battery sentencing provisions, provides that, if the individual harmed is a peace officer or fireman, the court may impose a term of imprisonment up to twice the maximum term of imprisonment that is otherwise authorized.

Creates the NCAA Receipts Tax Act and amends the State Finance Act. Imposes a tax on the NCAA at a rate of 10% of its Illinois gross receipts. Sets forth procedures and requirements for tax returns and the quarterly payments of estimated taxes. Sets forth the powers and duties of the Department of Revenue in administering and collecting the tax. Prohibits the NCAA from using the tax imposed under this Act as a basis for reducing the amount of payments for any reason to member-schools in Illinois. Requires the Department to deposit the tax proceeds into the Collegiate Athletic Revenue Fund, a special fund in the State treasury. Requires the Board of Higher Education to distribute the moneys in the Fund, subject to appropriation, to each State university pro rata based on the number of students enrolled in each university. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971. As it relates to certain signs indicating travel-related facilities or tourist-oriented businesses installed and maintained by the Department of Transportation, defines an "urban area" to include one or more incorporated communities listed by the Federal Bureau of Census as encompassing a total population of 4,000 or more within a defined area and Federal Bureau of Census designated places of 4,000 or more population, and defines a "rural area" as an area outside of an urban area.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires that, if the federal government offers to provide any grant or other financial assistance to the State or to units of local government in the State on a matching-funds basis for transportation projects, then, if the State does not appropriate the matching funds necessary to receive the financial assistance, the Department of Transportation must establish and maintain a program to enable units of local government or other interested public or private parties to pay the cost of the matching funds necessary to receive the financial assistance with respect to any specific transportation project. Effective July 1, 2007.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that as to a plaintiff's claim for compensatory damages for services rendered, a rebuttable presumption of the amount and reasonableness of the compensatory damage claim is established by proof that a bill for the services was paid and that the payment was accepted as payment in full for the services. Provides that the presumption is rebutted by proof that the amount was paid in error or that the plaintiff remains liable to pay an amount for the services over the amount paid. Provides that this procedure applies to actions commenced or pending on or after the effective date. Effective immediately.