Sen. Chapin Rose

Amends the State Universities Civil Service Act. Terminates the terms of members of the University Civil Service Merit Board and provides for appointment by the Governor instead, with 4 members who are exempt employees of the various State universities, 4 members who are current full-time civil service employees of the various State universities, and 3 members who are representative citizens and who are not current or former employees or current or former members of the Boards of Trustees of a State university. Makes other changes concerning the Merit Board. Provides for the appointment of an Executive Director instead of a Director. Authorizes the Executive Director to appoint a Designated Employer Representative (now, assistant resident) at the place of employment of each specified employer. Makes changes concerning exemptions under the State Universities Civil Service System. Requires the Merit Board to be subject to the Open Meetings Act, the State Records Act, the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, and the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a public utility may apply for expedited review for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of any new high voltage service line that does not exceed 25 miles in length across privately owned real estate (instead of any new high voltage electric service line). Provides that privately owned real estate does not include a right-of-way owned in fee simple, subject to an easement, or controlled by a public utility. Provides that the changes shall apply to applications filed on or after this amendatory Act's effective date. Provides that if a public utility seeks to exercise its eminent domain powers after the Commerce Commission has issued an order regarding a certificate of public convenience and necessity, then the Commission must issue its order regarding eminent domain within 365 days (instead of 45 days) after the public utility files its petition. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code and various Acts relating to the governance of public universities and community colleges in Illinois. In a provision of the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code that requires a license to be revoked for conviction of a Class X felony, specifically includes the offense of terrorism as one of those Class X felonies. Prohibits universities and community colleges from knowingly employing a person who has been convicted of attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, soliciting, or committing murder or felony murder (but not reckless homicide or negligent homicide) or the offense of terrorism or any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been punishable as murder or felony murder (but not reckless homicide or negligent homicide) or terrorism. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Creates an exemption for trees or tree seedlings purchased for planting as part of a conservation project funded and directed by the United States Department of Agriculture. Provides that the exemption is not subject to the Acts' automatic sunset provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Allows the $150 concealed carry license application fee to be waived for a resident whose income level is below 133% of the federal poverty level, a resident 60 years of age or older, and for a resident with a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities as defined under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Prohibits the publishing of information concerning an individual's voting history with the intent to harass, embarrass, or shame the individual. Provides that any person in violation of this provision shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Capital Development Board for its FY16 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2015.

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that the Article does not apply to a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches teaching no more than one high school class per school year if the class has been approved by the State Board of Education as having academic value, in which case the student may be awarded course credit for the class.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that after the effective date of the Act, "licensed truck stop establishment" means a facility capable of supporting 25 18-wheel tractor-trailers that sells at retail more than 50,000 gallons of diesel or biodiesel fuel per month, which meets at least 4 of the following criteria: (A) a separate truckers' television lounge; (B) a full-service laundry facility located in a convenient area for truckers' use; (C) private showers for men and women not located in an area open to the general public; (D) a convenience store with supplies commonly used only by commercial motor vehicle drivers, commonly referred to as truckers' supplies; (E) truck scales; (F) separate truckers' telephones; and (G) permanent storage facilities for fuel.