Sen. Michael W. Frerichs

Mourns the death of Chuck V. White of Tilton.

Creates the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to operate as a debt settlement provider or engage in debt settlement service except as authorized by the Act and without first having obtained a license under the Act. Contains provisions concerning the (1) application for a license, (2) qualifications for licensure, (3) renewal of a license, (4) display requirements for a license, (5) temporary licensed locations, (6) denial of a license, (7) revocation or suspension of a license, (8) maintenance of records by a licensee, (9) examination of a licensee, (10) maintenance of trust funds by a licensee, and (11) other licensee businesses. With respect to the Director of Financial Institutions, contains provisions concerning the (1) adoption of rules by the Director, (2) penalties for violations of the Act, (3) procedure the Director may take to obtain an injunction, (4) review of decisions, (5) issuance of cease and desist orders. Contains provisions concerning (1) advertising practices, (2) individualized financial analysis, (3) required disclosures, (4) debt settlement contracts, (5) fees, (6) consumer settlement accounts, (7) cancellation of contracts, (8) obligations of good faith, (9) prohibited practices and noncompliance with the Act, and (10) civil remedies. Amends the Debt Management Service Act to exclude "debt settlement service" and attorneys engaged in specific practices from the Act. Amends the State Finance Act to provide that moneys collected under the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act shall be deposited into the Financial Institution Fund. Contains a severability clause. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to specify that a violation of the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act is a violation of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "global positioning device" as any electronic device that provides map or route information using an external network source and displays the information with the device's current location identified on a screen for navigation purposes, and defines "commercial motor vehicle attributed device" as a global positioning device that displays appropriate map and routing information for commercial vehicles based on current regulations regarding truck routes by allowing for the input of information regarding the weight, size, contents, or other regulated aspects of the commercial vehicle's load. Provides that a person operating certain classes of commercial vehicles on any highway in this State may not use a global positioning device for routing unless the device is a commercial motor vehicle attributed device.

Amends the Weights and Measures Act. Authorizes the use of the specifications and tolerances in National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 105-8 as weights and measures standards. Authorizes the Director to accept calibration and verification reports from certain laboratories in lieu of the otherwise required submission of physical standards. Requires the sealers of a city having a population of 25,000 or more to attend an annual training workshop in order to exercise certain powers and duties ordinarily delegated to the Director of Agriculture. Changes the date upon which sealers must file an annual report with the Department of Agriculture. Authorizes the Department to collect interest on overdue fees. Increases monetary penalties for violations. Deletes cross references to several provisions that have been repealed. Makes other technical changes. Amends the Soil Conservation Domestic Allotment Act. Replaces a provision requiring the Department to formulate an annual State plan with a provision authorizing the Department to formulate that plan. Repeals a provision requiring the Department's annual report to cover the administration of those plans. Amends the Motor Fuel and Petroleum Standards Act. Creates an octane requirement for midgrade gasoline and increases the octane requirement for premium and super grade gasoline. Deletes provisions that establish labeling requirements for biodiesel blends. Increases monetary penalties for violations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that an Apprentice Hunter License may be issued to a person of any age. Provides that a person with an Apprentice Hunter License who is 18 years of age or older must be supervised by a validly licensed resident or nonresident hunter who is 21 years of age or older (instead of a validly licensed resident or nonresident hunter of any age). Effective immediately.

Amends the Fire Protection of Unprotected Area Act. Provides that all unprotected areas of unincorporated portions of a county (instead of a county of less than 500,000 inhabitants) shall be eligible for assignment by the State Fire Marshal of fire protection coverage from a fire protection jurisdiction. Changes "fire protection district" to "fire protection jurisdiction". Provides that a "fire protection jurisdiction" includes fire departments of any unit of local government. Adds that property owners of an unprotected area may request that the State Fire Marshal arrange for fire protection coverage for the unprotected area from specified fire protection jurisdictions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a court may order that a court file in a forcible entry and detainer action be placed under seal if the court finds that the plaintiff's action is without a basis in fact or law, including a lack of jurisdiction, sealing the file is in the interests of justice, and those interests are not outweighed by the public's interest in the record. Provides that a court shall order that a file in a forcible entry and detainer action be sealed if the court finds that the defendant occupied real property that was subject to mortgage foreclosure and either the foreclosure redemption period expired and the defendant vacated the property before the action was filed, or the defendant was a tenant during the redemption period and did not receive a notice to vacate before the action was filed. Effective immediately.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Governor's appointees to the Advisory Board of Livestock Commissioners to, among other things, be interested in the well-being of domestic animals and poultry. Provides that the Governor's appointees to the Board shall serve for a term of 5 years. Requires the Illinois Department of Agriculture's rules pertaining to the well-being of domestic animals and poultry to be submitted to the Board for its approval. Requires the Director of Agriculture to call semiannual meetings of the Board and authorizes the Director to call additional meetings. Removes a provision that exempts the Department from seeking the Board's certification before adopting certain rules. Prohibits the representative of an ex-officio member from exercising the voting privileges of that member in his or her absence. Also makes technical changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the University of Illinois Scientific Surveys Act. Changes the effective date of the Act for all provisions to July 1, 2008. Provides that all actions taken under the Act by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and by the officers, employees, and agents of the University of Illinois on or after July 1, 2008 and before the effective date of the amendatory Act are hereby ratified, validated, and confirmed as valid and lawful acts by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and by the officers, employees, and agents of the University of Illinois. Effective immediately.

Urges the Unites States Congress to quickly enact legislation to extend the tax incentives for domestic biodiesel production.