Sen. Tom Bennett

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Deletes a provision authorizing an action to be commenced in any county if all defendants are nonresidents of this State. Limits venue for actions against corporations, partnerships, and insurance companies. Provides that in actions in which no party is a resident of this State and over which another forum has jurisdiction, the court, upon motion, shall dismiss the action subject to specified conditions. Provides that joint and several liability attaches when a defendant is found to be 50%, rather than 25%, at fault. Limits amounts recovered for medical care, treatment, or services and caretaking expenses to the amounts actually paid for those expenses regardless of the amounts initially billed.

Amends the Use Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that the term "selling price" does not include the value of or credit given for traded-in tangible personal property (currently, beginning on January 1, 2020, with respect to motor vehicles, "selling price" does include the trade-in value). Effective immediately.

Creates the State Ethics Task Force to address corruption within Illinois government.

Urges Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Pension Consolidation Feasibility Task Force to refuse any attempt to consolidate downstate and suburban pension funds with the City of Chicago or Cook County pension funds or any attempt for the State of Illinois to absorb any liability for any City of Chicago or Cook County pension funds.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Modifies the content of the statement of economic interests required to be filed by members of the General Assembly and candidates for nomination or election to the General Assembly. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the House Rules. Adds Rule 18.5.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that any communication regarding a State agency contract received by an agency, agency head, or other agency employee from a member of the General Assembly shall promptly be reported to that agency's ethics officer by the recipient of the communication and by any other employee of that agency who responds to the communication. Provides that the ethics officer shall require that the communication be promptly made a part of the record of the General Assembly, and the communication shall be made publicly available on the Illinois General Assembly website. Specifies further information to be provided by the ethics officer. Amends the Legislative Information System Act. Requires the Legislative Information System to establish a page for electronic public access on the General Assembly's website that provides information on any communication regarding a State agency contract received by an agency, agency head, or other agency employee from a member of the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Lane M. Lindstrom of Pontiac.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that any member of the General Assembly who takes office on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act shall not, within a 2-year period immediately following termination of the member's most recent term of office, register as a lobbyist and engage in lobbying with members of the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Declares November 2019 as Food Pantry Donation Month to raise a greater awareness of food insecurity and the impact food insecurity has on the residents of Illinois.