Sen. Dale A. Righter

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the waiting period before which a firearm may be delivered after application for its purchase has been made does not apply to the sale or transfer of a firearm through a raffle under the provisions of the Raffles and Poker Runs Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the Local Government Reduction and Efficiency Division of the Counties Code applies to all counties (currently, only applies to DuPage County).

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that the Department of Human Rights shall administratively close specified types of charges that are pending before the Department if the issues that are the basis of the charge are being litigated in court or another administrative forum. Corrects a grammatical error.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with Fiscal Year 2016, appropriations for the purposes of the State aid formula provisions must be prioritized so that general State aid for school districts is fully funded at 100% of the statutory Foundation Level first, with any remaining funds being used for the other purposes of the State aid formula provisions. Effective July 1, 2015.

Creates the Rail Crossing Blocking Act. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Department of Transportation to annually study railroad crossings in municipalities of 15,000 or more to identify crossings which if blocked for longer than 30 minutes would pose significant public safety concerns by impeding emergency, fire, and police. The Commission shall use the study to designate Essential Rail Crossings. Provides a municipality may, by ordinance, provide that a person or entity may not physically block an Essential Rail Crossing in a manner which obstructs traffic for a period in excess of a total of 30 minutes, unless the blocking of the crossing is by reason of circumstances over which the person or entity has no reasonable control, is necessary for maintenance of the crossing, is an emergency, or is otherwise allowed or required under State or federal law, rule, or regulation. Provides any municipality adopting an ordinance under the Act on an Essential Rail Crossing may impose, by ordinance, a fine for violation of this Act. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to make conforming changes.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that in cases involving the Cannabis Control Act, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, and the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act, restitution shall be ordered for any United States Currency Official Advanced Funds (OAF) expended by law enforcement officers or task force members to purchase the cannabis, controlled substances, or methamphetamine or substance to produce or manufacture, or both, methamphetamine. Provides that restitution shall include not only United States currency that was used in the offense charged, but any currency that was previously used in the investigation leading to the arrest and subsequent conviction. Provides that restitution shall be awarded only to the law enforcement agency or task force responsible for the expenditure of United States currency. Provides that restitution shall not exceed the actual amount expended, minus any OAF recovered, by the law enforcement agency or task force during the investigation. Provides that restitution shall be in addition to any other fine, fee, or cost authorized by law. Provides that restitution shall apply to any agreed or contested sentence and may be submitted to the court by way of affidavit setting forth the amount of restitution requested, the name of the defendant, and the name of the law enforcement agency or task force. Provides that bond posted by the defendant may be used for restitution.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that an employee who is required to travel in connection with his or her employment and who suffers an injury while in travel status shall be eligible for benefits only if the injury arises out of and in the course of employment while he or she is actively engaged in the duties of employment. Defines "accident" and "injury". Provides that "injury" does not include the aggravation of a pre-existing condition by an accident unless it can be shown to a reasonable degree of medical certainty that the aggravation arose primarily out of and in the course of the employment. Provides that an injury resulting directly or indirectly from idiopathic causes is not compensable. Further provides that, with respect to the computation of compensation to be paid to an employee who had previously sustained an injury resulting in payment of compensation for partial disability for injuries not involving serious and permanent disfigurement and injuries for which the Act provides a schedule of benefits, the amount of the prior award for the partial disability with respect to the same portion of the body shall be deducted. Limits cumulative awards for partial disability to 500 weeks, which shall constitute a complete loss of use of the body as a whole. Provides that no employer shall be required to pay temporary partial disability benefits to an employee who has been discharged for cause. Provides that injuries to the shoulder are deemed to be injuries to the arm and injuries to the hip are deemed to be injuries to the leg. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning the Department of Healthcare and Family Services' proposed Medicaid integrated eligibility system, provides that until the system is operational the Department shall (rather than may) enter into a contract with the vendor selected as necessary to obtain certain electronic data matching. Provides that no later than 70 days (rather than 60 days) after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Chief Procurement Officer for General Services, in consultation with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, shall conduct and complete any procurement necessary to procure a vendor to verify eligibility for assistance under the Code. Effective immediately.