Sen. Dale A. Righter

Creates the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act and the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force. Sets out the composition of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall develop a plan for expanding and supporting a State local and organic food system and for assessing and overcoming obstacles to an increase in locally grown food and local organic food production. Sets out the contents of the plan. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Illinois Local Organic Food and Farm Fund. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Tommy K. Martin of Tuscola.

Amends the River Conservancy District Act. Provides that all contracts for work to be done by a river conservancy district that will exceed $5,000 and that do not involve professional services shall be awarded to the lowest bidder following public notice (now, applies to contracts exceeding $2,500). Effective January 1, 2007.

Appropriates $5,000,000, or so much of that amount as may be necessary, from the General Revenue Fund to the E85 Vehicle Encouragement Fund and further appropriates that amount from the E85 Vehicle Encouragement Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to make pro rata rebate grants under the E85 Vehicle Encouragement Program as provided in the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development Program Act. Effective immediately.

Proclaims November 15, 2005 as Premature Awareness Day in Illinois.

Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that no later than August 1 of each year, the Director of Revenue shall calculate the total amount of tax paid pursuant to the Gas Revenue Tax Act by persons eligible to receive assistance from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program during the 12-month period ending the previous June 30 and the total amount of Energy Assistance Charges paid by such persons during that same period. Provides that no later than September 1 of each year, the Director of Revenue shall cause an amount equal to the amount calculated under the foregoing provision in that year to be transferred from GRF to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund.

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.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Increases the maximum allowable co-payment for dental, optical services and supplies, chiropractic services, podiatry services and encounter rate clinic services from $2 to $3. Establishes a maximum allowable co-payment of $2 for emergency room services that do not involve a condition that could reasonably be expected to result in serious jeopardy to the patient's health, serious impairment of bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. Requires the Department of Public Aid to seek a waiver from the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Social Security Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact Act. Provides that this State and the other contracting states solemnly agree to the terms of the compact, whose purposes include the promotion of development and implementation of improvements to intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest. Establishes a Commission, with 4 members from each contracting state, serving without compensation from the Commission, to carry out the purposes of the compact. Provides for the election of Commission officers, for meetings and Commission administration, and for financing of the operations of the Commission by the compacting states. Provides that the compact becomes effective among the contracting states upon the agreement of 3 eligible states to participate. Provides for the admission of additional states to the compact, amendment of the compact, the withdrawal, default, or termination of contracting states, and construction and severability of the compact.

Amends the Children's Health Insurance Program Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code. In connection with eligibility for the KidCare program, sets an asset limit of $10,000, excluding the value of the child's residence and the value of a vehicle (other than a recreational vehicle) used for transportation. Requires that changes in income or other circumstances be reported within 30 days (instead of promptly), and provides that a failure to report is a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $10,000 under the public assistance fraud provisions of the Illinois Public Aid Code; also provides for repayment of an amount equal to benefits that were wrongly received. Effective immediately.