Sen. Dale A. Righter

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Modifies the requirements for an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of new high voltage electric service lines and related facilities (Project). Provides that an applicant must provide and identify a proposed primary right-of-way and one or more alternate rights-of-way for the Project at the first public meeting held in each county. Requires that the public be provided the opportunity to comment on the proposed primary and alternate rights-of-way. Requires notice of the time and place scheduled for the public meeting to be provided by registered mail to each owner of record of land included in the proposed primary and alternate rights-of-way over which the utility seeks to construct a high-voltage electric line. Provides that for applications filed after the effective date of this amendatory Act, certificates granted for Projects that will impact agricultural land shall be conditioned on the applicant adhering to an agricultural impact mitigation agreement that he or she has entered into with the Department of Agriculture that outlines the mitigative actions the applicant will take to preserve the integrity of agricultural land impacted by the Project. Provides that if a public utility seeks relief to exercise eminent domain power to make necessary alterations, additions, extensions, or improvements ordered or authorized under certain specified Sections after the Commission enters its order in a proceeding for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a Project, the Commission shall issue its order within 180 (rather than 45) days after the utility files its petition seeking relief. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning downstate firefighters.

Instructs the Department of Human Services to prepare a report that identifies any duplicative activities or inefficiencies in licensing and oversight of community agencies that serve individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Amends the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Removes provisions allowing any licensee, any interested party, or any person injured by a party acting without a valid license under the Act to petition for an order enjoining the violation or for an order enforcing compliance with the Act. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $53,817,000 to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency from the Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness Trust Fund for terrorism preparedness and training costs in the current and prior years. Effective July 1, 2017.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Auditing Law of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that audit reports reporting on the financial position and results of financial operations for each fund of the municipality shall be consistent with either the accrual or cash basis of accounting depending upon the system followed by each municipality and shall otherwise be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (currently, shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, insofar as possible).

Amends the Township Code. Deletes the requirement that a township board must make a one-time transfer of monies from the township's general assistance fund to the general township fund within one year after July 25, 2002. Provides that a township that has certified a new general assistance levy or an increase in the levy in the previous calendar year (rather than during 2002) may not transfer monies from the general assistance fund. Effective immediately

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Requires the Department of the Lottery, on or before the last day of each fiscal year, to deposit any estimated remaining proceeds (rather than any remaining proceeds), after certain payments and transfers are made, into the Capital Projects Fund. Provides that the Department shall increase or decrease its deposit into the Capital Projects Fund each year by the amount that the actual expenditures either fell short of or exceeded the estimate used by the Department in making the deposit for the previous fiscal year. Effective immediately.