Sen. William R. Haine

Mourns the death of Oscar Henry Wilkinson of Granite City, Illinois.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Requires each natural gas public utility to file annually a set of transportation schedules or tariffs applicable to public schools authorizing a public school association to aggregate the purchase of natural gas for its members. Requires the transportation schedules or tariffs to: (i) establish certain delivery charges; (ii) authorize a public school association to contract with a public utility at monthly market prices for interstate pipeline capacity; (iii) require the public utility to provide certain usage projections; and (iv) authorize the public utility to impose a penalty under limited circumstances. Authorizes the Illinois Commerce Commission to suspend the transportation schedule or tariff for up to 3 months. Requires energy sellers to comply with applicable Commission rules. Provides that any agreement between a public school association and an energy seller is void if the energy seller does not comply with Commission rules. Requires each natural gas public utility to file an annual statement of its revenues and incremental costs incurred as a direct result of the aggregation of natural gas for public schools. Authorizes the Commission to promulgate rules that are reasonable and necessary to administer the aggregation program. Effective immediately.

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 Medical Malpractice Act. Contains only a short title provision.

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 Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act. Provides terms and conditions for a crossing of railroad right-of-way. Allows the Illinois Commerce Commission to adopt rules prescribing additional terms and conditions to ensure that any crossing be consistent with the public convenience and necessity and reasonable service to the public. Provides that telecommunications carriers that locate their facilities within the railroad right-of-way for a crossing shall pay the railroad a one-time standard crossing fee of $750 for each crossing. Provides special circumstances under which the standard crossing fee is not imposed. Provides that, pending Commission resolution of a claim of special circumstances raised in a petition, a telecommunications carrier may, upon securing the payment of any damages and upon submission of completed engineering specifications to the railroad, proceed with a crossing in accordance with the rules adopted by the Commission, unless the Commission, upon application for emergency relief, determines that there is a reasonable likelihood that the proposed crossing either (i) involves a significant and imminent likelihood of danger to the public health or safety or (ii) is a serious threat to the safe operations of the railroad or to the current use of the railroad right-of-way.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the State Fire Marshal Act and the Peace Officer Fire Investigation Act to allow arson investigators of the State Fire Marshal designated State Fire Marshal Special Agents to exercise peace officer powers and carry weapons at all times, rather than only in the course of arson investigations. Sets forth that these Special Agents may exercise these powers and carry weapons at all times, but only if they have satisfactorily completed (1) a training course approved by the Department of State Police that substantially conforms to the standards promulgated pursuant to the Peace Officer Firearm Training Act and (2) a course in fire and arson investigation approved by the Office of the State Fire Marshal pursuant to the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that this authorization applies only to State Fire Marshal Special Agents excluding any fire investigator, fireman, police officer, or other employee of the Federal government; any fire investigator, fireman, police officer, or other employee of any unit of local government; or any fire investigator, fireman, police officer, or other employee of the State of Illinois other than an employee of the Office of the State Fire Marshal assigned to investigate arson. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Creates the Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Act. Provides for the registration of tattoo and body piercing establishments by the Department of Public Health to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the public, including the provision of a safe and adequate blood supply. Sets forth provisions concerning registration, operating requirements, duties of the Department, and administrative procedures. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Fund.