Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a person also commits aggravated arson when in the course of committing an arson he or she knowingly damages a building or structure and a correctional officer who is present at the scene acting in the line of duty is injured as a result of the fire or explosion. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that an Illinois resident who is the surviving spouse of a person killed in a foreign war and awarded the Purple Heart by a branch of the armed forces of the United States is eligible to be issued Purple Heart license plates.
Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law. Authorizes the Department to form the Illinois Food Systems Policy Council. Provides that the Council's purposes are to develop policies around food access and security, improve individual health and well-being, promote economic incentives for Illinois farmers, agri-businesses, and other private enterprises, and encourage public/private partnerships around healthy food options. Sets out certain entities that must be represented on the Council. Requires the Department to administer the Council. Requires the Council to make annual reports to the General Assembly.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the term "public utility" does not include the ownership or operation of a facility that distributes primarily propane by pipeline and sells it at retail, except in cases where there is no alternative source of propane reasonably available to the customers being served. Effective immediately.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Authorizes any gas utility to enter into a long-term contract with any company for synthetic natural gas produced from coal through the gasification process. Provides guidelines for determining if the cost for the synthetic natural gas is reasonable and prudent and recoverable through the purchased gas adjustment clause.
Amends the Alternate Fuels Act. Provides that beginning July 1, 2005, owners of vehicles using domestic renewable fuel are eligible to apply for a fuel cost differential rebate. Provides that biodiesel blended fuel facilities may be included in the Alternate Fuel Infrastructure Program administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Provides that "alternate fuel" includes, among other fuels, "80% bio-based methanol" (instead of "bio-based methanol"), fuels that are 80% (instead of 70%) derived from biomass, and hydrogen fuel. Provides that "domestic renewable fuel" includes, among other fuels, "80% bio-based methanol" (instead of "bio-based methanol") and 20% biodiesel fuel (instead of "fuels derived from bio mass"). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to end the tax credit for donations to certain affordable housing projects with the taxable year ending on December 31, 2011 (now, 2006). Effective immediately.
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for a person to deny credit or public utility service to or reduce the credit limit of a consumer solely because the consumer has been a victim of identity theft, if the person had prior knowledge that the consumer has been a victim of identity theft. Provides that a consumer is presumed to be a victim of identity theft if he or she provides certain information. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Health Finance Reform Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health must require ambulatory surgical treatment centers licensed to operate in the State of Illinois to adopt a uniform system, based on certain federal laws, for submitting patient charges for payment from public and private payors. Provides that no later than 60 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each hospital and ambulatory surgical treatment center must submit billing data to the Department and sets forth information that must be included in the submission (now, hospitals must submit billing data for conditions and procedures required for public disclosure in the "Consumer Guide to Health Care" and for all inpatient surgical cases). Requires the Department to collect and compile the billing data on a quarterly basis. Sets forth additional information that must be included in the "Consumer Guide to Health Care". Requires that ambulatory surgical treatment centers, organizations representing ambulatory surgical treatment centers, purchasers, consumer groups, and health plans be meaningfully involved in the development of all aspects of the Department's methodology for collecting, analyzing, and disclosing the information collected under this Act. Requires the Department to evaluate additional methods for comparing the performance of hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers and report its findings and recommendations on its Internet website and to the Governor and General Assembly no later than January 1, 2006. Requires the Department to study methods to collect and report data on mortality and nosocomial infection rates from hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers for outpatient services and report its findings and recommendations on its Internet website and to the Governor and General Assembly no later than January 1, 2006. Requires the Department to authorize electronic access to patient billing data collected pursuant to these provisions for use by certain entities. Requires ambulatory surgical treatment centers to make available to prospective patients information on the normal charge incurred for any procedure or operation the prospective patient is considering. Requires the Department to adopt rules for inpatient and outpatient data collection and reporting no later than January 1, 2006. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
