Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the State Finance Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2006, all diesel powered vehicles owned or operated by the State, any county or unit of local government, any school board, or any State College or University must use a blend containing at least 50% biodiesel fuel. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall reimburse those entities one cent for each gallon consumed, to be paid from the Energy Independence Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Beginning January 1, 2006, increases from 19 cents to 19.1 cents the tax imposed per gallon of motor fuel. Provides that, of the 19.1 cents per gallon tax, the equivalent of one-tenth of one cent per gallon shall be deposited into the Energy Independence Fund. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Transportation shall use all moneys in that fund for the required reimbursement. Provides that the Secretary of Transportation shall adopt rules for implementing the Vehicle Code provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Defines "controlled substance analog" for the purposes of the Section concerning unlawful possession of controlled substances. Provides that the possession of 200 grams or more of a substance not otherwise specified in the unlawful possession of controlled substances provisions of the Act containing an analog of a substance classified as a narcotic drug in Schedule I or II is a Class 1 felony. Effective immediately.

Amends the Older Adult Services Act. Provides that no later than January 1, 2006 and every January 1 thereafter, the Department on Aging and the Illinois Housing Development Authority shall file with the Governor and the General Assembly a plan that establishes goals for the number of affordable housing units to be made available to the frail elderly in the next fiscal year. Requires that the plan: (i) detail the number of new units of housing to be created, the number of units made accessible through rehabilitation and renovation, and the number of new supportive living units to be created and certified; and (ii) include recommendations for statutory or policy changes needed to reduce barriers to the establishment of affordable housing units for the frail elderly. Effective immediately.

Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall conduct a public information campaign until December 31, 2010 (instead of beginning January 1, 2000 and continuing for a minimum of 4 years) through notices enclosed with the driver's license renewal applications. Requires the notices to be given to the public (instead of to adopted and surrendered persons born, surrendered, or adopted in Illinois and their respective adoptive parents, legal guardians, birth parents, and birth siblings). Adds any birth certificate, marriage certificate, or proof of guardianship that has been submitted by a registrant to the list of items that shall be contained in an adoption/surrender records file. Defines "adult child", "birth aunt", "birth relative", "birth uncle", and "surviving spouse". Allows a birth aunt or birth uncle to file a Registration Identification Form and an Information Exchange Authorization or a Denial of Information Exchange, if the birth aunt or birth uncle has submitted birth certificates for himself or herself and for a deceased parent naming at least one common biological parent, as well as proof for the deceased parent, and the birth parent did not file a Denial of Information Exchange with the Registry prior to his or her death. Provides that a surviving spouse or an adoptive parent or legal guardian of a deceased adopted or surrendered person 21 years of age or over may file a Registration Identification Form and an Information Exchange Authorization or a Denial of Information Exchange if the listed requirements are met. Permits the Registry to release identifying information to the adoptive parent, adult child or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person, and one of the adopted or surrendered person's birth relatives who have met the listed conditions. Provides that adoptive parents, adult children, and surviving spouses of deceased adoptees who do not wish to establish contact with one or more of the adopted or surrendered person's birth relatives may specify with whom they do not wish to exchange identifying information by filing a Denial of Information Exchange. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2006, any of the listed persons who wish to petition the court for the appointment of a confidential intermediary must include proof of registration with the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange with their petition. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2006.

Amends the Film Production Services Tax Credit Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning applications for certification.

Creates the Rental Housing Support Program Act. Provides for grants from the Illinois Housing Development Authority to local administering agencies to provide subsidies for landlords in order to allow them to charge rent that is affordable for low-income tenants. Also provides for grants from the Illinois Housing Development Authority to developers of affordable rental housing. Sets forth criteria for the awarding of grants. Requires the Authority to establish an operating reserve for the program. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Rental Housing Support Program Fund, a special fund in the State treasury. Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the county recorder shall collect a $10 surcharge for the recordation of any real estate-related document, one dollar of which shall be deposited into the county's general revenue fund and $9 of which shall be deposited into the Rental Housing Support Program Fund. Sets forth the conditions upon which and purposes for which expenditures may be made from the Accounts. Effective July 1, 2005.

Amends the Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a person commits a hate crime if by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals, regardless of the existence of any other motivating factor or factors, he or she commits any form of harassment through electronic communications as defined in the Harassing and Obscene Communications Act (rather than just threatening injury to the person or to the property of the person to whom the electronic communication is directed). Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act and the Children's Product Safety Act. Provides that a "children's product" is one designed or intended for children under age 12 (instead of 6); changes and adds other definitions. Provides that a children's product is deemed to be unsafe "only" if it meets certain specified criteria. Adds requirements concerning the Department of Public Health's list of unsafe children's products. Makes changes concerning safety standards for baby cribs. Imposes duties on manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, and distributors in connection with recalls of children's products. Provides for civil penalties for violations of the Children's Product Safety Act, and removes a provision making a violation a Class C misdemeanor. Provides that nothing in the Act relieves a commercial dealer from compliance with stricter requirements that may be imposed by an agency of the federal government. Adds enforcement powers of the Attorney General. Creates the Attorney General Court Ordered and Voluntary Compliance Payment Projects Fund; provides for the deposit of civil penalties into the fund and for the use of moneys in the fund by the Attorney General. Effective immediately.

Urges the State Board of Education to create the Records Check Clearinghouse Task Force for the purpose of studying various ways to facilitate the process a school district must complete in conducting the required checks into the backgrounds of individuals for the purpose of employment with the school district.