Rep. André M. Thapedi

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that, when entering judgment for reasonable attorney's fees in any civil case under a statute permitting the prevailing party to recover reasonable attorney's fees, the court shall use the Laffey Matrix prepared by the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Washington-Baltimore area. Excludes cases in which the hourly rate for attorney's fees is limited by statute.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Creates a Tier III benefit package applicable to persons who first begin participating in one of the State-funded retirement systems on or after July 1, 2014. Provides for retirement benefits and certain employee contribution changes that supersede the corresponding provisions of the applicable retirement system. Provides that those retirement benefits may be annually increased or decreased in response to the retirement system's investment earnings. Changes the amount of the required State contributions and, in the State Universities and Downstate Teacher Articles, requires the actual employers to make contributions to amortize any unfunded liabilities arising out of their employees who are Tier III participants. Provides that, when the State's total debt service obligation for certain pension bonds has ended, any funds remaining available for the payment of that debt service shall be distributed to the 5 State-funded retirement systems, to be used to reduce their unfunded actuarial liabilities. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Civil Practice Law of the Code of Civil Procedure. In provisions requiring persons or entities named as respondents in discovery to respond to discovery in the same manner as defendants, adds language providing that discovery includes a request for admission of facts or of genuineness of documents. Provides that respondents in discovery may, on motion of the plaintiff, be added as defendants if a preponderance of the evidence discloses cause for such action (instead of "if the evidence discloses the existence of probable cause for such action"). Makes corresponding changes in the statutory summons to a respondent in discovery.

Creates the Climate Change and Emissions Management Act. Provides that, beginning in calendar year 2016, a facility that has direct greenhouse gas emissions totalling 1,000,000 metric tons or more shall reduce its greenhouse gas emission by a specified amount. Provides that the reduction may be accomplished by applying emission offsets and emission performance credits to the facility's total annual greenhouse gas emissions or by making payments to the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund. Creates the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund. Contains provisions concerning reports, records, penalties, and rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Requires purchasers of tax delinquent property to reimburse holders of certain notes and receiver's certificates issued under the Illinois Municipal Code before a tax deed may be issued. Provides that, in lieu of reimbursement, the tax sale may be set aside as a sale in error. Effective immediately.

Creates the Englewood Violent Crime Task Force to: (1) study and determine the causes of violent crime in Englewood and nearby affected communities; (2) study and determine the feasibility of deploying the Illinois State Police to Englewood and nearby affected communities and neighborhoods; (3) develop a comprehensive long-term solution to the effect of violent crime in the Englewood and nearby affected communities; (4) recommend a plan of action to substantially reduce the incidents of violent crime in Englewood and nearby affected communities; and (5) draft any necessary legislation and make any necessary recommendations for appropriations to place the plan of action into immediate effect.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that, when entering judgment for reasonable attorney's fees in any case arising under the Act in which the prevailing party is permitted to recover reasonable attorney's fees, the court shall use the Laffey Matrix prepared by the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Washington-Baltimore area. Excludes cases in which the hourly rate for attorney's fees is limited by statute.

Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act. Defines "lawsuit lending", "lawsuit lender", and "dispute". Provides that the Act shall apply to all lawsuit lending and all lawsuit lenders. Provides that, in any dispute in which a lawsuit lender provides lawsuit lending to a party, any and all documents that the lawsuit lender obtained from the party in connection with making any decision to begin lawsuit lending shall be produced to the opposing party without awaiting a discovery request and any agreement between the lawsuit lender and the party must be disclosed to the court and produced to the opposing party. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a lawsuit lender shall be considered a person who is regularly engaged in the business of making loans to consumers for the purposes of provisions concerning repeated violations of certain Acts and advertisements containing certain terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Adds a cross reference to the Code of Civil Procedure in a Section concerning the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Program. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that 2% of certain fees collected shall be retained by the clerk of court for deposit into the Circuit Court Clerk Operation and Administrative Fund to defray administrative expenses. Replaces provisions concerning the imposition of additional fees with language providing that until January 1, 2018, with respect to residential real estate, at the time of the filing of a foreclosure complaint, the plaintiff or plaintiff's representative shall: file a statement that states which additional fee is due; or comply with other process established by the court for a plaintiff to certify which additional fee is due. Provides that if a plaintiff fails to provide the clerk of the court with a true and correct statement of the additional fee due, and the mortgagor reimburses the plaintiff for any erroneous additional fee that was paid by the plaintiff to the clerk of the court, the mortgagor may seek a refund of any overpayment of the fee in an amount that does not exceed the difference between the higher additional fee paid and the actual fee due. Provides that the mortgagor must petition the judge in the foreclosure action for the award of any fee overpayment, and the award shall be determined by the judge and paid by the clerk of the court out of the Circuit Court Clerk Operation and Administrative Fund. Provides that the refund is the mortgagor's sole remedy and a mortgagor has no private right of action against the plaintiff or plaintiff's representatives if the additional fee paid by the plaintiff is erroneous. Provides that certain motions for an expedited judgment and sale shall be heard by the court no later than 21 (instead of 15) days after the period to answer the foreclosure complaint has expired, or, if a motion for an expedited judgment and sale is filed after the period to answer the foreclosure complaint has expired, no later than 21 (instead of 15) days after the motion is filed. Effective June 1, 2013.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that for charges filed under the Article relating to procedures of the Department of Human Rights in cases concerning employment, financial credit, public accommodations, education, and additional civil rights violations, the Department shall administratively close allegations pending before the Department if the issues which are the basis of those allegations are being litigated in a State or federal court proceeding. Provides that for charges filed under the Article relating to procedures of the Department of Human Rights in cases concerning real estate transactions, the Department shall administratively close allegations pending before the Department after the beginning of the trial of a civil action, commenced by an aggrieved party under any State of federal law, seeking relief with respect to those allegations.