Rep. Sidney H. Mathias

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning unlawful practices.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that, in the case of a surviving spouse of a decedent who died on or after January 1, 2012, the exclusion amount shall also include the unused exclusion amount of the predeceased spouse. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Makes it a violation of the Act for an executive branch constitutional officer or a General Assembly member intentionally to discuss campaign fundraising with (i) those persons with State contract bids, offers, proposals, or responses pending with a State agency under the officer's or member's jurisdiction; (ii) applicants for State employment with the officer or member or with a State agency under the officer's or member's jurisdiction; or (iii) those persons with personal or financial interests in pending government activities or outcomes within the officer's or member's jurisdiction, control, or influence.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the Cook County Board of Review and the Cook County Assessor must each post on their websites certain information concerning assessment appeals and law firms representing property owners. Effective immediately.

Creates the Green Energy Business Act. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to receive and approve the applications of qualified businesses seeking designation as Green Energy Businesses. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Public Utilities Act to provide that Green Energy Businesses are eligible for certain credits and exemptions under those Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the Cook County Board of Review's Internet website must include an option to search assessment appeals by the name of the law firm representing the taxpayer. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purposes of the definition of 33 1/3%, the fair cash value of property is determined by the lesser of: (1) the Department of Revenue's sales ratio studies for the 3 most recent years preceding the assessment year; or (2) the valuation of the property in the year immediately preceding the assessment year (under the current law, the fair cash value is based on the sales ratio studies). Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purposes of the definition of 33 1/3%, the fair cash value of property is determined by the lesser of: (1) the Department of Revenue's sales ratio studies for the 3 most recent years preceding the assessment year; or (2) the valuation of the property in the year immediately preceding the assessment year (under the current law, the fair cash value is based on the sales ratio studies). Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Deletes language providing that an action may be commenced in any county if all defendants are nonresidents of the State, and replaces it with language providing that if no defendants that are joined in good faith and with probable cause for the purpose of obtaining a judgment against them are residents of the State, an action may be commenced only in the county in which the transaction or some part thereof occurred out of which the cause of action arose. Makes various changes in provisions defining the residence of certain corporations, voluntary unincorporated associations, and partnerships. Deletes language providing that actions against an insurance company incorporated under the laws of this State or doing business in this State may be brought in any county in which the plaintiff or one of the plaintiffs resides. Provides that if no defendants are residents of this State, and the transaction, or some part thereof, out of which the cause of action arose did not occur in this State, the action must be dismissed for lack of proper venue. Makes changes in relation to motions claiming improper venue. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to actions filed on or after its effective date. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Makes it a violation of the Act for an executive branch constitutional officer or a General Assembly member intentionally to discuss campaign fundraising with (i) those with State contract bids, offers, proposals, or responses pending with a State agency under the officer's or member's jurisdiction; (ii) applicants for State employment with the officer or member or with a State agency under the officer's or member's jurisdiction; or (iii) those with personal or financial interests in pending government activities or outcomes within the officer's or member's jurisdiction, control, or influence.