Rep. Carolyn H. Krause

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides for a credit for taxpayers who, during the taxable year, install, on a building or property that is owned by the taxpayer and that is located in the State, a geothermal, solar, wind, or fuel cell energy device and sets the amount of the credit at the lesser of (i) $1,500 or (ii) 20% of the actual cost of the acquisition and installation of the device. Provides that the credit may not be carried forward or back and may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorders to the extent that the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders are not already covered by the policy or plan. Provides that this coverage shall be subject to a maximum benefit of $36,000 per year, but shall not be subject to any limits on the number of visits to an autism service provider. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a person may not provide aggregation services in this State unless the person is registered with the Illinois Commerce Commission as an aggregator. Provides registration requirements for aggregators. Provides for approval of aggregation by the voters. Provides that the Commission may adopt rules necessary for implementation of the provisions and provides that the Commission may levy penalties for certain violations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall implement and maintain a consumer education program for energy conservation to provide residential and small commercial retail customers with information to help them understand their options concerning energy conservation. Provides for a working group for implementation of provisions. Provides that by October 1, 2007, educational materials for small commercial customers and residential customers, the working group shall develop a package of printed educational materials and shall submit such package to the Commission for approval, along with recommendations for implementing the program. Provides that the costs of printing educational materials approved by the Commission pursuant to the provisions shall be payable solely from funding appropriated each year to the Commission from the General Revenue Fund for the expenses of the Commission associated with the program. Provides that the Commission shall study the effectiveness of the consumer education program for energy conservation. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $150,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for the purpose of making a grant to the Arc of Illinois for operating the Family to Family Health Information and Education Center, a toll-free and web-based resource and referral network for families of children and youth with special health care needs. Effective July 1, 2007.

Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. In a Section concerning definitions, includes a conservation project within the definition of "project" and defines "conservation project". Authorizes the Illinois Finance Authority to develop a program to provide low-interest loans and other financing to individuals, business entities, private organizations, and units of local government for conservation projects in the State of Illinois. Sets forth requirements for the program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning rates.

Amends the Use Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that the manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment exemption also includes production related tangible personal property. Defines "production related tangible personal property" as all tangible personal property used or consumed by the purchaser in a manufacturing facility in which a manufacturing process takes place, including tangible personal property purchased for incorporation into real estate within a manufacturing facility and including, but not limited to, tangible personal property used or consumed in activities such as research and development, preproduction material handling, receiving, quality control, inventory control, storage, staging, and packaging for shipping and transportation purposes. Provides that "production related tangible personal property" does not include (i) tangible personal property used, within or without a manufacturing facility, in sales, purchasing, accounting, fiscal management, marketing, personnel recruitment or selection, or landscaping or (ii) tangible personal property required to be titled or registered with a department, agency, or unit of federal, state, or local government. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code and the Counties Code. Provides that it is a State's Attorney's duty to notify the State Superintendent of Education upon the conviction of any individual known to possess a certificate issued under the School Code of any of certain offenses or any other felony conviction. In the criminal history records check provisions of the School Code, makes changes concerning the offenses for which a school board may not knowingly employ a person. Provides that no one may be certified to teach or supervise in the public schools who has been convicted of certain offenses (instead of providing that in determining good character, any felony conviction of an applicant may be taken into consideration, but such a conviction shall not operate as a bar to registration). In provisions concerning suspension or revocation of a certificate, provides that the State Superintendent of Education has the exclusive authority to initiate the suspension of up to 5 calendar years or revocation of any certificate (instead of providing that a certificate may be suspended for a period not to exceed one calendar year by the regional superintendent of schools or for a period not to exceed 5 calendar years by the State Superintendent). With respect to certificate suspension and revocation, makes changes concerning an investigation, notice, a hearing, an appeal, and the offenses that are grounds for suspension and revocation. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the amount of the earned income tax credit from 5% of the federal credit to: (i) 7.5% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2007; and (ii) 10% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2008 or thereafter. Effective immediately.