Sen. Mark Walker

Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Provides that the recipient of a credit under the Act may apply for a certificate of transferability of credit from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the amount of the credit not previously claimed. Provides that the transferability certificate may be transferred or sold by the recipient to another Illinois taxpayer. Makes other changes.

Amends the School Code. Provides that after June 1, 2010 persons may not be nominated for General Assembly scholarships and that General Assembly scholarships may not be awarded after that date unless the nomination is made prior to that date. Prevents both second nominations for any lapsed General Assembly scholarship and nominating persons to the unused or unexpired parts of any vacated General Assembly scholarship after June 1, 2010. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that if (i) an employer hires an employee on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act to fill a newly created full-time position, (ii) that employee's annualized salary attributable to the employer is at least $22,000 but not more than $40,000, and (iii) the employee is employed by the employer for 6 consecutive calendar months immediately after the date of hire, then, beginning with the first payment due after the end of that 6-month period, the employer may retain from the amount deducted and withheld for that employee an amount equal to 25% of the total amount deducted and withheld for that employee during that 6-month period. Provides that, if an employer is eligible to retain an amount that exceeds the amount that the employer is required to withhold for that employee for that payment period, then the excess may be carried forward until the entire amount has been retained. Provides that the amount retained must be recorded on the employer's withholding tax return. Provides that the Illinois income tax liability of every employee whose taxes are withheld and retained by his or her employer must be calculated as if the retained amounts had been paid to the Department. Effective immediately.

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 purchased on or after July 1, 2007 (instead of on or after July 1, 2007 and on or before June 30, 2008). Effective immediately.

Creates the Job Preservation Act of 2009. Provides that companies that lose 100 or more employees due to outsourcing of jobs are ineligible to receive procurement contracts with the State, units of local government, or school districts and to receive government grants, loans, tax incentives, or other economic incentives. Requires certain companies that lose 100 or more employees to notify the Department of Labor about the loss. Requires the Department to send a survey to companies that report the loss of 100 or more employees in order to determine the number of employees lost because of outsourcing jobs outside of the United States. Requires the Department to provide written notice to the Governor, the General Assembly, State agencies, units of local government, and school districts. Preempts home rule powers. Exempts from the reimbursement requirements of the State Mandates Act. Effective July 1, 2009.

Urges the inclusion of funding for the Suburban Transit Access Route in any State capital bill.

Requests that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, as well as other specified State agencies, be prepared to testify before the House State Government Administration Committee at a designated time about the steps they have taken to rectify the problems uncovered by the Auditor General's audit of the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Program; and urges the Governor to take appropriate action to hold those who have failed to operate the Program properly or misled the public, press, lawmakers, or auditors accountable for their actions via discipline, reprimand, or termination.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if a taxpayer has been awarded a disabled veterans standard homestead exemption, and that taxpayer subsequently becomes a resident of a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act or a facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, then the exemption shall continue (i) so long as the residence continues to be occupied by the qualifying person's spouse or (ii) if the residence remains unoccupied but is still owned by the person who qualified for the homestead exemption.

Amends the Counties Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning notice of an election on a petition to transfer territory.

Amends the Personal Information Protection Act. Provides that "breach of the security of the system data" includes the unauthorized acquisition or use (instead of only the unauthorized acquisition) of computerized data that compromises the security, confidentiality, or integrity of personal information maintained by a data collector. Provides that a data collector that owns or licenses personal information shall notify the Attorney General of a breach. Provides that a data collector that maintains or stores (instead of only maintains) computerized data that includes personal information must cooperate with the owner or licensee of the information in relation to a breach. Requires that notification of a breach sent to an Illinois resident by a data collector that owns or licenses personal information or by a State agency must contain certain information, including information concerning placing a security freeze on the release of information from the resident's credit report. Sets forth the Attorney General's duties upon receiving notice of a security breach, as well as additional duties of data collectors and State agencies. Sets forth standards for disposal of materials containing personal information, and provides penalties for a violation.