Amends the Court of Claims Act. Creates an administrative process for uncontested claims for vendors arising from contracts with the State. Requires a State agency to confirm or reject an uncontested claim that is from a lapsed appropriation and valued at less than $2,500 within 30 days after being notified in writing by the Attorney General. Provides that if the State agency does not confirm or reject the claim within that 30-day period, then the State agency forfeits the right to reject or contest the claim. Requires the Comptroller, subject to appropriation, then issue payment to the vendor within 30 days of the court entering such an award. Provides that if the court determines that it is unable to process such an uncontested claim because the bill or invoice contains a defect, the court must notify the vendor in writing of the defect no later than 30 days after the bill or invoice was first submitted. Provides that if one or more items on a bill or invoice are disapproved, but not the entire bill or invoice, then the portion that is not disapproved must be transmitted to the Comptroller for payment. Changes the filing fees required under the Act as follows: a fee of $15 for a petition seeking more than $500 but less than $10,000; and $35 for a petition seeking more than $10,000 or more. Requires that the court must allow claimants to submit documentation to amend and cure defects. Makes other changes. Authorizes the Court of Claims to adopt rules to implement the Act.
House Committee Amendment No. 1: Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Provides these changes to the bill. Provides that a State agency must confirm or reject a claim arising under the Act that is from a lapsed appropriation and valued at less than $2,500 within 45 days (instead of 30 days) after being notified in writing of the claim by the Attorney General. Deletes provisions that if the State agency does not confirm or reject the claim within a 30-day period, then the State agency forfeits the right to reject or contest the claim. Provides that if the court determines that it is unable to process such a contractual claim because the bill or invoice contains a defect, the court must notify the vendor in writing of the defect no later than 45 days (instead of 30 days) after the bill or invoice was first submitted. Requires the court to produce an annual report to the General Assembly on claims arising from lapsed appropriations. Provides that the report shall include data on the number of claims submitted each year, the number of claims resolved, the number and dollar amount of claims paid and pending, the State agencies associated with the lapsed claims, the average length of time from claim submission to resolution for each State agency, and the number and age of unresolved claims that are older than 12 months, by State agency. Makes other changes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 705 ILCS 505/8, 705 ILCS 505/9, 705 ILCS 505/10, 705 ILCS 505/11, 705 ILCS 505/16, 705 ILCS 505/19, 705 ILCS 505/21, 705 ILCS 505/24