Amends the Open Meetings Act. Permits a public body to close a meeting or portion of a meeting to discuss its legal counsel's appointment, performance, compensation, or dismissal. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a private gain or public loss, the expectation of which exempts certain information from the Act's inspection and copying requirements, does not include a news medium's dissemination of information regarding the public's health, safety, welfare, and legal rights. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the School Code. Provides that claims for reimbursement under the Driver Education Act shall be made under oath or affirmation of the chief school administrator for the district or authorized driver education personnel (instead of under oath or affirmation of the president or acting president of the school board and the chief school administrator for the district). Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the School Code. Creates the Mathematics and Science Block Grant Program in order to provide greater flexibility and efficiency in the distribution and use of State funds and ensure that students meet or exceed Illinois Learning Standards in mathematics and science. Provides that the program is to be administered by the State Board of Education, which is to award program funds to eligible recipients from available appropriations. Specifies the manner in which program funds may be used by the local education agencies receiving those funds. Adds other related provisions. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Increases the fee for retail sale of tires by 50 cents, which shall be distributed to the Department of Public Health. Amends the Department of Public Health Act to provide that the increase in the fee shall be distributed to county health departments based on the population of the county for expenses related to the West Nile Virus. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.
Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that hospitals must submit plans and specifications only for major construction materially affecting patient isolation or operating rooms, hospital egress, compartmentalization or storage, and other conditions covered under the Life Safety Code. Provides that the Department must give a hospital that is planning to submit a construction project for review the opportunity to discuss its plans and specifications with the Department before the hospital formally submits the plans and specifications for Department review. Provides that the Department shall conduct on-site inspection of the completed project no later than 10 business days (rather than 30 days) after notification from the applicant that the project has been completed and all certifications have been received and accepted by the Department. Deletes provisions making waivers of compliance with the rules or standards applicable only to construction or physical plants. Makes changes in procedures for inspections, investigations, and surveys. Provides that if the Department does not resolve disputed deficiencies after the informal dispute resolution process, the Department must provide a written explanation to the hospital of why deficiencies have not been removed from the statement of deficiencies. Provides that the Department must implement a reviewer performance improvement program for hospital survey, inspection, and investigation staff. Makes other changes.
Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Makes a technical change in the Section relating to the short title.
Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Provides for a combined fee schedule for circuit clerks' fees in counties having a population of not more than 500,000 inhabitants. Repeals fee schedule for counties having a population of 180,000 inhabitants or less. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Makes numerous changes and additions concerning: the definitions of "public works", "fixed works", and "public body"; matters to be included in contracts, subcontracts, and bid proposals; recovery by a contractor from a public body if a prevailing wage rate is increased from the rate contained in a contract; posting of a current copy of the prevailing rate of wages; maintenance and contents of records; remedies when a contractor or subcontractor fails to comply with the Act; publication of determinations of the prevailing rate of wages; objections to determinations of the prevailing rate of wages; furnishing of records and statements concerning the accuracy of records; and creation of a Prevailing Wage Enforcement Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to list the Prevailing Wage Enforcement Fund as a special fund in the State treasury.
Amends the Wildlife Code. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to establish and publicize separate deer harvesting seasons, limited to gun or bow use, in order to manage or eradicate disease found in the deer herd. Effective immediately.
Amends the Income Tax Act to create the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) Research Fund checkoff. Provides that the Department of Revenue shall print on its standard individual income tax form a provision indicating that if the taxpayer wishes to contribute to the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) Research Fund, he or she may do so by stating the amount of the contribution on the return and that the contribution will reduce the taxpayer's refund or increase the amount of payment to accompany the return. Amends the Department of Public Aid Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Public Aid shall make grants from the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) Research Fund to the Les Turner ALS Foundation for research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Amends the State Finance Act to create the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) Research Fund. Effective immediately.
