Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides for various enhanced penalties for assaulting or harming an emergency management worker that is acting in the course of performing his or her official duties or in retaliation for performing his or her official duties. Creates the offense of obstructing an emergency management worker. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to provide that a person convicted of the first degree murder of an emergency management worker in the course of performing his or her official duties or in retaliation for performing his or her official duties shall be sentenced to a term of natural life imprisonment. Effective January 1, 2006.

Creates the Social Security Numbers Limited Use Act. Prohibits the use of social security numbers by persons or entities except for certain uses. Provides that an individual's social security number may not be printed on an insurance card. Prohibits private universities and colleges and private business and vocational schools from printing an individual's social security number on any card or other document required for the individual to access products or services provided by the institution. Provides criminal penalties. Amends the University of Illinois Act, the Southern Illinois University Management Act, the Chicago State University Law, the Eastern Illinois University Law, the Governors State University Law, the Illinois State University Law, the Northeastern Illinois University Law, the Northern Illinois University Law, the Western Illinois University Law, and the Public Community College Act to prohibit the printing of an individual's social security number on any card or other document required for the individual to access products or services provided by the institution. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to repeal a Section prohibiting the use of an individual's social security number on an insurance card. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately, except certain provisions effective July 1, 2006.

Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Defines "sex offender" to include custodial sexual misconduct (rather than custodial sexual misconduct committed on or after August 22, 2002). Defines as a "sexual predator" a person convicted of a violation or attempted violation of criminal sexual assault regardless of the age of the victim. Establishes procedures for a sex offender to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency within 5 days after ceasing to have a fixed residence. Changes certain registration periods from 10 days to 5 days. Provides that a second or subsequent violation of this Act is a Class 2 felony.

Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to conduct an annual review comparing the benefits that Illinois veterans receive with those benefits received by veterans in other states and U.S. territories. Provides that this benefits review shall be annually reported to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Congressional delegation. Effective January 1, 2006.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and the State Finance Act. Creates the Vince Demuzio Memorial Colon Cancer Research Fund and provides that, from appropriations from the Fund, the Department of Public Health must make grants to public or private entities in Illinois for the purpose of funding research applicable to colon cancer patients. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to create a tax checkoff for the Fund.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code and the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Requires coverage of mammograms for women under 40 years of age with a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors at the age and intervals deemed medically necessary by the woman's health care provider. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Removes the Act's application to fire protection districts that employ fewer than 5 people and are required to appoint boards of fire commissioners.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Authorizes any gas utility to enter into a long-term contract with any company for synthetic natural gas produced from coal through the gasification process. Provides guidelines for determining if the cost for the synthetic natural gas is reasonable and prudent and recoverable through the purchased gas adjustment clause.

Amends the Alternate Fuels Act. Provides that beginning July 1, 2005, owners of vehicles using domestic renewable fuel are eligible to apply for a fuel cost differential rebate. Provides that biodiesel blended fuel facilities may be included in the Alternate Fuel Infrastructure Program administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Provides that "alternate fuel" includes, among other fuels, "80% bio-based methanol" (instead of "bio-based methanol"), fuels that are 80% (instead of 70%) derived from biomass, and hydrogen fuel. Provides that "domestic renewable fuel" includes, among other fuels, "80% bio-based methanol" (instead of "bio-based methanol") and 20% biodiesel fuel (instead of "fuels derived from bio mass"). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and the Department of Natural Resources Act. Requires the Department of Natural Resources as soon as practicable to assign a customer identification number to each applicant for a hunting or fishing license. Provides that after the applicant has been assigned a customer identification number, the applicant may use that customer identification number in place of his or her social security number on any subsequent application for a hunting or fishing license. Requires the Department to keep a record of the social security number of each applicant and to notify each applicant that his or her social security number is kept on file with the Department. Provides that a licensee's social security number shall not appear on the face of his or her hunting or fishing license.