Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, beginning with assessments made for the 1997 assessment year and ending with assessments made for the 2002 assessment year, in addition to the appeals for residential property of 6 units or less, the Property Tax Appeal Board shall hear appeals for all other property (now, there is no end date for when PTAB will hear appeals for property other than residential property of 6 units or less). Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning charter schools.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Deletes current provisions concerning the award of attorney's fees. Provides that a court shall award reasonable costs, including attorney's fees at trial and on appeal, to a person who substantially prevails in a proceeding against a public body that has failed to comply with the Act.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act with respect to the earned income tax credit. Extends the 5% credit through taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2004 (now, ends with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2002). Increases the credit from 5% of the federal credit to 10% in 2005, 15% in 2006, and 20% in 2007 and thereafter. Beginning in 2005, requires the excess credit to be refunded to the taxpayer, but not counted in determining eligibility for means-tested benefits. Deletes the repeal of the credit. Exempts the credit from the sunset provisions of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In recomputing a general State aid claim that was originally calculated using an extension limitation equalized assessed valuation, a qualifying reduction in equalized assessed valuation shall be deducted from the extension limitation equalized assessed valuation that was used in calculating the original claim. Provides that in calculating the amount of State aid to be apportioned to school districts, the State Board of Education shall incorporate and deduct the total aggregate adjustments to assessments made by the State Property Tax Appeal Board or Cook County Board of Appeals from the equalized assessed valuation that is otherwise to be utilized in the initial calculation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Establishes a procedure for creating and enforcing preventive or corrective action liens. Gives the Agency the authority to spend moneys appropriated from the General Fund for certain removal and remedial actions. Adds contaminants and other wastes to certain lists of substances for which preventive or corrective action may be undertaken by the Agency. Effective immediately.

Creates the Childhood Hunger Relief Act and amends the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act. Requires the board of education for certain school districts to utilize available federal funding to establish a school breakfast program and a summer food service program. Provides that applications for participation in the school food programs shall be filed with the State Board of Education and information about the child's status shall be provided by the Department of Human Services upon written request. Makes changes concerning the breakfast incentive program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Unless otherwise provided by law, sets the maximum fee a public body may charge for copying and certifying records at 10 cents per page. Effective immediately.