Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a public utility may not disconnect for nonpayment service during the period from December 1 through March 31 to a residential customer who is eligible for assistance under the Energy Assistance Act of 1989. Effective immediately.
Amends the Criminal Identification Act and the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that if a conviction or sentence has been set aside on direct review or on collateral attack and the court determines by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant was factually innocent of the charge, then the court shall enter an order expunging the record of arrest from the official records of the arresting authority and order that the records of the clerk of the circuit court and Department of State Police be sealed until further order of the court upon good cause shown and the name of the defendant obliterated from the official index kept by the circuit clerk. Amends the State Appellate Defender Act. Provides that the State Appellate Defender shall establish, maintain, and carry out an Expungement Program to provide information and assistance to persons eligible to have their arrest or criminal history record information ordered expunged, sealed, or impounded. Provides that the State Appellate Defender shall develop brochures, pamphlets, and other materials in printed form and through the agency's World Wide Web site that include at a minimum the following information: (1) an explanation of the State's expungement process; (2) the circumstances under which expungements may occur; (3) the criminal offenses that may be expunged; (4) the steps necessary to initiate and complete the expungement process; and (5) directions on how to contact the State Appellate Defender. Provides that the State Appellate Defender shall establish and maintain a statewide toll-free telephone number that a person may use to receive information or assistance concerning the expungement or sealing of arrest or criminal history record information. Provides that the State Appellate Defender shall compile a statewide list of volunteer attorneys willing to assist eligible individuals through the expungement process. Provides that the Program shall be implemented from funds appropriated to the State Appellate Defender for this purpose. Effective immediately.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the definition of "care and custody".
Amends the School Code. Repeals provisions concerning the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program. Provides instead that the State Board of Education shall make reading improvement grants to school districts in order to improve the reading and study skills of students in kindergarten through twelfth grade (from a separate appropriation made for these purposes). Provides that the State Board may use up to 2% of the appropriation for the purpose of providing teacher training and retraining. Provides that of the remaining funds (i) up to the first $5,000,000 in new funds in the 2003-2004 school year shall be distributed to districts serving grades 7 through 12 and (ii) the remainder of the appropriation shall be distributed to districts serving kindergarten through grade 6. Includes provisions concerning application requirements, reporting assessment results, eligibility in the third or subsequent years, requirements for the use of grants, and reporting results to the General Assembly. Effective July 1, 2003.
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.
Creates the Commission on Opportunity in State Public Construction to undertake a comprehensive study to determine the existence and the extent of racial and gender discrimination on public construction projects in the State.
Congratulates Brigadier General Frank C. Bacon, Jr. (Ret) on his retirement.
Recognizes Hales Franciscan High School as one of the outstanding high schools in the State of Illinois and congratulates the boys basketball team of Hales Franciscan High School on winning the Class A boys basketball championship.
Congratulates Reverend Otto T. "Butch" Houston, III as he is elevated to the office of Bishop of the 2nd District, Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ, Inc.
