Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Requires the chief judge of the circuit to require each judge assigned to try capital cases in the circuit to receive periodic training in specified areas and to retain experts on those subjects to conduct training and prepare training manuals on those topics.
Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that at least once each year, DCFS must provide to each child care facility a copy of the most recent comprehensive list of unsafe children's products maintained by the Department of Public Health under the Children's Product Safety Act; authorizes DCFS to provide a copy of the list as often as 4 times per year. Provides that every child care facility must maintain at its premises a file containing all bulletins or notices issued by the Department of Public Health concerning unsafe children's products and must make the file accessible to the facility's staff members and to parents of the children who attend the facility. Amends the Children's Product Safety Act. Provides that a "children's product" is one designed or intended for the care of or use by a child under age 12 (instead of under age 6). Replaces the definition of "commercial user" with a definition of "commercial dealer", which includes one who manufactures children's products. Imposes requirements on commercial dealers in children's products with respect to product recalls. Provides that a commercial dealer who violates the Act is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each day the violation continues (instead of providing that a commercial user who willfully and knowingly violates the Act is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor). Provides that nothing in the Act relieves a commercial dealer from compliance with stricter requirements imposed by a federal agency. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Creates the House Task Force on Public Pension Investment to investigate the investment practices of the public pension systems in Illinois with regard to their policies and utilization of minority-owned and female-owned financial services firms.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that the Attorney General and the Illinois State's Attorneys Association shall adopt recommendations as to the procedures that State's Attorneys should follow in deciding whether or not to seek the death penalty in a first degree murder case. The failure of a State's Attorney to follow the adopted procedures is not a ground to have the case decertified as a death penalty case or to have any death penalty sentence vacated.
Amends the School Code. Provides that the health examination required of children entering nursery school, kindergarten, first grade, fifth grade, or ninth grade must include a dental examination.
Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides for the decertification of a police officer who was the subject of an administrative proceeding of a law enforcement agency employing the officer and was determined to have knowingly committed perjury in a criminal or quasicriminal proceeding.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that petition for post-conviction relief in a death penalty case shall be filed no later than 6 months after the issuance of the mandate by the Supreme Court following affirmance of the defendant's direct appeal of the trial court verdict.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that any statement made by the eyewitness at a lineup or photographic spread in a homicide investigation as to the witness's confidence that the identified person is or is not the actual person who committed the homicide shall be recorded in writing and the statement shall be signed and dated by the eyewitness.
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that in a capital case, the defendant may make a motion for a court order before trial for comparison analysis by the Department of State Police with those genetic marker groupings maintained by the Department in its DNA database if the defendant meets all of the following requirements: (1) the defendant is charged with first degree murder and the State has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty under Supreme Court Rule 416; (2) the defendant seeks for the Department of State Police to identify genetic marker groupings from evidence collected by criminal justice agencies pursuant to the alleged offense; (3) the defendant seeks comparison analysis of genetic marker groupings of the evidence to those of the defendant, to those of other forensic evidence, and to those maintained by the Department of State Police in its DNA database; (4) genetic marker grouping analysis is performed by a laboratory compliant with the quality assurance standards required by the Department of State Police for genetic marker grouping analysis comparisons; and (5) reasonable notice of the motion is served upon the State.
Creates the Illinois Short-Term Loan and Title Loan Regulation Act. Provides that the Department of Financial Institutions shall license and regulate entities that offer short-term loans (loans under which a lender accepts either: a post-dated check; authorization to debit a borrower's bank account; or future wages by the wage assignment) or title loans (loans wherein, at commencement, a borrower provides to the lender, as security for the loan, physical possession of the obligor's title to a motor vehicle, a boat, or any other personal property). Establishes requirements and restrictions applicable to license applications and licensing. Sets forth limitations, requirements, and disclosures applicable to loan agreements, terms of loans, finance charges, and renewal of loans. Provides for: revocation, suspension, and surrender of licenses; information to be available to the public; complaint handling; hearings; books and records; reports; advertising; prohibited acts; requirements and restrictions applicable to vehicle and boat titles; liens; penalties; enforcement; bonding; administrative rules; and other matters. Amends the Financial Institutions Code to provide that the Department of Financial Institutions shall administer the Illinois Short-Term and Title Loan Regulation Act. Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act to provide that the Act does not apply to short-term and title loans. Provides that a violation of the Illinois Short-Term Loan and Title Loan Regulation Act constitutes a violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Effective January 1, 2005.
