Rep. Charles G. Morrow, III

Amends the Cigarette Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Removes language that terminates the earned income tax credit with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2002. Exempts the credit from the sunset requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code by requiring the Chicago Board of Education to establish a pilot program to prevent crime by developing guidelines to identify students at risk of committing crimes and requiring them to tour a prison to discourage criminal behavior. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2004, the pharmaceutical assistance program covers prescription drugs used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Requires public bodies to make and maintain audio or video recordings of their closed meetings. Provides procedures for (i) protecting privileged communication during a meeting between the public body and its attorney and (ii) summarizing and destroying the recordings. Extends the statute of limitations on meetings in violation of the Act to 180 days. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Allows a school board to establish, maintain, and operate a summer kindergarten program that begins 2 months before the beginning of the regular school year and a summer kindergarten program for grade one readiness for those pupils making unsatisfactory progress during the regular kindergarten session that will continue for 2 months after the regular school year. Provides that the summer kindergarten program may be held within the school district or, pursuant to a contract that must be approved by the State Board of Education, may be operated by 2 or more adjacent school districts or by a public or private university or college. Effective immediately.

Amends the Historic Preservation Agency Act. Creates the Freedom Trail Commission. Contains provisions concerning the membership and duties of the commission. Provides that the commission must prepare a master plan to promote and preserve the history of the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State; work in conjunction with State and federal authorities to sponsor commemorations, linkages, seminars, and public forums on the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State and in neighboring states; assist and promote the making of applications for inclusion in the national and State register of historic places for significant historic places related to the freedom trail and the underground railroad in the State; assist and develop partnerships to seek public and private funds to carry out activities to protect, preserve, and promote the legacy of the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State; and work with the Illinois State Board of Education to evaluate, conduct research concerning, and develop a curriculum for use in Illinois public schools regarding the underground railroad, with emphasis on the activities of the underground railroad within this State. Provides that the commission must report its activities and findings to the General Assembly by February 1, 2004. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code and the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act. Requires the State Board of Education, regional superintendents of schools, school boards (and their schools), and nonpublic schools that receive funds for free or reduced-price lunches under the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act to agree in writing with the Department of Public Aid to share with the Department information on applicants for free or reduced-price lunches. Provides that the sharing of information shall be for the sole purpose of helping the Department identify and enroll children in the State Medical Assistance Program or the State Children's Health Insurance Program or both as allowed and under the restrictions set forth in federal law. Provides that before an entity shares with the Department of Public Aid information on an applicant, that entity must obtain the consent of the applicant's parent or legal guardian. Effective July 1, 2003.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a prisoner serving a sentence in a Department of Corrections facility for a crime committed as a result of the use of, abuse of, or addiction to alcohol or a controlled substance and committed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall receive no good conduct credit until he or she participates in and completes a substance abuse treatment program. Provides that if treatment is not available, the prisoner shall be placed on a waiting list and may be required by the Department to attend a substance abuse education class or attend substance abuse self-help meetings. Provides that a prisoner may not lose good conduct credit as a result of being placed on a waiting list. Effective September 1, 2003.

Creates the Illinois Early Learning Council Act. Establishes the Illinois Early Learning Council to coordinate existing State programs and services for children from birth to 5 years of age in order to better meet the early learning needs of children and their families. Provides for the appointment of members to the Council who represent both public and private organizations and who shall serve on a voluntary, unpaid basis.