Honors and recognizes Marian Byrnes of Chicago for her hard work and dedication to her community and to this State.
Amends the Organ Donor Leave Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the administration of the Act.
Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the sale or delivery of alcoholic liquor in public buildings.
Amends the State Appellate Defender Act. Provides that the State Appellate Defender may hire investigators to provide investigative services to appointed counsel and county public defenders. Provides that investigators employed by the Death Penalty Trial Assistance and Capital Litigation Division of the State Appellate Defender shall be authorized to inquire with the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) to ascertain whether their potential witnesses have a criminal background. Provides that the authorization applies only to information held on the State level and shall be used only to protect the personal safety of the investigators. Provides that any information that is obtained through this inquiry may not be disclosed by the investigators.
Amends the Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois and the Fireworks Use Act. Provides that for purposes of each Act, the term "fireworks" does not include hand-held or ground-based sparklers of not more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item (instead of simply "sparklers"). Permits the storage and possession (in addition to the sale and use) of items that are not "fireworks". Effective immediately.
Creates the Tuition Increase Limitation Act. Beginning with the 2003-2004 academic year, prohibits a tuition rate increase at a public university that is greater than the lesser of (i) 5% of the tuition rate for the preceding academic year or (ii) the product of the tuition rate for the preceding academic year multiplied by the rate of inflation for the calendar year in which that academic year began. Effective immediately.
Creates the Taxing District Tax Levy Validation (2003) Act to validate certain annual appropriation ordinances and tax levy ordinances adopted by taxing districts from 1989 through 2002 together with the taxes assessed, levied, and extended thereon. Amends the Property Tax Code. Allows (now requires) a taxing district to adopt a resolution or ordinance to reduce its tax levy if the district receives a surplus of funds under the State Revenue Sharing Act. Provides that, for the purposes of tax objections based on budget or appropriation ordinances, "municipality" means all municipal corporations in, and political subdivisions of, this State (now, excepts out from this definition a number of units of local government) and eliminates a basis on which a taxpayer may file an objection under these provisions. Applies these changes retroactively. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code to authorize the recovery of costs and attorney fees incurred by a prevailing taxpayer who brings suit on behalf of a municipality to recover certain money or property belonging to the municipality. Effective immediately.
Calls on the Illinois State Board of Education to cancel its lobbying contract with the firm Barbour, Griffith, and Rogers.
Amends the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the application of the Act.
Amends the County Jail Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the sheriff as warden of the jail.
