Rep. Constance A. Howard

Creates the Firearms Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.

Amends the Film Production Services Tax Credit Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning applications for certification.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law, the State Finance Act, and the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates the Sarcoidosis Research Fund. Allows the Department of Public Health to make grants for sarcoidosis research from appropriations to the Department from the Fund. Requires the Department of Revenue to include a checkoff on the standard individual income tax form for contributions to the Sarcoidosis Research Fund.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the rules and regulations for the early release of a prisoner on account of good conduct shall also provide that an additional 60 days of good conduct credit shall be awarded to any prisoner who earns a high school diploma or passes the high school level Test of General Educational Development (GED) and receives a GED certificate while the prisoner is incarcerated. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall develop and establish a program designed to increase the number of committed persons enrolled in programs to obtain a high school diploma or to pass the high school level Test of General Educational Development (GED) and receive GED certificates by at least 100% over the 4-year period following the effective date of this amendatory Act. Provides that pursuant to the program, each institution and facility shall report annually to the Director of Corrections on the number of committed persons enrolled in high school education programs and those who pass the high school level Test of General Educational Development (GED) and receive GED certificates, and the number of committed persons who are on waiting lists for those educational programs. Effective immediately.

Creates the Rental Housing Support Program Act. Provides for grants from the Illinois Housing Development Authority to local administering agencies to provide subsidies for landlords in order to allow them to charge rent that is affordable for low-income tenants. Also provides for grants from the Illinois Housing Development Authority to developers of affordable rental housing. Sets forth criteria for the awarding of grants. Requires the Authority to establish an operating reserve for the program. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Rental Housing Support Program Fund, a special fund in the State treasury. Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the county recorder shall collect a $10 surcharge for the recordation of any real estate-related document, one dollar of which shall be deposited into the county's general revenue fund and $9 of which shall be deposited into the Rental Housing Support Program Fund. Sets forth the conditions upon which and purposes for which expenditures may be made from the Accounts. Effective July 1, 2005.

Amends the Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning Medicaid payment rates for nursing homes, provides that the transition period for implementing the new MDS payment methodology for the nursing component of the rate may not exceed 3 (instead of 2) years. Effective immediately.

Amends the Deposit of State Moneys Act. Provides that a bank or savings and loan association is disqualified as a State depository upon making a loan to certain entities doing business in or with the government of Sudan until such time as the United Nations determines that the government of Sudan has taken sufficient and demonstrable steps to end human rights abuses in that nation. Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Prohibits the investment or deposit from the retirement system or pension fund to certain entities doing business in or with the government of Sudan until such time as the United Nations determines that the government of Sudan has taken sufficient and demonstrable steps to end human rights abuses in that nation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Vital Records Act. Provides that the word "DECEASED" and the date of death shall not appear on a copy of a birth certificate furnished to a parent of a child who died within 3 months of birth, provided no other copy of a birth certificate was furnished to the parent prior to the child's death. Effective immediately.