Rep. Kevin Joyce

Amends the School Code. Creates a K-3 class size reduction grant program to be implemented and administered by the State Board of Education. Provides that only those schools that are on the early academic warning list or academic watch list and that maintain grades K-3 are grant eligible. Limits use of the grant funds to operating and maintaining classes in grades K-3 with a class size of no more than 20 pupils. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Authorizes a deduction of up to $10,000 per taxable year for amounts contributed in the taxable year to a College Savings Pool Account or the Illinois Prepaid Tuition Trust Fund, excluding amounts rolled over into the account (now, unlimited deductions authorized only for contributions to the College Savings Pool, excluding rollovers). Amends the State Treasurer Act, the Baccalaureate Savings Act, and the Illinois Prepaid Tuition Act to remove language providing that (i) contributions to the Bright Start Program; (ii) contributions toward the purchase of the first $25,000 of College Savings Bonds; and (iii) contributions toward the purchase of an Illinois Prepaid Tuition Contract, respectively, shall not be counted against the financial aid awarded by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the State, or any agency thereof. Effective immediately, except that the changes to the State Treasurer Act, the Baccalaureate Savings Act, and the Illinois Prepaid Tuition Act take effect on January 1, 2005.

Amends the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act. Increases the amount of moneys in the Nursing Dedicated and Professional Fund to be appropriated to the Department of Public Health for nursing scholarships awarded pursuant to the Nursing Education Scholarship Law from $750,000 to $1,500,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004 and each fiscal year thereafter. Effective immediately.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Makes changes regarding the Department of Children and Family Service's obligation to inform child care facilities of unsafe children's products. Requires the Department to make the comprehensive list of unsafe children's products available to those facilities that do not have Internet access. Requires child care facilities to maintain any written information provided in a file accessible to both facility staff and parents of children attending the facility and to post in prominent locations regularly visited by parents written notification of the existence of the comprehensive list of unsafe children's products available on the Internet. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the State aid formula.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department to establish and administer a nursing workforce database. Provides that the objective of establishing the database shall be the collection and analysis of data that is related to nursing and to the nursing workforce, so that conclusions may be drawn relating to current nursing supply, demand, and workforce concerns in the State and to future workforce projections and needs. Sets forth the information that must be contained in the database. Provides that no later than January 15, 2006, the Department shall submit a report to the Governor and members of the General Assembly regarding the development of the database and the effectiveness of its use.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Creates the offense of bribery to obtain driving privileges. Provides that the penalty for a violation is a Class 2 felony.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a person or entity may not print an individual's social security number on an insurance card that is used to establish the eligibility of an individual or his or her dependents to receive health, dental, optical, or accident insurance benefits, prescription drug benefits, or benefits under a managed care plan or a plan provided by a health maintenance organization, a health services plan corporation, or a similar entity. Provides that existing insurance cards with an individual's social security number must be replaced with insurance cards without the individual's social security number. Provides that a violation constitutes an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act. Effective January 1, 2005.

Amends the Community Senior Services and Resources Act. Authorizes the Director of Aging to accept monetary bequests and gifts for deposit into the Community Senior Services and Resources Fund. Directs the Department on Aging, in conjunction with the Community Senior Services and Resource Center Advisory Committee, to design an awareness campaign that can be implemented by senior services and resource centers at their individual expense. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Deletes a provision that includes beginning and ending dates for the operation of a Great START (Strategy to Attract and Retain Teachers) program. Deletes provisions (i) requiring a working committee of the Child and Development Advisory Council of the Department of Human Services to make certain recommendations concerning the Great START program by October 1, 2000 and (ii) requiring the Department to evaluate the Great START program, gather data on the program, and submit a report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2002. Effective immediately.