Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Makes a technical change in a Section setting forth the short title of the Act.
Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that a consent or surrender for adoption is not required from a person found by the court to have been indicated for child sexual abuse as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act that involved: (i) sexual penetration of the mother; or (ii) a person found to be at least 5 years older than the mother and the mother was under the age of 17 at the time of conception of the child to be adopted.
Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that in the employment and appointment to fill positions for any redevelopment project undertaken or contracted for by a municipality under the Act, preference shall be given to persons who are members of a labor union and to apprentices in those labor unions.
Amends the Circuit Courts Act. Requires the Attorney General to study the previous division of the Cook County judicial circuit into subcircuits, to investigate the possible redistricting of those subcircuits, to investigate the method of selecting and reappointing associate judges, and to report to the General Assembly by March 1, 2005 (i) the findings of the studies and investigations, (ii) a redistricting plan, and (iii) recommendations for legislative and constitutional changes. Authorizes the Attorney General to appoint task forces for assistance and requires the cooperation of the Illinois Supreme Court, the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Effective immediately.
Creates the New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act of 2004. Provides that qualified third-party dispute resolution processes may be used to resolve certain disputes between certain new vehicle buyers and manufacturers concerning a nonconformity that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of a new vehicle. Provides that, if a qualified third-party dispute resolution process does not exist, or the new vehicle buyer is dissatisfied with that third-party decision, or the manufacturer or its agent does not fulfill the terms of a decision after it is accepted by the buyer, the buyer may: (i) assert a presumption that a reasonable number of attempts have been made to conform the vehicle to the applicable express warranties in accordance with criteria set forth in the Act and (ii) seek replacement of the vehicle or restitution for the price of the vehicle and damages, attorney's fees, costs, and a civil penalty. Provides that no person may sell, lease, or transfer a motor vehicle that was returned to a manufacturer under the Act or a similar law of any other state unless the vehicle's nonconformity is clearly and conspicuously disclosed to the prospective buyer, lessee, or transferee, the nonconformity is corrected, and the manufacturer warrants to the new buyer, lessee, or transferee in writing for a period of one year that the motor vehicle is free of that nonconformity, except as otherwise specified. Provides that the Attorney General shall establish a program for certifying, reviewing, and decertifying third-party dispute resolution processes established by new vehicle manufacturers or their agents. Provides that the Secretary of State may suspend the license of a manufacturer or distributor for its failure to honor a decision of a qualified third-party dispute resolution process. Provides that the Secretary of State shall collect fees from manufacturers for the administration of the program and that the fees shall be deposited in the new Third-Party Dispute Resolution Fund. Applies to new motor vehicles beginning with the model year following the effective date of the Act. Amends the State Finance Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Illinois Vehicle Code to conform to the new Act. Amends the existing New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act to provide that it does not apply to vehicles to which the new Act applies. Effective January 1, 2005.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State must require a driver who was involved in an accident that caused injury or death to a pedestrian to retake the examination required for issuance of a driver's license. A person's refusal to submit to or failure to successfully complete the examination is grounds for suspension or cancellation of the person's license or permit.
Amends the Housing Development Act. Provides that, to the extent that the Illinois Housing Development Authority has reserves of funds under this Act in any State fiscal year, it must contribute some percentage of those reserves (i) to subsidize affordable housing projects and (ii) to be deposited into the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Amends the Sex Offender and Child Murderer Community Notification Law. Provides that a manager of a condominium or of an apartment building shall post in a conspicuous place in the common areas of the condominium or apartment building a notice as to how a unit owner or renter can obtain information about persons who are registered as sex offenders under the Sex Offender Registration Act, including how to access information maintained in the Statewide Sex Offender Database that is posted on the Department of State Police Web site. Effective immediately.
Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that the court shall not appoint as guardian of the person of the minor any person who has been the subject of an indicated report under Section 3 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act that has been confirmed by the Department of Children and Family Services. Effective January 1, 2005.
Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Authorizes the Illinois Housing Development Authority to develop and implement a program of financial assistance to recently hired Illinois teachers purchasing their first primary residence. Limits the program to teachers employed by school districts defined by the State Board of Education as financially needy or experiencing a teacher shortage. Limits eligibility to public school teachers with no more than 2 years of employment as teachers who commit to teach in their school district for at least 3 years after their closing date. Effective July 1, 2003.
