Amends the Illinois Consortium for Educational Opportunity Act. Changes the short title to the Diversifying Faculty in Illinois Program Act. Makes changes concerning the definition of "institution of higher education", the Program Board, assistance to graduates, subcommittees, reporting, grants, and other matters. Effective July 1, 2004.
Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 16 to 17 years of age, with exceptions. Provides that certain provisions that apply to truant officers apply to the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee in a school district that does not have a truant officer. Makes changes concerning the compliance procedure for persons who fail to send a child to school. Allows certain students to enroll in graduation incentives programs. Lists programs that qualify as graduation incentives programs. Provides for reimbursement and funding for programs.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2006 registration year, a person who has been approved for benefits (rather than a person who has claimed and received a grant) under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act, or the spouse of one of those persons, shall pay $24, rather than the usual fee, for a vehicle displaying specified registration plates. Makes corresponding changes in provisions regarding Purple Heart and Korean War Veteran plates. Effective immediately.
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 Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. Provides for relinquishment of a newborn infant to a police station (in addition to a hospital, fire station, or emergency medical facility). Provides that "police station" means a municipal police station or a county sheriff's office. Provides that a police station to which a newborn infant is relinquished must arrange for the transportation of the infant to the nearest hospital as soon as transportation can be arranged. Effective immediately.
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 Criminal Code of 1961. Creates the offense of criminal trespass to a motion picture exhibition facility. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony to knowingly possess, carry, bear, or transport an audiovisual recording device into a motion picture exhibition facility without the consent of the owner or lessee of that exhibition facility and the licensor of the motion picture being exhibited. Establishes immunity from civil liability for an owner, lessee, employee, or agent of a motion picture exhibition facility who in good faith detains a person suspected of a violation of these provisions until law enforcement officers arrive. Permits law enforcement officers to carry audiovisual equipment into a motion picture exhibition facility during a lawful investigation. 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 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 Office of Banks and Real Estate Act. Requires the Commissioner of Banks and Real Estate to work in cooperation with the Director of Aging to ensure that all financial institutions regulated by the Office of Banks and Real Estate participate fully in the Department on Aging's financial exploitation of the elderly intervention program. Effective immediately.
