Rep. Bob Biggins

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2003, the tax with respect to textbooks required for use at State universities and public community colleges or certain other institutions of higher learning is imposed under these Acts at the rate of 1.25% (eliminating the State's portion of the tax). Authorizes the Department of Revenue to adopt rules. Amends the State Finance Act to adjust the distribution with respect to this tax. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Larry Dean Mieszcak on the occasion of his retirement as Trustee of the Villa Park Village Board.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Public Aid may not establish any formulary limits on, or restrict by any prior authorization requirement, any insulin prescription drug as prescribed and determined to be medically necessary for the treatment of diabetes. Effective July 1, 2004.

Creates the Public Service Accountability Act. Sets out the requirements for privatization contracts between contractors and State agencies. Provides for the monitoring and enforcement of privatization contracts. Establishes fines and prison sentences for a violation of certain Sections of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Creates the Cancer Trial Discrimination Prohibition Law. Contains only a short title provision. Effective immediately.

Creates the Mercury Reduction Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency may participate in the establishment and implementation of a multi-state clearinghouse to assist in carrying out the purpose of mercury reduction. Provides that beginning July 1, 2005, no mercury-added product may be offered for final sale or use or distributed for promotional purposes in the State without prior written notification to the Environmental Protection Agency by the manufacturer of the product. Sets forth the requirements for this notification. Sets forth restrictions on the purchase or sale of certain mercury-added products. Provides that beginning July 1, 2006, no person may crush, shred, flatten, or otherwise process a motor vehicle for scrap metal without first making a good faith effort to remove any mercury light switches and mercury headlights. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2006, the Pollution Control Board must modify its rules governing universal hazardous waste as appropriate to promote the recycling, recovery, and proper management of elemental mercury and mercury-added products on a statewide basis. Sets forth penalties for violations of the Act. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Adds "vehicle recycler" to the list of persons who may not knowingly shred, scrap, dismantle, recycle, incinerate, handle, store, or otherwise manage any white good that contains any white components. Provides that no owner, operator, agent, employee of a junkyard or scrap dealership, or vehicle recycler may knowingly shred, scrap, dismantle, recycle, incinerate, handle, store, or otherwise manage any end-of-life motor vehicle that contains any mercury-added component. Defines "vehicle recycler", "end-of-life motor vehicle", and "mercury-added component". Effective immediately.

Amends the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights Act. Provides that in the case of an audit, if no violations are found, the Department shall provide the taxpayer a closing letter acknowledging this and thanking the taxpayer for his, her, or its cooperation. Provides that if there are changes, the auditor is required to provide in writing to the taxpayer the audit findings, as well as audit methods and procedures, recommended changes in record-keeping practices, and an explanation of the proper interpretation of the tax law in areas where errors were made. Provides that no audit shall be deemed complete without this paperwork and the signatures of both the auditor and taxpayer.

Amends the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. In a provision stating that all information received by the Department of Revenue from returns filed under the Act, or from any investigation conducted under the Act, shall be confidential, except for official purposes, includes as an official purpose the furnishing of financial information to a non-home rule unit that has imposed a tax similar to that imposed by this Act pursuant to the successful passage of a public referendum by a majority of the registered voters of the community if (i) the chief executive of the unit requests the information and (ii) the non-home rule unit with referendum approval agrees in writing to the requirements of the confidentiality provisions of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, with respect to the investment credit, the basis of qualified property shall not include costs incurred after December 31, 2008 (now, 2003), except for costs incurred pursuant to a binding contract entered into on or before December 31, 2008 (now, 2003). Effective immediately.

Congratulates Dr. Evelyn Ennsmann, principal of Willowbrook High School, on being named Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principals Association.