Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Requires a credit services organization to send a customer written notification, detailing any charges and fees, other than the total balance owing on the account, the amount of the monthly payment due, the annual percentage rate, and interest charge. Provides that a credit services organization shall not charge any additional fee or charge, without prior notification to the customer and consent by the customer to the additional charges and fees.

Amends the Township Code. Sets forth procedures for changing the time that township assessors or multi-township assessors enter upon their duties from the January 1 next following their election to the third Monday of May following their election. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires each school district to establish a process by which each parent or guardian of a pupil is given an opportunity to enter into a school-parent compact that shall commit the parent or guardian to assist and cooperate with the educational process of his or her child. Sets forth the elements of the compact, including a description of the school and school district's responsibilities regarding curriculum and instruction, the school's and school district's commitment to assist and encourage active participation, and the parent's or guardian's commitment to share responsibility for pupil learning. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Circuit Courts Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the courts' powers.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.

Appropriates $600,000 to the Department of Natural Resources for the EcoWatch program for fiscal year 2005. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for hippotherapy (horse therapy) services for autistic children and other persons suffering from conditions including, but not limited to, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, developmental delay, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and learning or language disabilities who could benefit from such services. Effective July 1, 2006.

Creates the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Provides that candidates for the Supreme Court may apply for a public financing benefit in connection with their campaign. Sets the amount of the public financing benefit at $750,000 for the general primary and general election cycle. Sets requirements for qualifying for the public financing benefits. Limits the amount of private contributions qualified candidates may accept. Limits the amounts that non-participating candidates may accept from private sources during campaign periods to $1,000 in the aggregate. Provides that qualified candidates must be distributed a line of credit from the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund to be used for lawful political expenditures. Provides for the increase of the line of credit if non-complying candidates make certain expenditures. Sets penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Illinois Supreme Court may require attorneys to contribute money to the Fund not to exceed $25 annually. Contains other provisions. Amends the Election Code. Provides that a payment for electioneering communications is an "expenditure". Provides that a group that "accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $3,000 for the purpose of electioneering communications" is a political committee. Allows the Board of Elections to impose a fine against a committee that fails to report expenditures that could trigger matching funds under the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to print on its standard individual income tax form a provision by which the taxpayer may make a contribution (not less than $1) to the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Clerk of the Courts Act. Requires circuit court clerks to transfer $1 from each appearance fee paid to the State Treasurer for deposit into the Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund and, to defray that expense, the county board may, by resolution, require the clerk of the circuit court in the county to charge and collect a Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund fee of not more than $1, which shall be paid at the time that any appearance fee is paid. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that each appropriation for a legislative member initiative must be by a separate line item appropriation that fully describes the legislative member initiative. Provides that no legislative member initiative may be funded through a lump sum appropriation. Defines "legislative member initiative".

Urges the President and Congress should commit the leadership of the U. S. Government to effective implementation of the United Nations World Summit Outcome Document on the responsibility of states to protect their populations.