Rep. Sidney H. Mathias

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.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Provides that, for grant years 2004 and thereafter, "income" means federal taxable income (now, "income" means federal adjusted gross income modified by adding thereto income received from any of a list of sources). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of a municipality shall ascertain the total amount budgeted for (now, the total amount of appropriations legally made or budgeted for) and any amount deemed necessary to defray additional expenses and liabilities for all corporate purposes to be provided for the tax levy for the next fiscal year (now, "of that year"). Provides that the corporate authorities shall institute levy collection by an ordinance specifying the amount and purpose of the sums to be levied (now, by an ordinance specifying in detail in the manner authorized for the annual appropriation ordinance or budget of the municipality, the purposes for which the appropriations, budgeting or such additional amounts deemed necessary have been made and the amount assignable for each purpose respectively). Provides that the corporate authorities of a municipality may make transfers of sums of money appropriated for one corporate object or purpose to another corporate object or purpose (now, may make transfers within any department or other separate agency of the municipal government only). Effective January 1, 2005.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article and the IMRF Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides a special retirement formula for firefighters who receive a retirement annuity from more than one Article 4 pension fund. Requires additional contributions. Authorizes firefighters who participate in IMRF to become members of a downstate firefighter pension fund and to transfer their creditable service from IMRF to that downstate firefighter pension fund. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Uniform Commercial Code. Provides that, if the payor bank pays an item or otherwise debits the account of a depositor of the bank as a result of a deceptive practice under the Criminal Code of 1961, the affected depositor must notify the bank of the unauthorized withdrawal or debit within 60 days after receiving a statement of account disclosing that withdrawal or debit. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailer's Occupation Tax Act. Provides that 0.4% of the net revenues realized for the preceding month from the State's portion of the general rate of tax imposed under the Acts shall be paid by the Department of Revenue into the Local Government Distributive Fund (reverting to the distribution in place prior to State fiscal year 2003). Effective July 1, 2004.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Requires the court to impose a sentence of natural life imprisonment if the defendant is convicted of first degree murder and has previously been convicted of domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery committed against the murdered individual or has previously been convicted of violation of an order of protection in which the murdered individual was the protected person.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a homestead improvement exemption for the installation and maintenance of a residential fire safety sprinkler system. Provides that homestead properties that have been improved with a fire safety sprinkler system after January 1, 2004 are entitled to a fire safety sprinkler homestead improvement exemption, limited to $2,500 or the actual cost of installation, whichever is less, for the year that the system is installed, and $100 each year thereafter that the system remains in place, when that property is owned and used exclusively for a residential purpose. Further amends the Property Tax Code and the Criminal Code of 1961 to add cross-references. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement from the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a unit of local government may not establish an area or zone where parking is prohibited unless a sign giving notice of the prohibition of parking is posted at each boundary of the area or zone. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a criminal trespass to the restricted areas and restricted landing areas of an airport a Class 4 felony (instead of a Class A misdemeanor). Makes criminal trespass to the restricted areas and restricted landing areas of an airport while in possession of a weapon, replica of a weapon, or ammunition a Class 3 felony.