Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning defaulting on a loan.
Creates the Budget Stabilization Act and amends the State Finance Act. Limits appropriations from the State's general funds in fiscal years when estimated general funds revenues exceed certain previous fiscal years' general funds revenues. Requires the State Comptroller to transfer from the General Revenue Fund into the Budget Stabilization Fund or Early Debt Retirement Fund an amount equal to the fiscal year's unappropriated general funds revenues. Establishes appropriation limits and a transfer schedule. Specifies the purpose of the Budget Stabilization Fund and requires that earnings on its investment remain in the Fund. Creates the Early Debt Retirement Fund as a special fund within the State treasury for payment of certain liabilities. Effective immediately.
Creates the Community Senior Services and Resources Act and amends the State Finance Act. Provides for grants to be awarded by the Department on Aging to local community senior services and resource centers. Provides for a Community Senior Services and Resource Center Advisory Committee, with 12 voting members appointed by the Governor, to advise the Department on Aging on the administration of the Act. Creates the Community Senior Services and Resources Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, to be used by the Department on Aging for grant awards and for administering the Community Senior Services and Resources Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Increases the minimum wage for workers 18 years and older to $6.50 per hour on January 1, 2004. Provides that, beginning in 2005, the minimum wage shall be annually adjusted by the Department of Labor. Provides that the adjustment shall be calculated each September 30, using the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, and shall take effect on January 1 of the following year. Provides that the Director of Labor shall by rule establish the minimum wage for employees under the age of 18 years. Deletes language providing that: (i) wages may not be less than the federal minimum hourly wage and wages paid to any employee under 18 years of age may not be more than 50 cents less than the wage required to be paid to employees who are at least 18 years of age; and (ii) every employer of an employee engaged in an occupation in which gratuities have customarily been recognized as part of the remuneration is entitled to an allowance for gratuities as part of the hourly wage rate in an amount not to exceed 40% of the applicable minimum wage rate.
Amends the Election Code. In the Article governing the use of in-precinct voting systems with optic scan technology, makes changes in terms and procedures to accommodate the use of touch-screen computers to display and mark ballots. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code with respect to colorectal cancer examinations. Provides that insurance coverage must provide coverage for colorectal cancer examinations according to the most recently published guidelines of the American Cancer Society. Effective immediately.
Amends the Cigarette Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Removes language that terminates the earned income tax credit with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2002. Exempts the credit from the sunset requirements. Effective immediately.
Amends the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act. Provides that an applicant for licensure by endorsement who is a registered professional nurse or a licensed practical nurse under the laws of another state or territory of the United States may, in lieu of taking and passing the examination required by the Department, have passed a state, regional, or national examination that is substantially equivalent to or more stringent than the examination given by the Department, if the applicant has actively practiced nursing in another state or territory of the United States for 2 of the preceding 3 years without having his or her license acted against by the licensing authority of any jurisdiction. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Authorizes an attachment against the property of a debtor who has been referred by the Department of Corrections to the Attorney General (instead of who is a defendant in a suit brought by the Attorney General) in connection with the reimbursement of the Department for the expenses of the debtor's incarceration.
