Rep. Kathleen A. Ryg

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Public Aid shall provide Medicaid reimbursement for all prenatal and perinatal health care services that are provided for the purpose of preventing low-birthweight infants and reducing the need for neonatal intensive care hospital services. Requires a report to the General Assembly every 2 years.

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 Circuit Courts Act and the Judicial Vacancies Act. Adds 3 resident judgeships to the twelfth judicial circuit, 3 resident judgeships to the eighteenth circuit, and 4 resident judgeships to the nineteenth judicial circuit. Requires that the additional judgeships be filled beginning at the 2006 general election and prohibits appointments to fill those judgeships before the 2006 general election. Requires that by January 1, 2005, the General Assembly divide those circuits into subcircuits. Requires that the Supreme Court allot the additional judgeships and the other resident judgeships, as they become vacant (other than for election in 2004), to the various subcircuits to be filled by election until the appropriate number of resident judges is elected from each subcircuit. Requires the Supreme Court to determine by lot the numerical order of the subcircuits for the purpose of assigning resident judgeships to subcircuits.

Amends the School Code. Allows a school board to establish, maintain, and operate a summer kindergarten program that begins 2 months before the beginning of the regular school year and a summer kindergarten program for grade one readiness for those pupils making unsatisfactory progress during the regular kindergarten session that will continue for 2 months after the regular school year. Provides that the summer kindergarten program may be held within the school district or, pursuant to a contract that must be approved by the State Board of Education, may be operated by 2 or more adjacent school districts or by a public or private university or college. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State goals and assessment.

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that beginning in the calendar year 2004 and until December 31, 2008, a total of 5 additional enterprise zones may be certified by the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the county board may make expenditures from the Tax Sale Automation Fund in order to defray the cost of providing electronic access to property tax collection records and delinquent tax sale records. Effective immediately.

Amends the Financial Identity Theft and Asset Forfeiture Law of the Criminal Code of 1961. Changes the name of the Article to the Identity Theft Law and the names of the offenses of financial identity theft and aggravated financial identity theft to identity theft and aggravated identity theft. Includes in the offense of identity theft: (1) using any personal identification information or personal identification document of another with intent to commit any theft or felony violation of Illinois State law; (2) obtaining, recording, possessing, selling, transferring, purchasing, or manufacturing any personal identification information or personal identification document with intent to commit or to aid or abet another in committing any theft or felony violation of Illinois State law; (3) using, obtaining, recording, possessing, selling, transferring, purchasing or manufacturing any personal identification information or personal identification document of another knowing that such personal identification information or personal identification documents were stolen or produced without lawful authority; or (4) using, transferring, or possessing document-making implements to produce false identification or false documents with knowledge that they will be used by the offender or another to commit any theft or felony violation of State law. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Permits the clerk of the circuit court to accept credit card payments over the Internet for fines, penalties, or costs from offenders on voluntary electronic pleas of guilty in minor traffic and conservation offenses.

Creates the Illinois Early Learning Council Act. Establishes the Illinois Early Learning Council to coordinate existing State programs and services for children from birth to 5 years of age in order to better meet the early learning needs of children and their families. Provides for the appointment of members to the Council who represent both public and private organizations and who shall serve on a voluntary, unpaid basis.