Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that the court may find that appointing a person convicted of a felony to act as the guardian of a minor or disabled person may be in the best interest of the minor or disabled person. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Chicago school district.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in the statute concerning first degree murder.
Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. In each of the definitions of "aggregate extension" excludes extensions made to fund the district's expenses to provide joint recreational programs for the handicapped under the Park District Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Effective immediately.
Creates the Illinois Commission on the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.
Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.
Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that in fiscal year 2006 and in each fiscal year thereafter, the State budget must contain one or more line items appropriating moneys to pay certain liabilities incurred in the previous fiscal year. Amends the State Finance Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
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.
Congratulates Ed and Kitty Shumaker of Waukegan for being chosen as the 2003 Book of Golden Deeds Award recipients given by the Waukegan Exchange Club.
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.
