Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Designates the third Saturday in June of each year as Juneteenth National Freedom Day to commemorate the abolition of slavery throughout the United States and its territories in 1865. Effective immediately.
Amends the Cigarette Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
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 Criminal Code of 1961. Exempts from an eavesdropping violation, electronic recordings made of a custodial interrogation of an individual by a law enforcement officer at a police station or other place of detention in investigations for homicide and certain sex offenses. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 and the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that statements made by a suspect at a custodial interrogation at a police station or other place of detention in investigations for homicide and certain sex offenses are presumed inadmissible unless electronically recorded. Provides that the presumption may be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence that the statements were voluntary and reliable based upon the totality of the circumstances. Provides exceptions. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board must conduct a training program for police officers on the methods and technical aspects of electronic recording of interrogations. Amends the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act. Provides that the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, from appropriations made to it for that purpose, shall make grants to local law enforcement agencies for the purpose of purchasing equipment for electronic recording of interrogations. Amends the State Mandates Act. Exempts provisions of the bill from the reimbursement requirements of the State Mandates Act. Some provisions take effect immediately.
Amends the Historic Preservation Agency Act. Creates the Freedom Trail Commission. Contains provisions concerning the membership and duties of the commission. Provides that the commission must prepare a master plan to promote and preserve the history of the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State; work in conjunction with State and federal authorities to sponsor commemorations, linkages, seminars, and public forums on the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State and in neighboring states; assist and promote the making of applications for inclusion in the national and State register of historic places for significant historic places related to the freedom trail and the underground railroad in the State; assist and develop partnerships to seek public and private funds to carry out activities to protect, preserve, and promote the legacy of the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State; and work with the Illinois State Board of Education to evaluate, conduct research concerning, and develop a curriculum for use in Illinois public schools regarding the underground railroad, with emphasis on the activities of the underground railroad within this State. Provides that the commission must report its activities and findings to the General Assembly by February 1, 2004. Effective immediately.
Amends the Condominium Property Act and the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986. Provides that a condominium association, master association, common interest community association, or homeowners' association may not prohibit the display of the American flag or the installation of a flagpole for the display of the American flag, subject to specified conditions.
Amends the Attorney General Act. Creates the Office of Immigrant Assistance within the Office of the Attorney General to provide education and outreach services to the resident immigrant community of the State. Effective immediately.
Amends the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act and the Hypodermic Syringes and Needles Act. Authorizes a person who is at least 18 years of age to purchase up to 20 sterile hypodermic syringes or needles at a pharmacy without a prescription. Authorizes a pharmacist to sell up to 20 sterile hypodermic syringes or needles to a person who is at least 18 years of age. Provides that the Illinois Department of Public Health must develop educational materials regarding safer injection, HIV prevention, syringe disposal, and drug treatment and make copies of those materials available to pharmacists. Provides that pharmacists must make those educational materials available to persons who purchase syringes. Repeals the Section in the Hypodermic Syringes and Needles Act requiring a person who sells a syringe, needle, or instrument to keep a record of the sale. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a program to provide cash assistance, equivalent to that provided under the TANF program, to children or adults who have been victims of domestic violence or extreme cruelty committed within the United States and who are legal immigrants to the United States and would be eligible for TANF assistance except that they have not been present in the United States for 5 years as otherwise required under the Code. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Sale of Tobacco to Minors Act to provide that the sale or distribution at no charge of cigarettes from a lunch wagon engaging in any sales activity within 1,000 feet of any public or private elementary or secondary school grounds is prohibited.
