Rep. Jack D. Franks

Creates the Prescription Drug Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Sex Offender and Child Murderer Community Notification Law. Provides that a manager of a condominium or of an apartment building shall post in a conspicuous place in the common areas of the condominium or apartment building a notice as to how a unit owner or renter can obtain information about persons who are registered as sex offenders under the Sex Offender Registration Act, including how to access information maintained in the Statewide Sex Offender Database that is posted on the Department of State Police Web site. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Changes the exemption for disabled veterans. The exemption now applies only to property up to an assessed value of $58,000 owned and used exclusively as a home by a disabled veteran found eligible for specially adapted housing by the federal government or the spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of the veteran. This amendatory Act provides that the exemption applies, for taxable years 2003 and thereafter, to the first $58,000 in assessed value of property owned and used exclusively by a disabled veteran, or the spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of the veteran, as a home. Provides that a disabled veteran is a person who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and (i) who was found 100% disabled and eligible for disabled veterans benefits or (ii) who was found disabled and eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, if a notice of an ordinance violation requires the respondent to answer within a certain amount of time, the county or municipality must reply to the answer within the same amount of time.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In a provision requiring a county treasurer in a county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants to distribute taxes collected within 30 days after the due date, provides that a county treasurer is not precluded from accepting advance tax payments for taxes not yet due. 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 Downstate Teachers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Extends the deadline for application for early retirement without discount from June 30, 2005 to June 30, 2010; also reduces the required contribution for some members. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Creates the Prescription Drug Ethical Marketing Act. Requires every manufacturer and labeler that sells prescription drugs in the State to disclose to the Director of Public Health the value, nature, and purpose of any gift, fee, payment, subsidy, or other economic benefit provided in connection with detailing or promotional or other marketing activities by the company, directly or through its pharmaceutical marketers, to any physician, hospital, nursing home, pharmacist, health benefit plan administrator, or any other person in Illinois authorized to prescribe or dispense prescription drugs. Requires the Director to report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the disclosures. Provides exceptions to the disclosures. Provides for injunctive relief and civil penalties for failure to disclose.

Creates the Prescription Drug Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the Circuit Courts Act. Provides that a resident judge elected from a subcircuit shall continue to reside in that subcircuit as long as he or she holds that office, including all terms held as a result of a retention election. Effective immediately.