Rep. Mike Boland

Amends the Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the Helping Heroes Child Care Program Act and amends the State Finance Act. Establishes the Helping Heroes Child Care Program for the purpose of providing vouchers for child care to Illinois families who have one or more parents deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan by the armed services. Provides for the program to be administered by the Department of Human Services, but only if federal funding is made available for that purpose. Provides that any such federal moneys received by the State shall be deposited into the Fund for Child Care for Deployed Military Personnel, which is created as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides for income eligibility criteria to be established by the Department by rule. Provides that a family that received child care assistance before the parent's deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan is eligible only for a voucher for the cost of any additional hours of child care that are necessary by reason of that deployment. Provides that a family is not eligible for a child care voucher if the family receives child care services from the United States military. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2010. Effective immediately.

Commends Mark Boerckel of United Township High School in East Moline on being named one of 10 winners of the Chicago Tribune's 2005 All-State Academic Team scholarship competition.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Requires that State contracts include the contractor's certification that services performed under the contract or a subcontract shall be performed within the United States. Requires the Procurement Policy Board to establish any exemptions. Requires that a contract be voided for violation of the certification if the chief procurement officer deems it to be in the best interest of the State.

Amends provisions of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, discrimination based on national origin includes discrimination based on the language spoken in the place in which a person or one of his or her ancestors was born. Effective January 1, 2005.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Department's powers and duties.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates the disabled veterans assessment freeze homestead exemption for a person who has served in the armed forces of the United States, the reserves of the armed forces of the United States, or the Illinois National Guard and who is disabled. Provides that the amount of this exemption shall be the equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which application is made minus the base amount. Defines "base amount" as the base year equalized assessed value of the residence plus the first year's equalized assessed value of any added improvements that increased the assessed value of the residence after the base year. Defines "base year" as, in most instances, the taxable year prior to the taxable year for which the applicant first qualifies and applies for the exemption. Makes corresponding changes to cross-references in other provisions of the Property Tax Code. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Includes in the offense of unauthorized videotaping, electronically recording or electronically surveilling another person without that person's consent in a private place. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to place or cause to be placed an electronic video surveillance device in a restroom, tanning bed, tanning salon, locker room, changing room, hotel bedroom, or any other private place, with the intent to electronically record, electronically surveil, videotape, photograph, or film another person without that person's consent. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to place or cause to be placed an electronic video surveillance device in another person's residence without that person's consent, with the intent to secretly electronically record, electronically surveil, videotape, photograph, or film another person without that person's consent. Increases the penalties for the offense from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony and if the images are disseminated from a Class 4 felony to a Class 3 felony. Provides that if the person electronically recorded, electronically surveilled, videotaped, photographed, or filmed is under 18 years of age, the penalty is a Class 2 felony. Effective January 1, 2005.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the board of trustees of a multi-campus community college district may elect to have one student member selected from each campus in the district (instead of one student member who represents all campuses in the district). Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides for the use of mail-in ballots for the general primary held in March 2006 in a county selected by the State Board of Elections. Provides that the election authority shall mail ballots to each registered voter not more than 40 nor less than 5 days before the date of the election. Establishes procedures for the return of the ballots. Provides for the delivery of ballots to the judges of election. Provides for the casting of mail-in ballots. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall adopt rules and procedures for the implementation of the use of mail-in ballots within 270 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Requires the State Board to report to the General Assembly on the problems and successes of conducting the election by mail. Contains other provisions. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.