Rep. Mike Boland

Amends the Property Tax Code. Includes disabled persons within the provisions awarding an assessment freeze homestead exemption to senior citizens. Changes the name to the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (now Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption). Makes corresponding changes to a cross-reference to the exemption. Amends the freeze provision and the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement from the State.

Amends the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption provisions in the Property Tax Code. Increases the ceiling for household income eligibility, for taxable years 2004 and thereafter, from $40,000 per year to $50,000 per year. Amends the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption provisions and the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement from the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Riverboat Gambling Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Veterans Advisory Council Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Act's short title.

Amends the Election Code. Provides for the contest of the election of presidential electors in the same manner as contests of elections of statewide executive branch constitutional officers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Requires the State Board of Elections to develop and implement a pilot project in which one county permits voter registration up to and including the day of an election. Authorizes the State Board to select the county and the election and to spend funds to defray the local election authority's extraordinary costs. Requires the State Board to adopt implementing rules and to report to the General Assembly.

Amends the Veterans' Employment Representative Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the qualifications and duties of a Veterans' Employment Representative.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Requires an incumbent local exchange carrier to structurally separate its retail operations from its wholesale operations in accordance with the requirements of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Provides that an incumbent local exchange carrier is the telecommunications carrier that on the effective date of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 provided local exchange services to a majority of the access lines in Illinois. Regulates transactions between retail affiliates and wholesale affiliates. Requires the Commission to begin proceedings to implement structural separation by August 1, 2003 and to conclude the proceedings by February 1, 2004. Requires the Commission to report to the General Assembly by January 14, 2004 on the status of structural separation. Requires telecommunications carriers that provide both competitive and noncompetitive services to make detailed network infrastructure reports to the Commerce Commission each month. Requires the Commission to perform an annual network infrastructure audit on all carriers required to file network infrastructure reports. Provides for the Commission to report its findings regarding network infrastructure to the General Assembly by January 15 of each year. Provides that incumbent local exchange carriers may not declare any dividend or distribution if the carrier is in violation of a Commission order or is subject to a Commission finding of failure to meet structural separation obligations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that any registered voter who changes his or her residence from one address to another within the same precinct will maintain his or her registration and is not required to have the registration transferred to the new address. Effective Immediately.