Rep. Mary K. O'Brien

Amends the State Aid Continuing Appropriation Law. Makes the Law applicable to fiscal year 2004 and each fiscal year thereafter. Provides that if the General Assembly fails to make Common School Fund appropriations to the State Board of Education in fiscal year 2004 and in each fiscal year thereafter sufficient to fund the general State aid, supplemental general State aid, and supplementary grants in aid provisions of the State aid formula, the Law shall constitute an irrevocable and continuing appropriation from the Common School Fund of all amounts necessary for those purposes. Removes a provision that provides for the Law's repeal on June 30, 2003. Effective immediately.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Code.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section that prohibits the possession of burglary tools.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes technical changes to a Section concerning usury.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the definition of "felony".

Amends the IMRF Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Eliminates the reduction in annuity that applies to a surviving spouse who is more than 5 years younger than the deceased member. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. In a criminal case, permits the admissibility of evidence of a statement made by a witness that narrates, describes, or explains a statement made by a defendant of which the witness had personal knowledge. Provides that in a prosecution for an offense involving the use of force by an accused when the accused asserts that he or she was legally justified in the use of force and when there is evidence presented at trial on that issue, the offender may present evidence of the victim's prior violent acts if those prior acts are relevant to the issue of who was the initial aggressor whether or not the offender was aware of those prior acts at the time of occurrence of the incident for which the offender is on trial. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961, the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, and the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person who has the disability of mental retardation may not be sentenced to death for first degree murder. Establishes procedures before and after trial and during the sentencing hearing in a first degree murder case to raise the issue of the defendant's mental retardation. Provides that the Governor has full authority to grant clemency and commute a capital sentence to a non-capital sentence for any person convicted of first degree murder who has been sentenced to death whom the Governor determines to have the disability of mental retardation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in the unlawful use of weapons statute.

Creates the State Facility Modification Review Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services, the Department of Corrections, or the Department of Veterans' Affairs may not close a facility operated by that department or reduce the use of a facility operated by that department by more than a specified amount without approval by the General Assembly. Provides that a proposal for such a closure or reduction must be submitted to the General Assembly and must include certain supporting documents. Effective immediately.