Rep. Deborah L. Graham

Creates the Firearms Dealer Licensing Act. Requires a person who engages in the business of selling or transferring firearms to be licensed by the Department of State Police. Establishes qualifications for licenses. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony to engage in the business of selling or transferring firearms without a license. Requires a licensed firearms dealer who sells or transfers a firearm to a person who is not a licensed dealer to report that sale or transfer to the Department of State Police.

Appropriates $250,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs for a grant to the Village of Melrose Park for the costs of demolishing existing structures and for construction of a new training center and adjacent parking lot for the fire department. Effective July 1, 2003.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961 and the Unified Code of Corrections. Requires a mandatory sentence of imprisonment for certain violations of the statutes concerning unlawful use of weapons, the unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Provides that a period of probation, periodic imprisonment, or conditional discharge may not be imposed for these violations.

Amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act. Provides that changes of ownership, mergers, and consolidations of health care facilities require a permit from the Health Facilities Planning Board and sets forth requirements for the permit application. Sets forth conditions that require a public hearing for a permit application and requires that the notice of the public hearing be published in a newspaper for 3 consecutive days. Makes other changes.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Imposes a 1% surcharge on the sale or use in this State of a large sport utility vehicle, if the selling price of the vehicle is more than $25,000.

Creates the Illinois HIV/AIDS Task Force Act. Establishes the Illinois HIV/AIDS Task Force to coordinate existing State programs and services for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS to better meet the needs of those individuals and families. Provides for the appointment of members to the Task Force who represent both public and private organizations and who shall serve on a voluntary, unpaid basis. Requires the Task Force to annually report to the Governor and General Assembly on the Task Force's progress toward its goals and objectives.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that no transfers may be made, in order to help defray the State's operating costs for the fiscal year, from the Road Fund or the State Construction Account Fund on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Effective July 1, 2004.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2005, the Secretary of State shall keep a separate annual record of all motor vehicle accidents in which a vehicle backed into or over a pedestrian and a separate annual record of all accidents in which a person was injured by the power window of a vehicle. Provides that the Secretary shall analyze these records and shall submit a report of his or her findings to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than March 31, 2006 and no later than March 31 of each succeeding calendar year.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Public Aid may not establish any formulary limits on, or restrict by any prior authorization requirement, any insulin prescription drug as prescribed and determined to be medically necessary for the treatment of diabetes. Effective July 1, 2004.

Creates the Department of Education Act and amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Illinois State Auditing Act, the Illinois Pension Code, and the School Code. Creates the Department of Education, with a Secretary of Education as its head. Provides that all of the rights, powers, duties, and functions vested by law in the State Board of Education or the State Superintendent of Education (except the State Board of Education's duty under the Illinois Constitution to appoint a chief State educational officer) are transferred to the Department of Education on July 1, 2005. Provides for the transfer of personnel and property. Requires the Auditor General to conduct a financial audit of the State Board of Education. Provides that the State Board of Education's powers and duties are limited by law, as provided in the Illinois Constitution, to only the following: (i) the State Board of Education shall research current educational best practices and policies and shall report its findings to the Department of Education, (ii) the State Board of Education shall provide suggestions to the Department of Education as to the long-range implications of the practices and policies, and (iii) the State Board of Education shall consult with the Department of Education on all matters related to education-related topics. Makes other changes. Certain provisions effective July 1, 2004; other provisions effective July 1, 2005.