Rep. Eileen Lyons

Amends the School Code. In a provision requiring the annual fiscal year gross payment for personnel to be shown in the statement of affairs of school districts in Class I and Class II counties, adds additional categories under which an employee may be listed. Also requires this statement to show the amount of expenditures both in total and per pupil in average daily attendance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Non-Support Punishment Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning prosecutions by State's Attorneys.

Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Authorizes the Illinois Housing Development Authority to develop and implement a program of financial assistance to recently hired Illinois teachers purchasing their first primary residence. Limits the program to teachers employed by school districts defined by the State Board of Education as financially needy or experiencing a teacher shortage. Limits eligibility to public school teachers with no more than 2 years of employment as teachers who commit to teach in their school district for at least 3 years after their closing date. Effective July 1, 2003.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Creates the Child Support Pays Program under which the Department of Public Aid shall pay to families receiving TANF cash assistance an amount equal to either 50% of the monthly child support collected or the amount of monthly child support collected and required to be paid to the family pursuant to administrative rule, whichever is greater. Provides that the child support passed through to a family pursuant to these provisions shall not affect the family's eligibility for assistance or decrease any amount otherwise payable as assistance to the family under the TANF program until a family's non-exempt income and child support passed through to the family equal the federal poverty level, at which point cash assistance to the family may be terminated.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the Unified Code of Corrections. Increases the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or intoxicating compounds with a passenger under the age of 16 years. Provides that the penalties are: first offense, mandatory 6 months of imprisonment and a $500 fine; second offense, mandatory one year in prison and a $1,250 fine; third offense, mandatory 18 months in prison and a $2,500 fine; fourth and subsequent offenses, mandatory minimum 2 years in prison and a $2,500 fine.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that each school district that operates a high school must have a policy and procedures that allow a child with a disability who will have completed 4 years of high school at the end of a school year to participate in the graduation ceremony of the student's high school graduating class and receive a certificate of completion if the student's individualized education program prescribes special education, transition planning, transition services, or related services beyond the student's 4 years of high school. Provides for notification about the policy and procedures. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code concerning the hotel operators' occupation tax. Requires that a municipality use the tax revenue to promote, among other things, economic development.

Amends the State Finance Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Reinstates the research and development credit beginning with taxable years ending on or after July 1, 2004 with changes. Provides that the credit is equal to 6.5% of the qualifying expenditures for research activities paid or incurred in this State during the taxable year. Provides that "qualifying expenditures for research activities" means those expenses defined as "qualified research expenses" under Section 41(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. Exempts the credit from the sunset requirements of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Public Health, subject to appropriation, must conduct a study to determine the need and feasibility of creating a program to assist hospitals or other health care employers in operating a system by which nurses bid on work shifts by making an offer to work an available shift for a rate within a specified range posted by the employer. Requires the Department to report its findings to the Governor and to the General Assembly on or before July 1, 2005. Effective immediately.