Rep. Arthur L. Turner

Amends the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption provisions of the Property Tax Code. Provides that in a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants (i) if the assessed valuation of property has increased by more than 20% over the previous assessed valuation of that property, an additional exemption is allowed, with the amount determined by household income and (ii) if a person has been granted a senior citizens homestead exemption, the person qualifying need not reapply for the exemption unless the person is applying for an additional exemption based upon a household income of less than $30,000. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the School District Property Tax Relief Fund as a new special fund in the State treasury. Requires the Department of Revenue, between November 15 and 17 of each year, to certify the amount of money in the Fund that is available for school district property relief grants, and provides procedures for the Department of Revenue to calculate the amount the grants. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides for a deduction (up to $1,200) for income tax purposes, for 5 years, equal to 15% of rent paid annually for a taxpayer's principal residence. Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides a mechanism for property tax abatements for educational purposes.

Creates the Pistol and Revolver Ballistic Identification Databank Act. Provides that beginning April 1, 2004, any manufacturer that ships, transports, or delivers a pistol or revolver to any person in this State must, in accordance with rules adopted by the Department of State Police, include in the container with the pistol or revolver a separate sealed container that encloses: (1) a shell casing of a bullet or projectile discharged from the pistol or revolver; and (2) any additional information that identifies the pistol or revolver and shell casing as required by the rules adopted by the Department of State Police. Provides that beginning April 1, 2004, a gunsmith or federally licensed firearm dealer must, within 10 days after delivering to any person a pistol or revolver received by the gunsmith or dealer on or after that date, forward to the Department of State Police, along with a description of the firearm, including its make, model, caliber, and serial number, the sealed container enclosing the shell casing from the pistol or revolver either (1) received from the manufacturer or (2) obtained through participation in the program operated by the Department of State Police. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2004 the Illinois Department of Transportation shall conduct a pilot project to provide direct payments by the State to subcontractors for construction work upon satisfactory completion of any subcontractor's portion of the contract. Provides that, upon successful completion of the pilot project, the Department shall implement the program for all construction projects. Effective immediately.

Amends the Simplified Municipal Telecommunications Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning imposition of the tax.

Urges the Department of Corrections to allow inmates at Stateville Prison to publish a quarterly newspaper.

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 Telecommunications Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning collection, enforcement, and administration of the fee.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Authorizes a municipality carrying out a business district development or redevelopment plan to impose a tax on the retail sale of tangible personal property and the sale or charge for a sleeping room, not to exceed 1% of the selling price of the tangible personal property or the charge for the sleeping room and only to be imposed in 0.25% increments. Requires a municipality imposing these taxes to follow certain additional procedures in applying for designation as a business district and approval of a business district development or redevelopment plan. Requires that the revenue generated by the tax be deposited into the municipality's Business District Tax Allocation Fund. Authorizes a municipality to issue obligations in one or more series bearing interest at rates determined by the corporate authorities of the municipality by ordinance and secured by the Business District Tax Allocation Fund. Requires the ordinance (i) to pledge any amounts in and to be deposited into the Business District Tax Allocation Fund for the payment of business district costs and obligations and (ii) to contain certain recitals. Authorizes the public or private sale of the obligations and the issuance of obligations to refunded previously issued obligations. Upon payment of all business district costs, requires all surplus funds to be deposited into the general corporate fund. Requires the corporate authorities of the municipality to adopt an ordinance immediately rescinding the tax when all business district costs and obligations have been paid. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning licenses.