Rep. Michael K. Smith

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 Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a retired firefighter may elect to receive an occupational disease disability pension in lieu of his or her retirement pension if he or she contracts heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, or any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract, or one of a certain group of cancers within 5 years of retirement. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Increases the minimum total survivor's annuity benefit payable to the survivor's annuity beneficiaries of a deceased member who was earning eligible creditable service at the time of termination of service or of a deceased annuitant whose retirement annuity was calculated under the alternative formula. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code to allow purchase of service credit for up to 2 years of military service not immediately preceded by employment. Allows purchase at a reduced interest rate for 6 months. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows certain persons to participate in the System while employed by a statewide labor organization that represents members of the System. Also allows purchase of credit for certain prior service. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law. Provides that revenue derived from fees paid for certificates of title, duplicate certificates of title, and corrected certificates of title and deposited in the Park and Conservation Fund may be expended by the Department of Natural Resources for acquisition, development, and maintenance of walk paths and equestrian trails, in addition to bike paths.

Discourages privatization of school support staff positions in any and all Illinois School Districts.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a firefighter who is receiving a disability pension shall receive the initial automatic annual increase in the January following attainment of age 55 (now age 60). Compounds subsequent increases. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the Downstate Teacher and Chicago Teacher Articles, provides that a participant may establish, without paying contributions, up to 5 years of credit for military service immediately following employment, and removes certain restrictions relating to wartime. In those Articles and the State Employee and State Universities Articles, changes the method of calculating interest when establishing credit for military service not immediately following employment. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code to remove the Social Security offset against widow and survivor annuities for all annuitants, beginning January 1, 2004. Effective immediately.