Rep. Michael K. Smith

Amends the Nursing Education Scholarship Law. Authorizes scholarships for registered nurses pursuing graduate degrees in nursing and to students in areas identified as designated shortage areas. Provides that 20% of scholarships shall be for recipients pursuing graduate degrees and reduces percentages for other recipients. Removes provisions concerning scholarships for pursuing a hospital-based diploma in nursing.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that proof that a minor was present in a structure or vehicle in which the minor's parent, custodian, or guardian was involved in the manufacture of methamphetamine constitutes prima facie evidence of abuse and neglect.

Amends the Illinois Banking Act and the Illinois Savings and Loan Act of 1985. Provides for a civil penalty of $50,000 for violations of law in connection with reverse mortgage loans made to elderly persons. Requires the penalty to be paid into the Community Senior Services and Resources Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 16 to 17 years of age, with exceptions. Provides that certain provisions that apply to truant officers apply to the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee in a school district that does not have a truant officer. Makes changes concerning the compliance procedure for persons who fail to send a child to school. Allows certain students to enroll in graduation incentives programs. Lists programs that qualify as graduation incentives programs. Provides for reimbursement and funding for programs.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2006 registration year, a person who has been approved for benefits (rather than a person who has claimed and received a grant) under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act, or the spouse of one of those persons, shall pay $24, rather than the usual fee, for a vehicle displaying specified registration plates. Makes corresponding changes in provisions regarding Purple Heart and Korean War Veteran plates. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Hunting Heritage Protection Act. Provides that, subject to limitations, certain State public lands shall be open to access and use for recreational hunting. Provides that State public land management decisions and actions should, to the greatest practical extent, result in no net loss of land area available for hunting opportunities on State public lands. Provides that by October 1 of each year, the Director of Natural Resources shall submit a report pertaining to areas that have been closed to recreational hunting, the reasons for the closures, and areas that were opened to recreational hunting to compensate for those areas that were closed.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is an affirmative defense to a violation of a municipal ordinance that prohibits, regulates, or restricts the private ownership of firearms if the individual who is charged with the violation used the firearm in an act of self-defense or defense of another. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act. Increases the amount of moneys in the Nursing Dedicated and Professional Fund to be appropriated to the Department of Public Health for nursing scholarships awarded pursuant to the Nursing Education Scholarship Law from $750,000 to $1,500,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004 and each fiscal year thereafter. Effective immediately.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Makes changes regarding the Department of Children and Family Service's obligation to inform child care facilities of unsafe children's products. Requires the Department to make the comprehensive list of unsafe children's products available to those facilities that do not have Internet access. Requires child care facilities to maintain any written information provided in a file accessible to both facility staff and parents of children attending the facility and to post in prominent locations regularly visited by parents written notification of the existence of the comprehensive list of unsafe children's products available on the Internet. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the State aid formula.