Rep. Michael K. Smith

Congratulates Paula Weiss on her retirement as Director of the Pekin Public Library.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act. Requires the Department of Natural Resources to conduct a study to (i) develop an understanding of the geology of each aquifer in the State; (ii) determine the groundwater flow through the geologic units and the interaction of groundwater with surface waters; and (iii) determine the chemistry of the geologic units and the groundwater in those units. Requires the Department to develop geologic and groundwater flow models for each underground aquifer in the State based upon information obtained from the study. Effective immediately.

Amends the Electronic Mail Act. Requires an initiator of an unsolicited e-mail advertisement to establish a toll-free telephone number or return e-mail address that the recipient of the advertisement may call or e-mail to notify the sender not to e-mail any further unsolicited e-mail advertisements. Prohibits an initiator of an unsolicited e-mail advertisement from selling or transferring the e-mail address of a person who given notice that he or she does not want to receive any further unsolicited e-mail advertisements. Provides that each unsolicited e-mail advertisement's subject line shall include "ADV:" as the first 4 characters and each adult-oriented unsolicited e-mail advertisement's subject line shall include "ADV:ADLT" as the first 8 characters.

Creates the Small Business Advisory Act. Requires State agencies to create and make available on the World Wide Web a small business advisory page with plain language explanations of proposed and adopted rules and legislation affecting small businesses that the agency is designated to administer, and plain language versions of advisory opinions and interpretations. Provides that explanations must remain posted on the web page for 6 months after their effective dates. Requires each agency to notify the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs when it updates its small business advisory web page. Requires DCCA to serve as a clearinghouse for notifying the small business community of rulemakings, seek input from the small business community on those rulemakings, and maintain a small business advisory web page that serves as a coordinated point of access to other agencies' small business advisory web pages.

Creates the Community Senior Services and Resources Act and amends the State Finance Act. Provides for grants to be awarded by the Department on Aging to local community senior services and resource centers. Provides for a Community Senior Services and Resource Center Advisory Committee, with 12 voting members appointed by the Governor, to advise the Department on Aging on the administration of the Act. Creates the Community Senior Services and Resources Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, to be used by the Department on Aging for grant awards and for administering the Community Senior Services and Resources Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Home Repair Fraud Act. In provisions relating to a victim who is 60 years of age or older or a disabled person, increases criminal penalties and lowers the monetary thresholds for enhanced penalties. In addition, provides that the offender's licenses and permits may be suspended or revoked.

Amends the Military Leave of Absence Act. Requires payment of State compensation and benefits to full-time State employees while on active duty with the Illinois National Guard, the United States Armed Forces reserves, or the Illinois State Militia reserves. Reduces the employee's State compensation by the amount of active duty pay. Requires the Department of Central Management Services and the State Comptroller to coordinate in the development of applicable procedures.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Removes language that terminates the earned income tax credit with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2002. Exempts the credit from the sunset requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2004, the pharmaceutical assistance program covers prescription drugs used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Authorizes an attachment against the property of a debtor who has been referred by the Department of Corrections to the Attorney General (instead of who is a defendant in a suit brought by the Attorney General) in connection with the reimbursement of the Department for the expenses of the debtor's incarceration.