Sen. Martin A. Sandoval

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Changes the name of the Illinois Incentive for Access Grant Program to the Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access Grant Program. For these grants, provides that the maximum amount paid per applicant per year is $1,000 for applicants with an expected family contribution of $0 and $500 for applicants with an expected family contribution of $500 or less but more than $0. Requires the Commission to give priority to applicants with an expected family contribution of $0. Effective July 1, 2004.

Amends the Attorney General Act. Creates the Office of Immigrant Assistance within the Office of the Attorney General to provide education and outreach services to the resident immigrant community of the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Provides that third party employers are prohibited from entering into contracts for the employment of day or temporary laborers with any person or entity not registered as a day and temporary labor service agency. Provides that the Department of Labor is authorized to inspect, at all reasonable times, contracts for the employment of all day or temporary laborers entered into by third party employers.

Creates the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. Prohibits any unit of State, county, or local government from excluding a person from participation in, denying a person the benefits of, or subjecting a person to discrimination under any program or activity on the grounds of his or her race, color, or national origin and from using criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination because of their race, color, or national origin. Authorizes a person to bring a lawsuit for a violation of the Act in State or federal court.

Amends the Developmental Disability and Mental Disability Services Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Home-Based Support Services Law for Mentally Disabled Adults.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that DCFS must take certain steps to keep track of its wards who have been placed in foster care by private child welfare agencies. Provides that if a child who is a ward of the Department is placed or transferred by a private child welfare agency, the Department must verify that the child resides at the site of the initial or transferred placement. Requires private child welfare agencies to ascertain whether other children have been placed in a foster family home. Requires private child welfare agencies to make periodic visits to placement sites; provides for suspension of payments to an agency if the agency fails to make the required visits. Provides for revocation of the license of a foster parent or private child welfare agency if the foster parent or agency fails to promptly report a missing child. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that each member of the General Assembly may annually nominate 2 students for scholarships at any State supported university (now one of the 2 must be to the University of Illinois). Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Requires the Department of Insurance to request and obtain information from insurers doing business in this State regarding any records of slaveholder insurance policies issued by any predecessor corporation during the slavery era, which policies provided coverage to slaveholders for damage to or death of their slaves. Provides that insurers must research and report on those policies. Requires the Department to make this information available to the public and the General Assembly. Provides that descendants of slaves are entitled to full disclosure.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Includes a prior conviction under the laws of another jurisdiction that is similar to a violation under the laws of this State for which the defendant is guilty of a Class 4 felony for domestic battery.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that a minor subject to a delinquency petition filed under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 alleging that the minor is a delinquent minor for the commission of an offense that if committed by an adult would be a felony is ineligible for a Firearm Owner's Identification Card. Provides that the ineligibility continues through adulthood.