Sen. Barack Obama

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that self-employed persons and small businesses may be provided group health coverage under the Act. Limits small businesses to those with 25 or fewer employees. Amends the State Finance Act to provide for payments made on behalf of the small business employees to be deposited into the Small Employers Health Insurance Reserve Fund. Effective January 1, 2004.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the admission of minors to a mental health facility.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that the Pollution Control Board may not amend or revise its new source review regulations to be less stringent than those that existed on December 30, 2002. Requires the Board, if the Board finds, after a public hearing, that its rules or regulations are not equivalent to or more stringent than the rules or regulations that existed on December 30, 2002, to promptly adopt the rules or regulations that may be necessary to establish, at a minimum, equivalency.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the purpose of the "Medicaid" Article.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Requests the United States Congress to increase appropriations to the State of Illinois for sexual assault prevention and counseling services.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning construction of the Code.

Creates the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Provides that candidates for the Supreme Court may apply for a public financing benefit in connection with their campaign for office. Sets the amount of the private financing benefit at $750,000 for the primary general election cycle. Sets requirements for qualifying for the public financing benefits. Limits the amount of private contributions qualified candidates may accept. Limits the amounts that non-participating candidates may accept from private sources during campaign periods to $1,000 in the aggregate. Provides that qualified candidates must be distributed a line of credit from the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund to be used for lawful political expenditures. Provides for the increase of the line of credit if non-complying candidates make certain expenditures. Sets penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Illinois Supreme Court may, require attorneys to contribute money to the Fund not to exceed $25 annually. Contains other provisions. Amends the Election Code. Provides that a payment for electioneering communications is an "expenditure". Provides that a group that "accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $3,000 for the purpose of electioneering communications" is a political committee. Allows the Board of Elections to impose a fine against a committee that fails to report expenditures that could trigger matching funds under the Supreme Court Campaign Reform Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to print on its standard individual income tax form a provision by which the taxpayer may make a contribution (not less than $1) to the Illinois Supreme Court Democracy Trust Fund. Effective immediately.