Sen. Dan Cronin

Creates the Gubernatorial Educational Mandates Relief Act of 2004. Contains only a short title provision.

Amends the School Code. Increases the number of charter schools that may operate at any one time in Chicago from 15 to 30. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning teachers' institutes, parent-teacher conferences, parental institutes, in-service training programs, and school improvement activities; the length of the school term and the school district's calendar for the school term; the counting of days of attendance under the State aid formula; reducing a State aid claim for failing to provide the minimum school term; and a partial day of attendance being counted as a full day of attendance. Repeals a provision concerning procuring assistance to conduct teachers' institutes. Effective July 1, 2004.

Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 16 to 17 years of age (unless the child has already graduated from high school). Makes related changes. Effective August 1, 2004.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2003, each taxpayer who is an elementary or secondary education teacher in Illinois and who takes a qualified continuing education course is entitled to an income tax credit in the amount of 5% of the amount spent by the taxpayer in the taxable year for the qualified continuing education course. Provides that the State Board of Education must promulgate rules governing who is eligible for the credit, what constitutes a qualified continuing education course, what expenses are includable, and any other necessary matters. Provides that the tax credit may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero but may be carried forward for 5 taxable years. Exempts the credit from the sunset provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Prompt Payment Act. Provides that if a State official or agency is late in payment of a vendor's bill or invoice for goods or services furnished to the State and the vendor is forced to borrow money to make up for the late payment from the State, in addition to any other payment the State is required to make to the vendor, the State must pay the vendor an amount equal to the vendor's debt service costs related to the money the vendor borrowed as a result of the late payment.

Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning teachers' institutes, parent-teacher conferences, parental institutes, in-service training programs, and school improvement activities; the length of the school term and the school district's calendar for the school term; the counting of days of attendance under the State aid formula; reducing a State aid claim for failing to provide the minimum school term; and a partial day of attendance being counted as a full day of attendance. Repeals a provision concerning procuring assistance to conduct teachers' institutes. Effective July 1, 2003.

Amends the Boundary Changes Article of the School Code. Provides that a petition for dissolution of a school district that was approved by the regional board of school trustees and that was initiated by the registered voters residing in the district proposed to be dissolved is not effective until the question of dissolution and annexation has been submitted to the electors in each affected school district at a regular election. Makes changes concerning when a school district with a population of less than 5,000 residents may be dissolved and its territory annexed. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $3,000,000 to the Board of Higher Education for distribution as Access and Diversity grants authorized by the Higher Education Cooperation Act in order to address the teacher shortage by training aspiring teachers in understaffed regions and to increase teacher competency. Effective July 1, 2003.

Creates the Illinois Wetlands Protection Act. Contains only a short title provision.