Sen. Susan Garrett

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning reallocation.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Adds licensed professional counselors and licensed clinical professional counselors to the list of persons required to report possible child abuse or neglect. Effective immediately.

Amends the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Provides that physicians and health care providers may screen children for lead poisoning in conjunction with the school health exam when, in the physician's judgment, the child is potentially at high risk of lead poisoning.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that hospitals must submit plans and specifications only for major construction materially affecting patient isolation or operating rooms, hospital egress, compartmentalization or storage, and other conditions covered under the Life Safety Code. Provides that the Department must give a hospital that is planning to submit a construction project for review the opportunity to discuss its plans and specifications with the Department before the hospital formally submits the plans and specifications for Department review. Provides that the Department shall conduct on-site inspection of the completed project no later than 10 business days (rather than 30 days) after notification from the applicant that the project has been completed and all certifications have been received and accepted by the Department. Deletes provisions making waivers of compliance with the rules or standards applicable only to construction or physical plants. Makes changes in procedures for inspections, investigations, and surveys. Provides that if the Department does not resolve disputed deficiencies after the informal dispute resolution process, the Department must provide a written explanation to the hospital of why deficiencies have not been removed from the statement of deficiencies. Provides that the Department must implement a reviewer performance improvement program for hospital survey, inspection, and investigation staff. Makes other changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the township or multi-township assessors in counties with 500,000 or more but no more than 700,000 inhabitants shall, on or before November 15 of the assessment year, but not before October 15 of the assessment year, return the assessment books or workbooks to the supervisor of assessments (now, counties with less than 600,000 inhabitants must return the books on or before April 15 and in no county is there a date before which books may not be returned). Provides that in counties with more than 500,000 but less than 700,000 inhabitants, complaints to the board of review may be filed with the assessor or chief county assessment officer who certified the assessment, who shall forward the complaint to the board of review upon receipt (now, must be filed with the board of review). Provides that when a board of review orders an assessment corrected upon appeal, the board shall transmit a printout of the results and (now, or) make or sign a written statement (now, a brief written statement) of the reason for the change and the manner in which the method used by the assessor in making the assessment was erroneous. Effective January 1, 2004.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of the public universities in Illinois. For tuition purposes, requires an individual who is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States to be classified as an Illinois resident if the individual graduated from a high school in this State, among other conditions. Provides that certain aliens must be given the same privilege of qualifying for resident status for tuition and fee purposes as a citizen of the United States. Provides that an individual who was formerly a resident of this State is entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided for Illinois residents if the parent with whom the individual does not primarily reside continues to reside in this State, among other conditions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the removal of a false or secret compartment from a motor vehicle, or the promise to do so, shall not be the basis for a defense to forfeiture of the motor vehicle under the Criminal Code of 1961 and shall not be the basis for the court to release the vehicle to the owner. Increases the penalty for owning or operating a motor vehicle with the knowledge that it contains a false or secret compartment from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Prohibits the use by the driver of a commercial vehicle of an engine braking system that emits excessive noise. Provides that the prohibition applies only where signs have been erected to prohibit the use of these engine braking systems. Provides that the Secretary of State's shall adopt rules providing for the erection of these signs.

Names the State of Illinois Building at 160 North La Salle Street in Chicago the Michael Bilandic Building.