Sen. Pamela J. Althoff

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the School Code's construction.

Amends the Municipal Code. Provides that the owner of a single tract of land (instead of one or more tracts) may have all, but not less than all, of the territory disconnected from the municipality (now, does not require that the entire area is disconnected), provided that certain conditions are met.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Adds members of a school board, the Chicago Board of Education, or the governing body of a private school as mandated reporters. Provides that within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act or within one year after becoming a mandated reporter, whichever is later, a person mandated to report suspected child abuse or neglect must do one of the following: (1) attend an educational seminar, approved by the Department of Children and Family Services, concerning child abuse and neglect and the making of reports; or (2) sign an affidavit stating that the person understands his or her reporting responsibilities. Provides that any person who knowingly and willfully violates any mandated-reporter provision of the Act other than a second or subsequent violation of transmitting a false report is guilty of a Class 4 felony (instead of a Class A misdemeanor) for a first violation and a Class 3 (instead of Class 4) felony for a second or subsequent violation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an eligible child may continue to receive benefits until age 23 (was, age 22) if he or she is a full-time student. Includes language exempting the changes from provisions concerning new benefit increases. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for a person to advertise, represent or imply that any person can earn money working at home by stuffing envelopes, addressing envelopes, mailing circulars, clipping newspaper and magazine articles, assembling products, bill processing, or performing similar work, unless the person making the advertisement or representation meets all of the listed conditions. Effective immediately.

Creates the Predator Accountability Act. Creates a cause of action against a person who: (i) coerced an individual into prostitution; (ii) coerced an individual to remain in prostitution; (iii) used coercion to collect or receive any of an individual's earnings derived from prostitution; or (iv) advertised or published advertisements for purposes of recruitment into prostitution. Provides for damages for violation of the Act. Exempts the provisions of joint and several liability to actions brought under the Act. Lists non-defenses to an action brought under the Act. Provides for the award of costs to the prevailing party.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any person 61 years of age or older applying at a driver services facility for renewal of his or her driver's license shall be provided, without charge, with a brochure warning the person of the dangers of financial identity theft. Provides that the Secretary of State shall prepare these brochures in consultation with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Establishes requirements for the content of the brochures. Provides that the Secretary shall adopt rules for implementing the new provision.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Sets forth certain rights for water and sewer public utility customers. Requires a water or sewer public utility to file a tariff with the Illinois Commerce Commission, if requested to do so by a municipality, for metered water service used for building construction purposes. Requires the Commission to adopt rules to establish standards for subcontractors of for-profit water and sewer utilities. Requires the Commission to establish a formula for true-up charges that take into account certain conservation factors. Prohibits a water public utility from charging a customer during the time the customer's meter is malfunctioning and requires the utility to test a customer's meter under certain circumstances. Requires the Commission to hold public forums before any hearing on a rate increase with respect to a water or sewer public utility. Requires each water and sewer public utility to establish a unit rate, subject to review by the Commission, for customers with low usage rates. Requires a water or sewer utility to offer separate rates for water and sewer service to any commercial or residential customer who uses separate meters to measure each of those services. Requires the Commission to conduct at least 3 public forums throughout the State to evaluate the purpose and use of fire protection charges imposed by public utilities and to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than the last day of the veto session in 2006. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the School Code. Provides, beginning August 1, 2005, with certain exceptions, for the cancellation of or refusal to issue a driver's license for failure of an unmarried person under 18 years of age to maintain school attendance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to knowingly operate, manage, be employed by, volunteer at, be associated with, or knowingly be present at a day care center, a part day child care facility, or a school providing before and after school programs for children under 18 years of age, with certain exceptions.