Sen. Debbie DeFrancesco Halvorson

Amends the Airport Authorities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning appointments of commissioners.

Makes appropriations to the Board of Trustees of Governors State University for its ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2004.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources may (rather than shall) adopt rules to implement and administer Code provisions dealing with all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. In the definition of "sex", provides that: "because of sex" includes, but is not limited to, because of the perception of pregnancy, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all areas covered by the Act, including receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs in employment, as other persons not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to work.

Amends the Physical Fitness Services Act. Provides that no contract for physical fitness services shall require payment of a total amount in excess of $5000 (rather than $2500) per year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act. Requires the Commerce Commission to investigate a telecommunications carrier that has an impaired financial condition. Requires telecommunications carriers that provide retail local exchange service to submit annual reports on the same basis as local incumbent exchange carriers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act and the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act. Provides that any injury to or disease or death of an employee arising from the administration of a smallpox vaccine to the employee as part of a voluntary inoculation program in connection with the person's employment or a governmental program or recommendation is deemed to arise out of and in the course of employment for all purposes under this Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Plat Act. Provides that a county may require that a surveyor provide geodetic survey control values in connection with a subdivision plat. Provides that certain exceptions to the Act do not apply if they invalidate any local requirements applicable to the subdivision of land. Provides that an exception concerning the sale of a single lot of less than 5 acres from a larger tract does not apply if it involves any new streets or easements of access. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides for a 3% annual increase in pensions to surviving children. Incrementally increases certain minimum retirement, disability, and surviving spouse pensions. Provides that the minimum monthly pension payable to the surviving spouse of a firefighter who died while receiving a retirement pension, including any amount payable on account of children, shall be 100% of the monthly retirement pension that the deceased firefighter was receiving at the time of death, including any annual increases that have accrued. Adds a compounded 3% annual increase for survivor pensions that are payable on January 1, 2004. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that workers who are paid a set amount for truck expense and take-home wage and who are deemed to be employed on the public works project are entitled to the proper prevailing wage for the equipment being operated. Provides the method for determining the take-home wage, and provides that a truck driver is entitled to the difference between the determined take-home wage and the proper prevailing wage for the equipment being operated.