Amends the Illinois Municipal Code, the Chicago Park District Act, the River Conservancy Districts Act, the Surface Water Protection District Act, and the Kankakee River Dam Transfer Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources (instead of the Department of Transportation) shall possess certain powers and duties. Effective on July 1, 2004.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure to prohibit court orders and judgments from concealing public hazards. Effective July 1, 2003, and applies to causes of action accruing on or after that date.
Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Makes technical changes in the short title Section.
Amends the Counties Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Increases the length of periods of leave of absence for which service credit may be established, from one year to 2, and includes leaves taken before 1982. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning child care for TANF recipients, provides that beginning July 1, 2004, the rates paid by the Department of Human Services to all providers of child care services who are licensed under the Child Care Act of 1969 shall be increased by an amount equal to 2% of the rates in effect on June 30, 2004. Effective July 1, 2004.
Amends the School Construction Law. Defines "school district" to include an administrative district, or governing board, of a special education joint agreement. Provides that a joint agreement shall be deemed eligible for a school construction project grant or debt service grant if one or more of its member districts satisfies the grant index criteria. Provides that the grant index shall not be used to calculate the amount of the grant the Capital Development Board provides to an eligible joint agreement. Provides that the amount of a school construction project grant for an eligible joint agreement shall be determined on a case-by-case basis, based on the needs of the joint agreement in its entirety. Effective July 1, 2003.
Creates the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Drug Access Program Act. Provides that the Department of Public Aid shall develop and implement a Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Drug Access Program to assist low-income individuals in gaining access to prescription drugs through prescription drug assistance programs offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers, including free discount and coverage programs. Effective July 1, 2003.
Appropriates $700,000, or so much of that amount as may be necessary, from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for the purpose of making a grant to the Arc of Illinois for operating a LifeSpan Project. Effective July 1, 2004.
Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging by providing that, beginning July 1, 2004, vendors of homemaker, chore, and housekeeping services shall receive a rate increase of $1.16 per hour if at least $0.86 of that increase is used to increase the wages of homemakers and chore housekeepers. Provides that vendors receiving this increase must submit proof to the Department, either (i) by a an audited supplemental to the Direct Service Workers cost report or (ii) by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, that they have increased homemakers' and chore housekeepers' wages by $0.86 per hour. Effective on July 1, 2004.
