Sen. Todd Sieben

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.

Amends the Downstate Teachers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a teacher may establish optional credit for up to one year of service as a teacher or administrator employed by a private school regardless of whether he or she was certified under the law governing the certification of teachers if he or she becomes certified under that law within 2 years after completing the service. Provides that the credit that may be established under the provisions of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly is in lieu of, and not in addition to, credit that is currently authorized under the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Gas Use Tax Law. Provides that the gas use tax is no longer imposed and no gas use tax may be collected with respect to bills issued on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Repeals the Gas Use Tax Law on July 1, 2006. Amends the Gas Revenue Tax Act. Restores, with respect to bills issued on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act, an exemption from the tax imposed under the Act for gas or gas services to a customer who acquired contractual rights for the direct purchase of gas or gas services originating from an out-of-state supplier or source on or before March 1, 1995, except for those charges solely related to the local distribution of gas by a public utility. Effective immediately.

Amends the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Park District Code. Provides that the limitations on certain tax rates may be decreased (instead of "increased or decreased") by referendum. Changes the language of certain ballot propositions for tax levies to allow park district boards to include the specific purposes or programs for the tax levy in the language of the proposition. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In a Section concerning the forwarding of records for a transferring student, provides that in the absence of student record documentation, a receiving school district may require the passage of assessments for placement purposes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Adds a caption and makes technical changes to the short title Section of the Telecommunications Article.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning non-home rule municipal retailers' occupation taxes.

Amends the education expense credit provisions in the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2004, "school" means any public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school (now, in Illinois) that is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which satisfies certain requirements of the School Code or the applicable laws of the state in which the school is located. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Makes changes in the definitions of "affordable housing project" and "sponsor". Defines "project" to mean an affordable housing project, an employer-assisted affordable housing project, general operating support, or technical assistance. Defines "tax credit" as a tax credit allowed under Section 214 of the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a sponsor must apply to an administrative housing agency for approval of a project (now, must apply to the agency that administers the program). Provides that the agency must reserve a specific amount of tax credits for each approved project (now, must reserve the credits for each approved affordable housing project for 24 months after it is approved and the sponsor must receive an eligible donation within that time in order to receive the credit). Provides that tax credits for general operating support can only be reserved as part of a reservation of tax credits for another type of project. Allows tax credits only where an administrative housing agency has reserved tax credits for the project. Limits tax credits for general operating support to 10% of the total tax credit reservation for the related project (now, limited to 10% of the total tax credit allocation for the project). Allows an administrative housing agency to reserve tax credits for any approved projects if the agency is unable to reserve the tax credits set-aside for employer-assisted housing projects and general operating support. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that persons or entities not subject to the tax and who make a donation under the Illinois Housing Development Act are entitled to receive and to transfer a tax credit for affordable housing donations. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.