Sen. Rickey R. Hendon

Amends the Cigarette Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code by requiring the Chicago Board of Education to establish a pilot program to prevent crime by developing guidelines to identify students at risk of committing crimes and requiring them to tour a prison to discourage criminal behavior. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that the exception to the requirement of consents or surrenders for adoption for a person found by the court to be the father of the child as a result of criminal sexual abuse or assault applies when the sexual abuse or assault results in (i) a founded, cleared, or suspended police report, (ii) an indicated report of child sexual abuse as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act that involved sexual penetration of the mother, or (iii) a sworn affidavit provided by a licensed psychologist or a licensed social worker.

Creates the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. Prohibits any unit of State, county, or local government from excluding a person from participation in, denying a person the benefits of, or subjecting a person to discrimination under any program or activity on the grounds of his or her race, color, or national origin and from using criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination because of their race, color, or national origin. Authorizes a person to bring a lawsuit for a violation of the Act in State or federal court.

Amends the Credit Card Issuance Act. Provides that a credit card issuer who offers to an Illinois resident a credit card with a fixed annual percentage rate may not increase the annual percentage rate or rates of interest applicable to that credit card account, or prematurely remove or increase any introductory annual percentage rate or rates of interest applicable to the account, for reasons other than actions or omissions of the card holder that are directly related to the account and that are clearly and conspicuously described to the card holder at the time the credit card is issued. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Requires coverages under those Acts to include benefits for outpatient prescription contraceptive drugs and devices and outpatient contraceptive services.

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.

Mourns the deaths of 21 citizens due to the tragic stampede in a Chicago nightclub on February 17, 2003.

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