Sen. Dan Rutherford

Designates September as Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that if the Department of Children and Family Services contracts with a private child welfare agency to provide child welfare services or to provide the arrangement of child welfare services, then the private child welfare agency and its employees shall not, as a result of their acts or omissions, be liable for civil damages, unless the acts or omissions constitute willful and wanton misconduct.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the State Finance Act. Creates the Universal Charitable Organization Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Amends the provision regarding Universal Charitable Organization license plates. Provides for an additional original issuance fee of $25 (rather than $15) and an additional renewal fee of $25 (rather than $2). Provides that $10 of the original issuance fee and $23 of the renewal fee shall be deposited into the Universal Charitable Organization Fund. Provides that $15 of the original issuance fee and $2 of the renewal fee shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Provides that the State treasurer shall create separate accounts within the Universal Charitable Organization Fund. Provides that all moneys in the Universal Charitable Organization Fund shall be allocated to each account in proportion to the number of decals sold for each charitable organization. Provides that all moneys in each account within the Fund shall be distributed as grants to that charitable organization.

Creates the Contractor Prompt Payment Act. Sets out provisions concerning prompt payment of contractors and subcontractors for building and construction contracts. Requires payments for building and constructions contracts to be made within 10 business days of the application for payment. Provides for penalties if civil enforcement is necessary to collect any payments wrongfully withheld. Effective immediately.

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.

Creates the Crane Licensing Public Safety Act. Provides for licensure of crane operators and apprentice crane operators by the Department of Professional Regulation. Creates the Crane Operators Licensing Fund for the deposit of moneys collected under the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Funds Investment Act. Adds a caption to the definitions Section.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning grounds for discipline.

Creates the Petroleum Business Education, Safety, and Security Act. Establishes the Petroleum Business Education, Safety, and Security Council and sets out the Council's duties. Creates the Petroleum Business Education, Safety, and Security Fund. Allows the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to use money from the Fund to recover a necessary and reasonable amount for the administration of the Act. Provides a cap of $1.5 million per year on the transfer of revenue into the Petroleum Business Education, Safety, and Security Fund from the Underground Storage Tank Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Petroleum Business Education, Safety, and Security Fund. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Provides that the Petroleum Business Education, Safety, and Security Act shall have a sunset date of January 1, 2010. Effective immediately.

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the redevelopment project in the TIF District created by an ordinance adopted on November 11, 1996 by the City of Lexington must be completed by December 31 of the 35th year (now, the 23rd year) after the year in which the ordinance was adopted. Effective immediately.