Sen. Gary Forby

Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to create and maintain an equipment exchange program (now, the Office may create the program). Provides for donation, trade, and sale of equipment. Requires the Office, as part of the program, to maintain a website that is separate from the Office's main website and that allows fire departments, fire protection districts, and township fire departments to post information and photographs about needed equipment and equipment that is available. Requires the Office to advertise the equipment exchange program. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. In provisions making it unlawful for a child sex offender to knowingly be present on school property or a school vehicle when persons under the age of 18 are present, eliminates an exception for an offender who is the parent or guardian of a student who is present. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that for a defendant convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or criminal sexual assault on or after July 1, 2005, the term of mandatory supervised release shall range from a minimum of 3 years to a maximum of the natural life of the defendant. Provides that the term of mandatory supervised release of these sex offenders shall toll during any period of incarceration. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board shall hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members, decide the conditions of mandatory supervised release and the time of discharge from mandatory supervised release, to impose sanctions for violations of mandatory supervised release and revoke mandatory supervised release for those sex offenders. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall retain custody of those sex offenders. Provides that the supervising officer of those sex offenders shall prepare a progress report commencing 180 days after the offender's release and continuing every 180 days thereafter for the duration of their supervised release. Provides that supervising officers of sex offenders shall receive specialized training in the supervision of sex offenders. Effective July 1, 2005.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that identifying information in indicated reports involving the sexual abuse of a child, the death of a child, or serious physical injury to a child must be retained after the report is indicated or after the subsequent case or report is closed (instead of may be retained longer than 5 years after that time).

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a person also commits aggravated arson when in the course of committing an arson he or she knowingly damages a building or structure and a correctional officer who is present at the scene acting in the line of duty is injured as a result of the fire or explosion. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Early Learning Council Act. Provides that the Council shall act in coordination with the Interagency Nutrition Council when dealing with activities related to nutrition, nutrition education, and physical activity.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that an Illinois resident who is the surviving spouse of a person killed in a foreign war and awarded the Purple Heart by a branch of the armed forces of the United States is eligible to be issued Purple Heart license plates.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Development Opportunity Law. Makes changes with respect to financial assistance to eligible businesses for new electric generating facilities. Provides that one of the qualifying factors in the definition of a "new electric generating facility" is being funded through a federal Department of Energy grant before July 1, 2007 (now, July 1, 2005). Effective immediately.

Amends the River Conservancy Districts Act. In the case of a board representing a district that embraces Franklin and Jefferson counties: (i) authorizes the appropriate appointing presiding officer or officers to remove a trustee for incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, without the advice and consent of the corporate authorities; (ii) ends the terms of all trustees on the effective date of this amendatory Act; and (iii) provides for the appointment of new trustees. Effective immediately.