Sen. John J. Cullerton

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of the Code, if a school district adopts, in a fiscal year, an additional or supplemental budget as a result of the voters in the school district having voted in favor of an increase in the annual tax rate for educational or operations and maintenance purposes or both at an election held after the adoption of the annual school budget adopted in that fiscal year, the county clerk shall include, in the extension of taxes made during that fiscal year, the extension of taxes for the supplemental or additional budget adopted by the school district.

Amends the Counties Code. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning notice of an election on a petition to transfer territory.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that on and after July 1, 2005, the county board of Cook County may not regulate animal control for any unincorporated area in the county. Provides that for each unincorporated area or portion of an unincorporated area in Cook County, the county board of Cook County, before May 1, 2005, shall designate a municipality in the county that is contiguous to that unincorporated area or portion of that area, and, on and after July 1, 2005, the municipality shall have the power to regulate animal control in that unincorporated area. Authorizes the municipality to collect fees from residents of the unincorporated area for animal control services provided by the municipality to those residents. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective January 1, 2005.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning construction of the Code.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Urges the Illinois Supreme Court to adopt an Illinois Pattern Jury instruction in criminal cases providing a special caution with respect to the reliability of the testimony of in-custody informants.

Creates the State's Attorney Prohibited Loan Act and amends the Election Code. Prohibits a State's Attorney or State's Attorney candidate from accepting a loan, loan guarantee, promise of a loan, or promise of a loan guarantee from an attorney or law firm that, during the previous 2 years, has represented a defendant in a criminal matter in the circuit court of the county in which the State's Attorney or candidate holds or seeks office. Makes willful violation a business offense subject to a fine of $5,000.

Appropriates $1,500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Keep Illinois Beautiful Fund. Appropriates $1,500,000 from the Keep Illinois Beautiful Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for grants under the Keep Illinois Beautiful Program. Effective July 1, 2004.

Approves an agreement to establish a Friendly Exchange Council between the Illinois Senate and the Standing Committee of Shanghai Municipal People's Congress.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the conditions of parole and the decision to parole for a prisoner who was sentenced for first degree murder or who received a minimum sentence of 20 years or more under the laws in effect prior to February 1, 1978 shall be determined by a simple majority vote of the members of the Prisoner Review Board who are present and voting at any en banc meeting of the Prisoner Review Board, once a quorum is established.