Draft legislation to provide a tax amnesty to allow Italians who have illegally sent money abroad to regularise their situations went before parliament on Wednesday. Instead of paying taxes on the funds, they will pay a fine, according to the draft bill, which sets a deadline of April 15, 2010. The 'tax shield' has drawn fire from the centre-left opposition but is likely to pass easily through parliament, dominated by the centre-right. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was elected to his third stint in power last year, used similar measures in 2001-02 and 2003, raising some two billion euros. 