Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Public Aid shall provide Medicaid reimbursement for all prenatal and perinatal health care services that are provided for the purpose of preventing low-birthweight infants and reducing the need for neonatal intensive care hospital services. Requires a report to the General Assembly every 2 years.
Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Removes language that terminates the earned income tax credit with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2002. Exempts the credit from the sunset requirements. Effective immediately.
Creates the Whistleblower Act. Provides that an employer may not: make, adopt, or enforce any rule, regulation, or policy preventing an employee from disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency if the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of a State or federal law, rule, or regulation; retaliate against an employee for disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of a State or federal law, rule, or regulation; or retaliate against an employee for refusing to participate in an activity that would result in a violation of a State or federal law, rule, or regulation. Provides that a report made by an employee of a government agency to his or her employer is a disclosure of information to a government or law enforcement agency under the Act. Violation is a Class A misdemeanor. Provides that, if an employer takes any action against an employee in violation of the Act, the employee may bring a civil action against the employer for all relief necessary to make the employee whole, including but not limited to reinstatement, back pay, compensation for damages, litigation costs, expert witness fees, and reasonable attorney's fees. Provides that the Act does not apply to an employer that is a governmental entity. Provides that the Act does not apply to disclosures that would constitute a violation of the attorney-client privilege.
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 Circuit Courts Act and the Judicial Vacancies Act. Adds 3 resident judgeships to the twelfth judicial circuit, 3 resident judgeships to the eighteenth circuit, and 4 resident judgeships to the nineteenth judicial circuit. Requires that the additional judgeships be filled beginning at the 2006 general election and prohibits appointments to fill those judgeships before the 2006 general election. Requires that by January 1, 2005, the General Assembly divide those circuits into subcircuits. Requires that the Supreme Court allot the additional judgeships and the other resident judgeships, as they become vacant (other than for election in 2004), to the various subcircuits to be filled by election until the appropriate number of resident judges is elected from each subcircuit. Requires the Supreme Court to determine by lot the numerical order of the subcircuits for the purpose of assigning resident judgeships to subcircuits.
Amends the Illinois Library System Act. Redefines the terms "library system" and "special library". Eliminates references to cooperative public library systems. Requires the State Librarian by rule to establish the application procedure for formation of a library system. Authorizes the State Librarian to assume fiscal and administrative responsibility for a library system under certain circumstances. Requires a library system consisting of one public municipal library to submit its service plan to the State Librarian for approval or revision. Changes the formula for distributing State grants among different types of library systems. Effective immediately.
Amends the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act. Provides for confidentiality of information provided to the State Treasurer under the Act. Changes the notice requirements to owners. Provides that proceeds in excess of $2,500,000 from the sale of abandoned property shall be deposited into the State Pension Fund (instead of into a separate trust fund for the payment of claims). Requires any person or company charging a fee for discovering presumptively abandoned property to be a licensed private detective. Effective immediately.
Amends the Guide Dog Access Act. Provides that persons with a seizure-alert or seizure-response dog may not be denied the right of entry to any public place of accommodation if the dog is wearing a harness and the person presents credentials for inspection issued by a school for training the seizure-alert or seizure-response dog. Amends the White Cane Law. Provides that a seizure-alert or seizure-response dog may accompany a person subject to epilepsy or other seizures disorders or a trainer to the listed places without having to pay an extra charge for the dog.
Amends the School Code. Requires that a diabetes screening be included in the health examination of an at-risk child. Effective January 1, 2004.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to provide that if a policy provides coverage for prescription drugs, it may not restrict coverage for prescription inhalants based upon refill limitations if the treating physician prescribes the inhalants in a manner contrary to the insurer's refill limitations. Effective immediately.
Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2004, the pharmaceutical assistance program covers prescription drugs used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Extends the annual transfer of money from the General Revenue Fund to the Grape and Wine Resources Fund through June 30, 2006.
