Names May of 2003 Foster Care Month in the State of Illinois.
Amends the School Code. In the Section concerning the school building code, provides that the State Board of Education shall require each school district to prepare an indoor air quality policy. Provides that a school district's report card assessing the performance of its schools and students shall also include information on the quality of school facilities in the district. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Election Code. Requires the State Board of Elections by July 1, 2005 to set standards for polling place and voting accessibility for disabled and elderly citizens with which local election authorities must comply. Specifies minimum standards. Requires local election authorities to survey polling places and report by January 1, 2006 to the State Board of Elections. Permits a local election authority to provide a curbside voting service where there is no accessible alternative to the polling place. Requires local election authorities to train precinct judges in accessibility and designate one judge per precinct as accessibility coordinator. Requires the State Board of Elections to set accessibility standards for voting equipment and systems, and requires local election authorities to meet those standards when purchasing, upgrading, or replacing equipment and systems. Effective immediately.
Amends the Children and Family Services Act to create the Children's Services Commission. Provides that the Commission shall recommend ways to more effectively deliver services provided by the State to children and families, to promote inter-agency cooperation relating to the delivery of those services, to more effectively use existing resources, and to eliminate duplication of efforts. Directs the Commission to make recommendations on the abolition of existing boards, committees, and commissions and on the consolidation of the powers and duties of those boards, committees, and commissions into a single entity. Creates the Task Force on Accreditation of Services for Children, which shall develop accreditation standards for foster homes, group homes, community facilities, and other facilities and a 2-year plan for mandatory accreditation for those facilities. Requires employees of the Department of Children and Family Services and independent contractors to possess certain qualifications before providing direct child welfare services. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code to require prospective contractors for child welfare services to prequalify with the Department of Children and Family Services. Effective July 1, 2004.
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to implement and administer a student achievement improvement grant program to provide 2-year grants to school districts on the academic watch list and other school districts that have the lowest achieving students. Requires a school district to establish an accountability program in order to receive a grant. Requires a grant to be automatically renewed when achievement goals are met. Effective immediately.
Amends the Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act. Prohibits the Commerce Commission from imposing any regulatory burden upon the provision of broadband services and high speed internet access services provided by telecommunication carriers that does not apply to the provision of those services by other providers. Effective immediately.
Amends the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning downstate police.
Creates the Advertising Revenue Act. Contains a short title only.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code in relation to Medicaid. Provides for differential dispensing fees for pharmacies in connection with prescriptions for adult care homes and differential ingredient cost reimbursement of generic and brand name pharmaceuticals. Provides for limiting reimbursement for a prescription to the multisource generic equivalent drug. Prohibits prior authorization requirements for medications used to treat mental illnesses. Authorizes the Department of Public Aid to establish a statewide advisory committee to advise the Department in the development of a preferred formulary listing of drugs covered by the State's Medicaid program. Requires the Department to evaluate drugs and drug classes for inclusion in the State Medicaid preferred drug formulary based on safety, effectiveness, and clinical outcomes of treatments. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
