Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides for an increase in the rates paid to every vendor of goods or services under the Medicaid program so that those rates are equal to the rates paid to such vendors under Medicare. Provides for implementation of the rate increase over a 3-year period. Effective immediately.
Amends the Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act. Provides that only telecommunications carriers that provide local exchange service (rather than all carriers) are required to notify their end-users (rather than all customers) about contributions to fund the Program to Foster the Elimination of the Digital Divide. Provides that notice need not be given to end-users subscribing to cellular radio service, high-speed data transmission service, pay phone service, and certain other services.
Amends the Illinois Credit Union Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the fiscal year of credit unions.
Creates the Illinois Public Safety Act. Establishes the Public Safety Program Trust Fund consisting of an insurance premium surcharge of $1.30 on all property owner insurance policies sold in Illinois. Creates the Illinois Public Safety Advisory Board within the Regional Institute for Community Policing. Provides for the organization, powers, and duties of the Illinois Public Safety Advisory Board. Provides for the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Regional Institute for Community Policing. Requires each insurer engaged in writing property, homeowners, and renter's insurance coverage to collect and pay into the Public Safety Trust Fund an amount equal to $1.30 or a lesser amount determined by the Advisory Board. Provides rules for the administration of the Trust Fund.
Proposes to amend Section 2 of Article X of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education shall be nominated at the general primary election and elected at the general election to serve a term of 4 years beginning on the second Monday of January following his or her election. Establishes eligibility criteria for the office and ballot placement for the election. Provides for the manner of filling a vacancy in the office of State Superintendent of Education. Requires the State Superintendent of Education (instead of allowing the State Board of Education) to establish goals, determine policies, provide for planning and evaluating education programs, and recommend financing, and requires the State Board of Education to advise the State Superintendent of Education concerning these duties. Provides for the following Schedule: (i) a State Superintendent of Education shall be elected in 2006 and thereafter, (ii) the term of office of the appointed State Superintendent of Education expires when the first elected State Superintendent of Education takes office, and (iii) the Constitutional Amendment otherwise takes effect when the first elected State Superintendent of Education takes office.
Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the computation of time under the Act.
Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Increases the annual period during which an annuitant may be employed as a teacher without impairing retirement status, from 120 days or 600 hours to 168 days or 840 hours per year. Effective immediately.
Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Code.
Amends the Space Needs Act. Adds a caption to the short title Section.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the definition of "felony".
Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules establishing public health advisory guidelines concerning the use of cellular telephones by persons under 18 years of age.
Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Illinois Finance Authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004, as follows: General Revenue Fund $250,000
