Rep. Robert F. Flider

Amends the State Prompt Payment Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to reimburse qualified providers of prescription drugs to persons presumed eligible for medical assistance under an expanded program of medical assistance that was the subject of an injunction issued by the Circuit Court of Cook County. Requires the Department to give priority in processing claims for reimbursement from those qualified providers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that beginning on the effective date of the provision, residential and small commercial customers shall be provided Standard Electric Service, which shall consist of the regulated delivery service and an electricity supply service priced according to the policies adopted by the Act. Provides that any residential retail customer or small commercial retail customer that is not otherwise being served by an alternative retail electric supplier shall be automatically provided with standard electric service, and provides that a residential retail customer or small commercial retail customer served by a competitive electricity supplier shall have the option to select standard electric service at any time. Sets forth terms and conditions for standard electric service. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall require each electric utility to submit a procurement plan that reflects a minimum 10-year planning and acquisition period that requires the utility to acquire and manage a diverse portfolio of resources and products that comply with certain requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning Medicaid rates for nursing homes, provides that for facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the Nursing Home Care Act as skilled nursing facilities or intermediate care facilities, the support component of the rates taking effect on July 1, 2008 shall be computed using the most recent cost reports on file with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services no later than April 1, 2006, updated for inflation to January 1, 2007. Provides that facilities shall have the support component of their Medicaid rate computed every year using the most recent cost reports on file with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services no later than April 1, 2 years prior to the year in which the new rate takes effect, updated for inflation to January 1 of the year prior to the year in which the new rate takes effect. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the fee for the annual certification of a retired law enforcement officer qualified under federal law to carry a concealed weapon shall not exceed $5.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows an active employee who has established at least 25 years of service credit under the Article to establish service credit for a period of up to 2 years of active military service by the employee's spouse. Includes language concerning new benefit increases. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Authorizes the issuance of special NASCAR license plates at an additional charge of $35 for original issuance and $15 for each registration renewal period. Authorizes the State to enter into agreements for licenses or other permissions to implement the new provisions. Provides that the Secretary of State may use moneys in the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund to pay royalties for the display of logos, graphics, or other materials on the plates.

Amends the School Code and various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Requires the State Board of Education to promote and implement an annual campaign about disability history and awareness in this State during 2 weeks in September and 2 weeks in January. Requires the State Board to file an annual report with the General Assembly on the status and implementation of the campaign. Requires a school district to provide in each grade instruction on disability history, people with disabilities, and the disability rights movement during the campaign, which instruction may be included in the courses of study regularly taught therein. Allows each public university to conduct and promote activities during the campaign that provide education on, awareness of, and an understanding of disability history, people with disabilities, and the disability rights movement.

Appropriates $1 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program. Effective July 1, 2008.

Amends the Use Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that the manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment exemption also includes production related tangible personal property. Defines "production related tangible personal property" as all tangible personal property used or consumed by the purchaser in a manufacturing facility in which a manufacturing process takes place, including tangible personal property purchased for incorporation into real estate within a manufacturing facility and including, but not limited to, tangible personal property used or consumed in activities such as research and development, preproduction material handling, receiving, quality control, inventory control, storage, staging, and packaging for shipping and transportation purposes. Provides that "production related tangible personal property" does not include (i) tangible personal property used, within or without a manufacturing facility, in sales, purchasing, accounting, fiscal management, marketing, personnel recruitment or selection, or landscaping or (ii) tangible personal property required to be titled or registered with a department, agency, or unit of federal, state, or local government. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that for taxable years 2007 and thereafter, the amount of the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption is the equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which application is made minus the base amount (now, the amount of the exemption is reduced based upon the taxpayer's household income). Effective immediately.