Rep. Harry Osterman

Amends the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to assess an annual fee against manufacturers and other persons formerly or presently engaged in the stream of commerce of lead or products containing lead that have significantly contributed to environmental lead contamination. Provides that the fee will not be assessed against a retailer of lead or products containing lead. Provides that the fee will not be assessed upon a person if the person can demonstrate that he or she did not contribute to environmental lead contamination.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that within 10 days after the Department of Public Health notifies a facility that it has committed a Type "A" violation, a violation of the Act for which a plan of correction or a report of correction is required, or a level D or higher violation of federal Medicare and Medicaid nursing home certification requirements, the facility shall give any resident whose care is the subject of the violation (i) a copy of the notice of the violation and (ii) a written notice stating which violation or violations in the notice of violation apply to that resident. Requires the Department to prescribe a form to be used for giving residents the required notice. Provides that in a case in which a plan of correction is required, the notice required by these provisions shall be considered part of the plan of correction. Provides that a facility shall provide written proof to the Department that the notice required by these provisions has been given.

Amends the Employee Benefit Contribution Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the failure to make payments to an employee health insurance plan.

Congratulates Sara Jane Knoy of Organization of the NorthEast (ONE) for making a lasting impact on the residents of the City of Chicago.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Re-enacts the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption. The exemption was created by Public Act 88-669, which has been held to be unconstitutional as a violation of the single subject clause of the Illinois Constitution. Includes validation provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Teacher Certification Article of the School Code. With respect to an early childhood certificate, provides that the student teaching portion of the practical experience requirement may involve supervised work with children under 6 years of age or with children in kindergarten through grade 3 or both. Provides that persons who have been employed for at least one year in their current early childhood program in a public or private school or a community-based entity, including paraprofessionals enrolled in teacher preparation programs, may be paid and receive credit while student teaching with their current employer, provided that their student teaching experience meets the requirements of their teacher preparation program.

Amends the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act and the Childhood Hunger Relief Act. Makes changes concerning the breakfast incentive program, the report the State Board of Education provides to the Governor and the General Assembly concerning school breakfast and lunch programs, surveys to identify parental interest in school breakfast programs and the barriers to establishing school breakfast programs, the requirement that a school district establish a school breakfast program for certain schools, and opting out of the school breakfast program requirement. Effective immediately.

Creates the Ryan White Fund Validation Act. Validates actions taken and grants made under a Section of the Communicable Disease Prevention Act relating to the Ryan White Pediatric and Adult AIDS Fund (now repealed). That Section was created by Public Act 88-669, which has been held to be unconstitutional as a violation of the single subject clause of the Illinois Constitution. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Creates a pilot class size reduction grant program, to be implemented and administered by the State Board of Education. Provides that grants shall be awarded to schools to defray the costs and expenses of operating and maintaining classes of no more than 15 pupils per teacher per class. Effective July 1, 2006.

Amend the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Establishes the CLEAN-WIN program. Provides that the Department of Public Health must reimburse eligible owners of dwellings for replacing windows in living units deemed lead hazards by the Department. Requires the Department to appropriate funds for the program and to adopt rules to implement the program and to establish criteria for eligibility. Effective immediately.