Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that when a child who is eligible for special education reaches the majority age of 18 years, rights accorded to the child's parents transfer to the child. Provides that rights shall not transfer from the parents to the child if the child has been determined to be incompetent under State law or the child has not been determined to be incompetent, but does not have the ability to provide informed consent with respect to the child's educational program. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules establishing criteria for school districts to determine if a child lacks the ability to provide informed consent and uniform procedures for allowing the parents of the child, another adult caregiver, or another responsible adult to exercise rights on behalf of the child. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Public Community College Act. Requires the Illinois Community College Board to establish and administer a We Want to Learn English Initiative to provide resources for immigrants and refugees in this State to learn English in order to move towards becoming full members of American society. Provides that each fiscal year, the Board shall include in its budget proposal $25,000,000 in funding for the Initiative. Provides that no less than half of the funds appropriated for the Initiative each fiscal year shall be disbursed to community-based, not-for-profit organizations, immigrant social service organizations, faith-based organizations, and on-site job training programs. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning services for children under Medicaid, changes references from "disabled children" and "severely mentally ill or emotionally disturbed children" to "children with disabilities" and "children with severe mental illness or emotional disturbance". Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to make an annual report concerning Medicaid services offered to children with disabilities, and sets forth items that must be included in the report. Effective immediately.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that "person subject to involuntary admission" includes (i) a person with mental illness and who because of his or her illness is reasonably expected to engage in dangerous conduct (instead of reasonably expected to inflict serious physical harm upon himself or herself or another in the near future) and (ii) a person with mental illness who, because of the nature of his or her illness, is unable to understand his or her need for treatment and who, if not treated, is reasonably expected to suffer or continue to suffer mental deterioration or emotional deterioration, or both, to the point that the person is reasonably expected to engage in dangerous conduct. Defines "dangerous conduct" as threatening behavior or conduct that places another individual in reasonable expectation of being harmed, or a person's inability to provide, without the assistance of family or outside help, for his or her basic physical needs so as to guard himself or herself from serious harm.
Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that the term "developmental disability" includes a disability that is attributable to "fetal alcohol syndrome" or "fetal alcohol effects" (in addition to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or autism). Effective January 1, 2008.
Creates the School Health Center Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to initiate 20 new school health centers over a 5-year period beginning July 1, 2007, and build capacity with existing school health centers in the State. Effective immediately.
Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services is authorized to institute an outreach program directed at low-income minority heads of households and heads of households age 60 or older. Provides that the program shall be consistent with the purposes and objectives of the Act and with all other specific requirements set forth in these provisions. Provides that as part of the program, the Department shall permit Case Coordination Units, under contract with the Department on Aging, to prepare and submit applications for energy assistance in the names of their clients in accordance with procedures established by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Provides that the Department shall establish a web-based application for use by applicants for energy assistance, their families, or someone acting on their behalf. Effective immediately.
Creates the Illinois Cool Cities Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency shall provide technical assistance, if needed, to units of local government in the State that have endorsed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Provides that any unit of local government may request designation as an Illinois Cool City if the unit of local government has (i) endorsed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and (ii) prepared and approved a plan to achieve a 7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by the year 2012. Provides for designation of Illinois Cool Cities upon certain findings by the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that "dental service", as the term relates to those services performed by a dental assistant under the supervision and full responsibility of a dentist and therefore exempt from the operation of the Act, does not include the administration of anesthetics, except for (A) the application of topical anesthetics and (B) the monitoring of nitrous oxide, conscious sedation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia (now, except for the application of topical anesthetics and monitoring of nitrous oxide), each of which may be performed after successful completion of a training program approved by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that it is unlawful for any dentist licensed under the Act to use the term "sedation dentistry" or similar terms in advertising unless the advertising dentist holds a valid and current permit issued by the Department to administer either general anesthesia or conscious sedation. Effective immediately.
Amends the Mobile Home Landlord and Tenant Rights Act. Provides that a park owner shall present a lease to a prospective tenant at least one day before signing the lease. Provides that when a mobile home park is owned by an entity that is publicly traded on any national stock or securities exchange, then the following conditions apply: 1) the park owner is to have a refund procedure for a lease or purchase agreement that a prospective tenant cancels within 3 days after signing the lease or purchase agreement; 2) if a tenant leaves the park because of a temporary illness or disability, the park owner shall allow qualified, including age in a park that has "housing for older persons", relatives designated by the tenant or the tenant's guardian to live in the home; 3) automatic lease renewal for 2 years unless certain requirements are met, such as a 30-day notice and a notice of reasons for the non-renewal of the lease; 4) the park owner is to give 12 months notice of a decision to close all or part of the park. Provides that a park owner may enter into a month-to-month rental agreement with a tenant if the agreement requires that there must be a rent increase notice given at least 90 days in advance of any increase and the tenant signs a statement that acknowledges that he or she wanted a shorter lease and was offered a longer lease. Provides a 90 day period following the effective date of the statutory changes to allow leases to be issued or modified in order to conform to the statutory changes. Provides for delivery of notices by first class mail. Provides that if the only change in a lease for a new term is the amount of the rent, the park owner may issue a rent increase notice, rather than issue a new lease.