Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning portability of coverage.
Recommends the creation of the Nutrition Advisory Committee to recommend to the General Assembly school standards for nutrition.
Amends the State Gift Ban Act, the Open Meetings Act, and the Election Code. Removes the State Gift Ban Act's application to judges, employees of the judicial branch of State government, units of local government, and school districts. Replaces the several ethics commissions of the executive branch with one commission, appointed by the Governor, with jurisdiction over the entire executive branch. Requires the executive and legislative ethics commissions to adopt rules for the complaint process and gives them jurisdiction over certain ethics violations of the State Employees Political Activity Act, the Election Code, the Illinois Procurement Code, and the Criminal Code of 1961. Changes various exemptions from the ban on gifts. Changes the personal uses for which campaign contributions may be used. Exempts political committees from filing duplicate statements of organization and financial reports with county clerks if the county clerks can electronically access the statements and reports filed with the State Board of Elections.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Prohibits a person from making a wire transfer of money for the purpose of an internet-based gambling transaction. Prohibits a financial institution from knowingly making a wire transfer of money that is to be used in an internet-based gambling transaction. Provides that a violation is a petty offense that is subject to a fine of $1,000. Provides that any credit card debts incurred as a result of an internet-based gambling transaction by any person are null and void. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in the Section defining medical malpractice action.
Amends the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Makes a technical change to the short title Section.
Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Revenue shall adopt rules specifying all eligibility and participation requirements for the pharmaceutical assistance program under the Act, including copayment amounts, identification card fees, expenditure limits, and the benefit threshold after which a 20% charge is imposed on the cost of each prescription, to be in effect on and after July 1, 2004. Requires that to the extent practicable, those requirements shall be commensurate with the requirements provided in rules adopted by the Department of Public Aid to implement the pharmacy assistance program under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2005 (now, July 1, 2008). Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Creates the Professional Teacher Standards Board consisting of 11 members appointed by the Governor to administer the Article of the School Code governing the certification of teachers and other certificated school personnel and the approval of teacher and administrator preparation programs. Gives the Professional Teacher Standards Board all powers and duties currently exercised by the State Board of Education and the State Teacher Certification Board with respect to administration of the certification and program approval process, and abolishes the State Teacher Certification Board. Authorizes the Professional Teacher Standards Board to employ an Executive Director and such other staff members as are necessary to exercise its powers and duties and carry out its functions. Provides that a Standard Certificate may be renewed based on proof of professional development (instead of on proof of continuing education or professional development). Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Early Intervention Services System Act. With respect to an individualized family service plan, provides that if the lead agency develops therapy guidelines that reflect current best practices for serving eligible children, those guidelines may not cap the frequency or intensity, or restrict the method of delivering, the services determined by the multidisciplinary team. Provides that the lead agency may not use designated experts to directly or indirectly impose such caps. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
