Amends the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Provides that a provider agency may recruit volunteers for the purpose of increasing public awareness and providing transportation and companion services to eligible adults. Effective immediately.
Amends the Crime Victims Compensation Act. Provides that the definition of "pecuniary loss" includes the first month's rent and security deposit of the dwelling that the claimant relocated to and other reasonable relocation expenses incurred as a result of the violent crime.
Amends the Technology Development Act. Creates a Technology Development Fund for use by the State Treasurer in paying the expenses of investments from the Technology Development Account. Permits the State Treasurer to use any excess for grants to schools to buy computers and to upgrade technology. Permits the State Treasurer to deposit up to 10% of the earnings on Account investments into the Fund. Effective immediately.
Creates the Consular Identification Document Act. Defines "consular identification document" as an official identification card issued by a foreign government through its consular offices to identify a foreign national who is living outside of that nation. Provides that each State agency and officer and unit of local government, when requiring members of the public to provide identification, shall accept a consular identification document as valid identification of a person, with specified exceptions. Provides that a State agency or officer or a unit of local government is not prohibited from requiring: additional information from persons in order to verify a current address or other facts that would enable the State agency or officer or unit of local government to fulfill its responsibilities, with specified exceptions; fingerprints for identification purposes under circumstances where the State agency or officer or unit of local government also requires fingerprints from persons who have a driver's license or Illinois Identification Card; or additional evidence of identification if the State agency or officer or unit of local government reasonably believes that the consular identification document is forged, fraudulent, or altered, or the holder does not appear to be the same person on the consular identification document. Provides that the use by a State agency or officer or a unit of local government of information collected from, or appearing on, a consular identification document is subject to the same privacy and disclosure limitations that apply to the Illinois Identification Card.
Creates the Home Care Consumer and Worker Protection Act. If an agency places a home care worker with a consumer to provide home care services, requires the agency to give the worker and the consumer a notice setting forth the rights and responsibilities of each of them as well as appropriate phone numbers and addresses of the Department on Aging. Provides that the Act does not apply to nursing homes, home health agencies, and certain other agencies. Provides that an agency subject to the Act must comply with the Health Care Worker Background Check Act and must ensure that every home care worker placed by the agency for hire by a consumer has the appropriate credentials and is appropriately licensed or certified as required by law. Authorizes the Department on Aging to investigate complaints of violations of the Act, issue cease-and-desist orders, and seek injunctive relief. Provides for a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day that a violation continues. Effective January 1, 2006.
Amends the Older Adult Services Act. Provides that no later than January 1, 2006 and every January 1 thereafter, the Department on Aging and the Illinois Housing Development Authority shall file with the Governor and the General Assembly a plan that establishes goals for the number of affordable housing units to be made available to the frail elderly in the next fiscal year. Requires that the plan: (i) detail the number of new units of housing to be created, the number of units made accessible through rehabilitation and renovation, and the number of new supportive living units to be created and certified; and (ii) include recommendations for statutory or policy changes needed to reduce barriers to the establishment of affordable housing units for the frail elderly. Effective immediately.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that conspiracy to commit treason, first degree murder, or aggravated kidnapping is a Class 1 (rather than a Class 2) felony. Provides that conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual assault or predatory criminal sexual assault of a child is a Class 1 (rather than a Class 4) felony. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a prisoner serving a sentence for felony domestic battery or for aggravated domestic battery may receive no more than 4.5 days of good conduct credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall implement and administer a Giant Steps Autism Center for Excellence pilot program for the study and evaluation of autism and to provide related training for teachers, paraprofessionals, and respite workers, therapist training, and consultative services. Provides that the State Board of Education is authorized to make grants to school districts and other programs that apply to participate in the Giant Steps Autism Center for Excellence program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Defines "sex offender" to include custodial sexual misconduct (rather than custodial sexual misconduct committed on or after August 22, 2002). Defines as a "sexual predator" a person convicted of a violation or attempted violation of criminal sexual assault regardless of the age of the victim. Establishes procedures for a sex offender to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency within 5 days after ceasing to have a fixed residence. Changes certain registration periods from 10 days to 5 days. Provides that a second or subsequent violation of this Act is a Class 2 felony.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. In provisions making it unlawful for a child sex offender to knowingly be present on school property or a school vehicle when persons under the age of 18 are present, eliminates an exception for an offender who is the parent or guardian of a student who is present. Effective immediately.
