Rep. Lisa Hernandez

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for child care institutions, group homes, facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the Nursing Home Care Act as Intermediate Care for the Developmentally Disabled facilities, or facilities licensed by the Department of Human Services under the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act, in any calendar year in which there is a cost-of-living increase in federal Supplemental Security Income benefits or Social Security Administration payments, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (and the Department of Children and Family Services, in the case of child care institutions and group homes) shall increase the Medicaid per diem rate paid to those facilities by an amount equal to the total amount of the increase in Supplemental Security Income benefits or Social Security Administration payments. Effective immediately.

Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Adds a provision requiring that the Plan provide coverage for mammograms and prosthetic devices or reconstructive surgery incident to a mastectomy, Pap tests, prostate-specific antigen tests, colorectal cancer examination and screening, and contraceptives as required under certain Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that any expense or charge for routine physical examinations or tests related to certain covered benefits are not excluded from coverage under the Plan. Deletes a provision excluding any expense or charge for oral contraceptives used for birth control or any other temporary birth control measures from coverage under the Plan.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the Department must adopt by rule a rating system for all day care facilities licensed under the Act, and seek the advice and assistance of persons representative of the various types of child care facilities in establishing such rating system. Provides that after each inspection by the Department, a day care facility must receive a rating from the Department and be provided some form of notice which explains the basis for the rating that it received. Provides that a day care facilities must conspicuously display its rating on the premises in a form to be determined by the Department. Provides that upon the request of a day care facility, the Department may re-inspect the day care facility and issue a new rating. Provides that the Department may require that a fee be paid by the day care facility to cover the costs of such re-inspection.

Appropriates $2,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for the purpose of awarding grants to develop local health department dental clinics. Effective July 1, 2009.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that a municipal police department or church may establish a Firearm Relinquishment Amnesty Program. Provides that a resident of the county or municipality where the law enforcement agency that has established a Firearm Relinquishment Amnesty Program is located may, without identifying himself or herself and without being subject to prosecution for a violation of State law or a county or municipal ordinance relating to the illegal possession of that firearm, transfer the firearm to that local law enforcement agency or church. Preempts home rule. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that in addition to any term of incarceration that may be imposed by the court and unless the court determines that it has good cause not to impose these requirements, a gang member who is under 21 years of age and who has been found guilty of or continued under supervision for a gang-related offense and who has not previously been found guilty of or continued under supervision for a gang-related offense shall, upon completion of any term of incarceration, be required: (i) to perform community service, the type and number of hours of community service to be determined by the court; (ii) if the gang member does not have a high school diploma or a GED certificate, to attend and complete educational courses designed to prepare the gang member to pass the high school level Test of General Educational Development (GED); (iii) to comply with a curfew (A) between 11:00 p.m. on Friday and 6:00 a.m. on Saturday; (B) between 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. on Sunday; and (C) between 10:00 p.m. on Sunday to Thursday, inclusive, and 6:00 a.m. on the following day; and (iv) to attend Life Skills classes conducted by a community college or by a non-profit offender re-entry program.

Creates the Commission to End Hunger Act. Provides that because it is the goal of the State that no man, woman, or child should ever be faced with hunger, the General Assembly authorizes the Department of Human Services to create the Commission to End Hunger. Provides that the purpose of the Commission shall be to develop an action plan every 2 years, review the progress of this plan, and ensure cross-collaboration among government entities and community partners toward the goal of ending hunger in Illinois. Further provides that the key duties of the Commission shall include identifying all funding sources which can be used toward ending hunger; identifying barriers to access, and developing sustainable polices and programs to address those barriers; and promoting and facilitating public-private partnerships. Provides that the Commission shall be composed of no more than 21 voting members, including 15 public members representing various community and public service organizations, who shall be appointed by the Governor and shall reflect the racial, gender, and geographic diversity of the State. Provides that the Secretary of Human Services, the State Superintendent of Education, the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, the Director of Children and Family Services, the Director of Aging, and the Director of Agriculture shall serve as ex-officio members of the Commission, and that subject to appropriation, the Office of the Governor and the Department of Human Services shall provide administrative support. Contains provisions on commission meetings and reporting requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning child care co-payments, provides that the amount of a family's co-payment shall not exceed the sum of certain percentages of the family's countable income, based on the relationship of that income to the federal poverty level. Provides that a family with countable income below 50% of the federal poverty level shall have a co-payment of $1 per week. Requires a reduction of co-payments within 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, and requires that these limitations on co-payments be fully in effect no later than July 1, 2010. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $25,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Capital Development Board for early childhood construction grants to providers of early childhood services for children ages birth to 5 years of age for construction or renovation of early childhood facilities, with priority given to projects located in those communities in this State with the greatest underserved population of young children, as identified by the Capital Development Board, in consultation with the State Board of Education, utilizing census data and other reliable local early childhood service data. Effective July 1, 2009.