Amends the Department of Human Services Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, for purposes of the Department of Human Services' disability database, "developmental disabilities" include autism spectrum disorders. In connection with Medicaid, provides that a person diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder shall be considered a person with a "developmental disability" or a "person with a related condition" for purposes of determining eligibility for services under Home and Community-Based Services Waivers for persons with developmental disabilities, without regard to whether that person is also diagnosed with mental retardation and without regard to that person's IQ level, so long as the person otherwise meets applicable level-of-care criteria under those waivers. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony (rather than a Class A misdemeanor) for any person to knowingly make a video record or transmit live video of another person without that person's consent in a restroom, tanning bed, tanning salon, locker room, changing room, or hotel bedroom. Effective January 1, 2008.
Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Provides that when a sex offender registers with the appropriate law enforcement agency, he or she shall provide the law enforcement agency with all e-mail addresses, instant messaging identities, chat room identities, and other Internet communications identities that the sex offender uses or plans to use, all Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) registered or used by the sex offender, and all blogs and other Internet sites maintained by the sex offender or to which the sex offender has uploaded any content or posted any messages or information. Amends the Sex Offender Community Notification Law. Provides for disclosure of such information to the public. Effective immediately.
Creates the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Law and amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the Lieutenant Governor, with the advice of the Broadband Deployment Council, shall enlist a nonprofit corporation to implement a comprehensive, statewide high speed Internet deployment strategy and adoption initiative. Specifies the duties of the nonprofit organization. Provides that nothing in the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Law shall be construed as giving the Lieutenant Governor, the Broadband Deployment Council, the nonprofit organization, or other entities any additional authority, regulatory or otherwise, over providers of telecommunications, broadband, and information technology. Creates the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, to be used, subject to appropriation, by the Lieutenant Governor for purposes of providing grants to the nonprofit organization enlisted under the Law. Provides that on the effective date of the Law, all moneys in the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Fund which have not already been distributed or ordered distributed by the Illinois Commerce Commission shall be transferred to the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Fund. Contains other provisions concerning local governmental entities who undertake local broadband projects. Amends the Universal Telephone Service Protection Law of 1985 in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a telecommunications carrier that is not subject to regulation under an alternative regulation plan pursuant to specified provisions may reduce the rate or charge for a noncompetitive service, service element, feature, or functionality offered to customers on a separate, stand-alone basis or as part of a bundled service offering by filing with the Commission a tariff that shows the reduced rate or charge and all applicable terms and conditions of the noncompetitive service, service element, feature, or functionality or bundled offering. Provides that provisions concerning basic local exchange service quality and the consumer complaint resolution process do not apply to telephone cooperatives. Changes the repeal date of the Universal Telephone Service Protection Law of 1985 from July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2009.
Congratulates the resident of the Village of Harwood Heights as they celebrate 60 years of incorporation.
Tells the story of Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia. Libby Prison was a Confederate prison camp during the Civil War from which 109 prisoners escaped.
Congratulates Mildred Kinzig on celebrating her 100th birthday.
Amends the Counties Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Provides that for the 2006 grant year and thereafter, eligibility for a property tax relief grant or for pharmaceutical assistance under the Act is conditioned on an annual household income that is less than (A) the income eligibility level in effect for the 2005 grant year or (B) 250% of the federal poverty guidelines, whichever is greater. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the rates charged to outside users by the corporate authorities of any municipality that owns and operates a sewerage system must be reasonable in relation to the actual cost of providing service to those outside users. Provides that the rates fixed for outside users may not exceed the rates fixed for inhabitants of the municipality (now, provides that municipalities may charge an outside user a rate in excess of the rate fixed for the inhabitants of the municipality), and that cost documentation shall be provided to outside users. Effective immediately.