Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that upon application by a facility, the Director of Public Health may grant or renew a waiver of certain staffing requirements for registered nurses, considering specified criteria, if the facility demonstrates to the Director's satisfaction that the facility is unable, despite diligent efforts, including offering wages at a competitive rate for registered nurses in the community, to employ the required number of registered nurses. Provides that the Director may not grant or renew such waivers for certain minimum nurse staffing requirements contained in federal regulations to facilities that are Medicare-certified or both Medicare-certified and Medicaid-certified. Provides that these waivers shall be reviewed quarterly by the Department of Public Health, including requiring a demonstration by the facility that it has continued to make diligent efforts to employ the required number of registered nurses, and shall be revoked for noncompliance with certain requirements. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act. Provides that the penalty for failure to pay the tax shown due or required to be shown due on a return shall be 15% (instead of 20%) of any amount that is paid after the date the Department has initiated an audit or investigation of the taxpayer. Provides that the penalty shall be rescinded if the taxpayer paid to the Department at least 95% of the final liability resulting from an audit or investigation prior to the initiation of the audit or investigation
Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption, provides that in all counties (now, in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants), the county board may by resolution provide that if a person has been granted a senior citizens homestead exemption, the person qualifying need not reapply for the exemption. Provides that the county recorder of deeds shall alert the assessor whenever the transfer of ownership of any property receiving a Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption has occurred. Provides that, if such a transfer occurs, the assessor shall remove the exemption and provide the new property owner with information concerning reapplication. Effective immediately.
Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the nomination of candidates for the General Assembly.
Amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the first $100 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for one child and the first $200 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for 2 or more children shall be passed through to the family and disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant provided to the family. Provides that any amount of child support that would be disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant shall be disregarded in determining eligibility for cash assistance. Effective immediately.
Honors the Summit Community Task Force Inc. for its work in the Summit community.
Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Adds involuntary sexual servitude of a minor to the offenses for which a health care worker license can be revoked. Provides that if a licensed health care worker has been convicted of a forcible felony, other than a forcible felony requiring registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act or involuntary sexual servitude of a minor that is a forcible felony, and the health care worker has had his or her license revoked, the health care worker may petition the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to restore his or her license. Establishes factors that the Department shall consider in determining whether a license shall be restored. Further provides that this process for petition and review by the Department shall apply to a person whose licensed is denied under these provisions.
Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that a minor who was under 18 at the time of the commission of an offense must be represented by counsel throughout the entire custodial interrogation. Provides that an oral, written, or sign language statement of a minor made without counsel present throughout the entire custodial interrogation of the minor shall be inadmissible as evidence in any juvenile court proceeding or criminal proceeding against the minor. Provides that in a proceeding under the Criminal Code of 2012, a minor who was under 18 at the time of the commission of the offense must be represented by counsel throughout the entire custodial interrogation of the minor and an oral, written, or sign language statement made without counsel present shall be inadmissible in any criminal proceeding against the minor.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Includes persons who are foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes in the categories of non-citizens who are eligible for cash or medical assistance under the Code. Defines "foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes". Provides that beginning January 1, 2017, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide medical assistance coverage to foreign-born victims of human trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes and to their derivative family members who: reside in Illinois; are not otherwise eligible under the Code; meet certain income guidelines; and have filed or are preparing to file a formal application for status pursuant to specified provisions of the United States Code. Provides that such a person is ineligible for continued medical assistance coverage if he or she has not filed a formal application for status within one year after the date of his or her application for cash assistance or SNAP benefits; and that if there is a final denial of the person's visa or asylum application, any medical assistance coverage provided to that person and his or her derivative family members shall be terminated. Adds the Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Article to the Code with provisions concerning: cash assistance and SNAP benefits for persons who are foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes and their derivative family members; eligibility determinations; work requirements and exemptions; and termination of benefits. Grants the Department rulemaking authority to implement these provisions. Effective immediately.
Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2017, feminine hygiene products and incontinence products are exempt from the taxes imposed under those Acts. Provides that the Acts' automatic sunset provisions do not apply to that exemption. Effective immediately.