Amends the School Code. Creates a Section relating to the study of childhood obesity. Contains only a caption.
Amends the School Code and the Election Code. Provides that if teachers' institutes are held on separate days, the institutes may not be held on any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday unless that day falls at the beginning or end of the school term. Makes changes to the State aid formula provisions in relation to the compilation of average daily attendance. In counting a session of 3 or more clock hours as a day of attendance, provides that a maximum of 3 (instead of 5) days may be utilized for in-service training for teachers (including a maximum of 2 of the 3 days for parent-teacher conferences). Changes the day that President Abraham Lincoln's birthday is observed as a legal school holiday from February 12 to the third Monday in February. Changes the day that Veteran's Day is observed as a legal school holiday from November 11 to the second Monday in November. Provides that school boards may grant a special holiday only on a Monday or Friday. Effective July 1, 2004.
Creates the Loan Repayment Assistance for Nurses Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for nurses who practice in designated nurse shortage areas. Provides that beginning July 1, 2004, the Department shall consider applications for assistance under the program. Provides that for each year that a qualified applicant practices full-time in a designated shortage area as a nurse, the Department shall, subject to appropriation, award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay that year. Provides that the total amount in grants that a person may be awarded shall not exceed $5,000. Effective July 1, 2003.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that in the case of community-based services, long-term care services, and services received in a supportive living facility, when determining whether a person has met a spend-down requirement for Medicaid eligibility, the Department of Public Aid shall allow bills for those services at the maximum allowable Medicaid rate for community-based services funded by the Department of Human Services, regardless of the amount actually paid by the person for the services, if any, and regardless of any grant received by the provider of the services. Effective immediately.
Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Prohibits the approval of a disbursement for certain expenses that are payable from other public and private sources. Removes provisions requiring the Department (i) to calculate amounts paid from State funds for certain purposes; (ii) to utilize funds from a child's account to reimburse those costs; and (iii) to maintain the remaining balance after reimbursement. Removes a provision requiring the Department to deposit disbursements from all children's accounts into the DCFS Children's Services Fund.
Creates the Certified Professional Midwife Licensure Act. Provides for licensure of persons providing midwifery services. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to repeal the new Act on January 1, 2014. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987 and the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act to provide that those Acts do not prohibit the practice of midwifery by persons licensed under the Certified Professional Midwives Licensure Act. Effective immediately.
Proclaims Wednesday May 28, 2003 as "We Remember, We Care for Indigent Persons Day in Illinois", and urges all citizens to observe, inform themselves of, and support efforts to care for the indigent.
Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the rate for charges that a parent or guardian of a child accepted for care and training must pay may not exceed the amount that the parent or guardian would reasonably pay to support that child if the child were not placed into the care and training. Provides that no person shall be liable for any charges resulting from the care and training of a child if that person's parental rights concerning the child have been terminated through either a court order or an adoptive surrender.
Creates the Hospital Report Card Act. Provides requirements for staffing levels. Requires hospitals to prepare a quarterly report detailing specified information as a condition of licensure. Requires the Department of Public Health to submit a report summarizing the quarterly reports by region to the General Assembly and publish that report on its website. Provides protection for whistleblowers. Provides a private right of action to whistleblowers against their employers. Provides penalties for violations of the Act. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that violations of the Hospital Report Card Act are grounds for discipline under the Act.
Urges Congress to refrain from passing the federal Medicare Prescription Drug Bill in its current form, and further urges Congress not to pass any measure that fails to do more for its senior citizens and persons with disabilities than do the current Illinois prescription drug programs.
