Rep. Mary Flowers

Amends the School Code. Lowers the compulsory school age from 7 years to 5 years; makes a related change. Requires all school districts to establish kindergarten for the instruction of children who are 5 years of age or older. Provides that if the parents or guardian of a child who is at least 4 and one-half years of age deems it appropriate for the child to attend school, a school district must permit the child to attend school.

Amends the Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act. Requires telecommunications carriers that provide local exchange service to supply, at no extra charge, equipment capable of serving the needs of disabled persons, not just those with a speech or hearing disability. Effective July 1, 2003.

Creates the Truth in Hospital Billing and Finances Act. Provides that hospitals and related organizations shall file with the Department of Public Health an annual public disclosure report prepared by the covered facility's auditor or independent accountant within 120 days after the end of its fiscal year. Requires hospitals and related organizations to also file specified statements, reports, and schedules. Provides that hospitals shall include on their admission forms a conspicuous notice that the patient may receive a copy of all individual hospital charges related to the patient. Requires the Department of Public Health to prepare an annual report to the General Assembly listing hospitals that have failed to comply with the reporting requirements. Provides for patient confidentiality and public availability of required filings. Contains a whistleblower provision. Provides a civil penalty for failure to submit the materials required by the Act.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that the out-of-pocket cost to a beneficiary or insured who receives emergency care from a nonpreferred provider shall be no greater than if he or she had received the emergency care from a preferred provider.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act to require coverage under those Acts for immunosuppressive agents (anti-rejection medication).

Creates the Staffing Requirements for Patient Safety Act. Requires a health care facility to develop and implement a staffing plan to ensure that minimum nurse staffing requirements are met or exceeded for each work shift and for each patient care unit. Provides that requirements concerning staffing do not apply to any facility maintained by the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services, or the Cook County Department of Corrections. Provides that no health care facility employee may have his or her license, registration, or certification subjected to disciplinary action by a State agency if the employee does not continue to work after the end of the employee's designated, predetermined shift under certain circumstances. Requires a facility to take certain actions with respect to the work environment. Provides for pilot programs for testing and evaluating alternative methods of ensuring minimum nurse staffing requirements. Provides for civil monetary penalties for violations of the Act by privately owned health care facilities, and authorizes the Attorney General or a State's Attorney to bring an action for injunctive relief. Authorizes a private right of action against a public health care facility. Effective immediately.

Creates the Parental Rights Termination Investigation Agency Act and amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Creates the Parental Rights Termination Investigation Agency in the Executive Branch of State Government, to investigate the circumstances of terminations of parental rights if certain criteria are met, including that a person's parental rights were allegedly terminated as a result of negligence by DCFS in investigating or prosecuting the case for termination of the person's parental rights or for a reason or reasons due in substantial part to the person's financial difficulties. Provides that the Agency is entitled to access to records generated under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and to juvenile court records. Authorizes a person whose parental rights have been terminated under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to petition for restoration of those rights, based on the Agency's investigation.

Amends the School Code. 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). Effective July 1, 2003.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a student may not be expelled, except (i) for any criminal offense for which a sentence to the Department of Corrections may be imposed or (ii) when the student is determined to have brought a weapon to school, any school-sponsored activity, or an activity or event that bears a reasonable relationship to school.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall establish a pilot Citizen Review Panel in Cook County. Provides that a parent within the pilot area who has participated in and has raised concerns at the Administrative Case Review process that resulted in a goal change from return home to substitute care pending a legal decision may request a review by the Citizen Review Panel. Contains provisions regarding review scheduling, standards, and recommendations and other matters. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Empowers the court to order that a service plan include specific placements or services. Removes a provision that a written order entered by the court making certain determinations following a permanency hearing is immediately appealable as a matter of right under Supreme Court Rule 304(b)(1). Effective immediately.