Rep. Constance A. Howard

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Under the Medicaid program, authorizes the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide for the services of persons licensed as a clinical social worker in supplying medical assistance. Prohibits the Department's rules from requiring that services for a specific Medicaid recipient provided by a licensed clinical social worker be recommended by a physician. Effective immediately.

Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Changes the definition of "mandatory transition period" to include the period from the effective date through the date on which the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved declarations of competitive service for all classes of service offered in the service areas of all electric utilities that, on December 31, 2005, served at least 100,000 but fewer than 2 million residential customers. Requires the Commission to order certain utilities to file and implement tariffs to reinstate all 2006 rates beginning on the first day of the month immediately following the effective date. Prohibits the Commission from taking certain actions prior to 6 months after the effective date with respect to (i) initiating, authorizing, or ordering any change by way of increase or (ii) in approving an application for a merger, imposing a condition requiring any filing for an increase, decrease, or change in or other review of a utility's rates or enforcing such a condition. Provides that the Commission shall only declare the class of service to be competitive according to certain criteria (now, the Commission is required to declare the service to be competitive if the service or a reasonably equivalent substitute is available at a reasonable price from other providers other than the utility or an affiliate and the utility has lost or is reasonably likely to lose business for service to other providers). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning prohibited transactions.

Amends the Prenatal and Newborn Care Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Election Code. Permits State non-partisan civic organizations that meet certain criteria to appoint precinct pollwatchers. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Dr. Margaret T. Burroughs, Chicago Park District Commissioner and founder and President Emeritus of the DuSable Museum of African-American History in Chicago, on being honored by the Historymaker and Preservation Committee for Celebrating African-American People.

Creates the Illinois Justice Study Committee to review all non-capital wrongful conviction cases, identify the most common causes of wrongful conviction in non-capital cases, identify current law, and identify solutions.

Creates the Smoke Free Illinois Act. Sets forth the findings of the General Assembly. Creates several definitions. Prohibits smoking in public places, places of employment, and governmental vehicles. Requires "No Smoking" signs to be posted in each public place and place of employment where smoking is prohibited. Requires ashtrays to be removed from any area where smoking is prohibited. Prohibits smoking in student dormitories, including, but not limited to, sleeping rooms, dining areas, restrooms, laundry areas, lobbies, and hallways, of a building used in whole or in part as a student dormitory that is owned and operated or otherwise utilized by a public or private institution of higher education. Provides that the Department of Public Health, State-certified local public health departments, and local law enforcement agencies shall enforce the provisions of the Act. Sets forth fines for violations of the Act. Provides that the Department, a State-certified local public health department, local law enforcement agency, or any individual personally affected by repeated violations may institute, in a circuit court, an action to enjoin violations of the Act. Prohibits discrimination against individuals who exercise their rights afforded by the Act. Provides that a home rule unit may regulate smoking in public places, but that regulation must be no less restrictive than the provisions in the Act. Prohibits smoking within a minimum distance of 15 feet from entrances, exits, windows that open, and ventilation intakes that serve an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Repeals the Illinois Clean Indoor Air Act.

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.

Honors Glenda Fulton for the work she has done for her community in the fight against sarcoidosis.