Amends the Chicago Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides for noncompounded 3% automatic annual increases in all widow's annuities (other than term annuities). Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning Medicaid rates for nursing homes, provides that for facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the Nursing Home Care Act as skilled nursing facilities or intermediate care facilities, the support component of the rates taking effect on July 1, 2008 shall be computed using the most recent cost reports on file with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services no later than April 1, 2006, updated for inflation to January 1, 2007. Provides that facilities shall have the support component of their Medicaid rate computed every year using the most recent cost reports on file with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services no later than April 1, 2 years prior to the year in which the new rate takes effect, updated for inflation to January 1 of the year prior to the year in which the new rate takes effect. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Police Act. Provides that a requirement that a State Police applicant have certain collegiate educational requirements is deemed to be satisfied if the applicant has been honorably discharged and has an Afghan or Iraqi campaign medal awarded after September 11, 2001 by one of the United States armed forces. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides for an increase in Medicaid rates for nursing homes for the sole purpose of increasing wages or providing new or enhanced employee benefits for non-supervisory employees. Requires nursing homes to apply for the rate increase. Requires nursing homes to document the use of moneys paid to them under this provision, and provides for penalties if the Department of Healthcare and Family Services determines that a nursing home spent any of the moneys for a purpose other than increasing wages or providing new or enhanced benefits for non-supervisory employees. Effective immediately.
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Redefines a public record to include a settlement agreement entered into by or on behalf of a public body. Effective immediately.
Amends the Carnival and Amusement Rides Safety Act. Provides that an owner or operator of an amusement ride or amusement attraction at a carnival or fair that violates the Act or a rule adopted under the Act is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 per violation for a first violation and not to exceed $5,000 for a second or subsequent violation. Provides that each day the violation continues constitutes a separate violation. Provides that penalties may be recovered in a civil action brought by the Director of Labor and that the Director of Labor shall be represented by the Attorney General. Effective January 1, 2009.
Amends the Chicago Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that language denying an annuity to a wife or widow, married subsequent to the effective date, of a policeman who dies in service, if the marriage occurred less than one year prior to the policeman's death, does not apply to the widow of a policeman who dies in the performance of an act of duty. Provides that, for (i) a wife or widow, married subsequent to the effective date, of a policeman who dies in service, if the marriage occurred less than one year prior to the policeman's death and (ii) a wife or widow of a policeman who withdraws, whether or not he enters upon annuity, and dies out of service, if the marriage occurred after the effective date and less than one year prior to the policeman's death, and the widow was not his wife while he was in service, if after an evidentiary hearing, the Board of Trustees, at its sole discretion determines that special circumstances exist warranting payment of a widow's annuity, then and only then shall the Board have authority to grant and award the annuity that would have been otherwise available. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of a home rule municipality with 1,000,000 or more inhabitants, by ordinance, may order the county clerk to abate any percentage of the taxes levied by the municipality and any other taxing district on each parcel of certain qualified residential property within the corporate limits of the municipality that is owned by the surviving spouse of a fallen police officer or rescue worker. Effective immediately.
Amends the Chicago Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that retiree members of the city health care plans shall pay no higher premium, and shall receive no lower level of benefits, than the active employee members with the same Medicare status. Pre-empts home rule. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Awards an assessment freeze homestead exemption to retired police officers and firefighters who meet certain requirements. Provides that the amount of the exemption is the equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which application is made minus the equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable year in which the applicant qualified for the exemption plus the first year's equalized assessed value of any added improvements that increased the assessed value of the residence after the base year. Makes corresponding changes to cross-references in the provisions concerning certification, certificate of errors, and delinquency notices. Amends various Acts concerning tax increment financing to deduct the exemption from assessed value calculations for entities that have adopted tax increment allocation financing under these provisions. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
