Amends the School Code. Creates a pilot class size reduction grant program, to be implemented and administered by the State Board of Education. Provides that grants shall be awarded to schools to defray the costs and expenses of operating and maintaining classes of no more than 15 pupils per teacher per class. Effective July 1, 2006.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the Illinois Identification Card Act. Provides that, when information is obtained from a driver's license or identification card to identify or prove the age of the holder of the license or identification card, or in the course of a commercial transaction, that information may be used only for purposes of identification of the individual or for completing the commercial transaction in which the information was obtained. Provides that the information may not be used for any other purpose and may not be provided to a third party. Provides that a person whose driver's license or identification card information was used in violation of the provision is entitled to recover actual damages, but not less than liquidated damages in the amount of $250 for each violation, plus attorney's fees and costs. Creates exceptions.
Amends the Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act. Provides that a person required to make reports of allegations of abuse or neglect under the Act or cause such reports to be made, as provided in rules, who willfully fails to comply with those reporting requirements is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Health Care Finance Reform Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to require all ambulatory surgical treatment centers licensed to operate in the State (now, the requirement applies only to hospitals licensed to operate in the State) to adopt a uniform system for submitting patient claims and encounter data (now, patient billing data) for payment from public and private payors. Requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to submit billing data to the Department of Public Health no later than 60 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Requires the Department to include certain information in its "Consumer Guide to Health Care" on its website. Authorizes the Department to disclose certain information on its website. Authorizes the Department to promulgate rules concerning the provisions of the Illinois Health Care Finance Reform Act. Requires that ambulatory surgical treatment centers, organizations representing ambulatory surgical treatment centers, purchasers, consumer groups, and health plans be meaningfully involved in the development of all aspects of the Department's methodology for collecting, analyzing, and disclosing the information collected under this Act. Requires the Department to evaluate additional methods for comparing the performance of hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers and report its findings and recommendations on its Internet website and to the Governor and General Assembly no later than January 1, 2006. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Good Samaritan Act. Provides immunity against criminal liability, civil damages, or medical malpractice damages for any acts or omissions, for any physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all its branches or licensed to practice the treatment of human ailments in any other state or territory of the United States; any dental emergency responder; any licensed nurse; any licensed physicians assistant; any licensed EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, or EMT-Paramedic; and any First Responder who provides volunteer Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) services to any person or animal in any law enforcement incident or training situation, or any other law enforcement related situation, including disasters, in civil unrest, or methamphetamine lab interdiction.
Amends the Good Samaritan Act. Provides that any person who is certified in first aid or has completed a course of instruction in first aid, who in good faith provides emergency care without fee to any person shall not, as a result of his or her acts or omissions, except willful and wanton misconduct on the part of the person, in providing the care, be liable to a person to whom such care is provided for civil damages. Effective July 1, 2006.
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that any person who uses a consumer credit report in connection with the approval of credit based on the application for an extension of credit, and who has received notification of a police report filed with a consumer credit reporting agency that the applicant has been a victim of aggravated identity theft, may not lend money or extend credit without taking reasonable steps to verify the consumer's identity and confirm that the application for an extension of credit is not the result of financial identity theft or aggravated identity theft. Adds that a consumer may place a security freeze on his or her credit report by making a request directly to the consumer credit reporting agency through a secure electronic mail connection, if an electronic mail connection is provided by the consumer credit reporting agency. Provides that a consumer credit reporting agency shall not charge a fee for placing, removing, or removing for a specific party or period of time a security freeze on a credit report, if the consumer submits to the credit reporting agency a valid copy of a police report, investigative report, or complaint that the consumer has filed with a law enforcement agency about the unlawful use of his or her personal information by another person. Allows the credit reporting agency to charge a fee of not more than $10 to a consumer for each security freeze or temporary lift of a security freeze for a specific party and a fee of not more than $8 for removal of a security freeze or temporary lift of a security freeze for a period of time. Provides that the consumer credit reporting agency shall send a written confirmation of the security freeze to the consumer within 5 (instead of 10) business days of placing the freeze on the account. Requires the Director of the Division of Financial Institutions in the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to promulgate rules necessary to allow the use of electronic media to receive and process a request from a consumer to temporarily lift a security freeze as quickly as possible, with the goal of processing a request within 15 minutes of that request. Defines "consumer", "consumer credit reporting agency", "credit report", "Director", and "security freeze". Changes references from "credit reporting agency" to "consumer credit reporting agency". Effective January 1, 2007.
Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. Enlarges the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
Amends the Illinois Economic Opportunity Act, the State Finance Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Illinois Municipal Code, the Public Utilities Act, the Energy Assistance Act, and the Good Samaritan Energy Plan Act. Makes provisions concerning transfers to the General Revenue Fund from other funds not applicable to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, the Good Samaritan Energy Trust Fund, and the Energy Assistance Program Fund. Creates an Illinois income tax checkoff whereby a taxpayer may make a contribution to the Energy Assistance Program Fund. Prohibits the termination of gas or electric utility service to residential users who participate in or are eligible for the energy assistance program, and provides for reconnection of utility service to such households. Provides for administration of the energy assistance program and the Good Samaritan Energy Trust Fund by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services instead of the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (now Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity); requires the Department to adopt rules providing for enhanced enrollment for eligible consumers to receive energy assistance, and requires gas and electric utility companies and cooperatives to assist in coordinating low-income energy assistance. Provides that the annual eligibility level for the energy assistance program may not be lower (instead of higher) than 150% of the federal poverty level. Deletes the repeal of provisions concerning the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund scheduled for December 31, 2007. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Clean Indoor Air Act. Provides that smoking is prohibited in any portion 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. Effective immediately.
