Rep. Maria Antonia Berrios

Mourns the death of Georgette D. Watson.

Applauds the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) on the 20th anniversary of its Discoverers Award program.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Makes a technical change in a Section defining "aged" or "senior citizen".

Amends the School Code. Provides that a vision examination must be included as a part of the health examination required within one year prior to entering kindergarten or the first grade, whichever grade the child first enters, of any public, private, or parochial elementary school. Makes related changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective January 1, 2008.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Permits a State agency to renew or extend a lease of real property or capital improvements without using the request for information selection process if it is in the State's best interest and the Procurement Policy Board does not object (now, permitted only for renewal or extension of leases in effect before July 1, 2002). Effective July 1, 2007.

Amends the Use Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the rolling stock exemption.

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

Creates the Teacher Homebuyer Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to establish and administer a program to provide down payment assistance to public school teachers who teach in hard-to-staff schools or hard-to-staff positions for purchasing residences within the school district. Provides that the assistance shall be in the form of a deferred payment, low-interest subordinate mortgage loan with a term not longer than the term of the first mortgage loan, with interest accruing at a rate of up to 5% per annum. Provides that if the borrower has continuously been a teacher for the 5-year period immediately following the date of recordation of the loan deed of trust, then repayment of the loan shall be forgiven and considered a grant. Provides that repayment of the principal and accrued interest is due and payable upon the occurrence of certain events. Effective immediately.

Amends the Alternative Health Care Delivery Act. Provides that there shall be no more than 10 birth center alternative health care models in the demonstration program authorized under the Act. Sets forth requirements for the location of the centers and for services and standards of the centers. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules for the operation and research protocols of birth centers. Makes other changes.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Adds members of a school board, the Chicago Board of Education, or the governing body of a private school as mandated reporters. Provides that any person who knowingly and willfully violates any mandated-reporter provision of the Act other than a second or subsequent violation of transmitting a false report is guilty of a Class 4 felony (instead of a Class A misdemeanor) for a first violation and a Class 3 (instead of Class 4) felony for a second or subsequent violation. Effective immediately.