Creates the Comprehensive Housing, Health, and Supportive Services for Older Adults Act and amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, the State Finance Act, and the Nursing Home Care Act. Requires the Director of Public Health, in coordination with the Director of Aging and the Director of Public Aid, to monitor and analyze the distribution of housing and services for older adults in the different geographic areas of the State and implement corrective action plans by July 1, 2005. Provides for a program for conversion of nursing homes to assisted living or shared housing establishments; makes such conversions exempt from the requirements of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, and provides for transition planning grants to nursing homes making such conversions. Creates special funds in the State treasury for use in implementing the Comprehensive Housing, Health, and Supportive Services for Older Adults Act. Provides for transfers from the Long Term Care Monitor/Receiver Fund to the new Nursing Home Conversion Fund and the new Nursing Home Transition Planning Grant Fund. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that the Attorney General may commence a civil action in the name of the People of the State of Illinois as parens patriae to enforce the Act. Provides for venue and limitations. Provides that remedies are available to the Attorney General to the same extent that remedies are available to an aggrieved party, and that, in addition to those remedies, the court shall award the State, as monetary relief, 3 times the amount of profits that accrued to the respondent by reason of the act, conduct, practice, or system challenged in the action, plus costs and a reasonable attorney's fee as determined by the court. Provides that the court shall: require that damages for injuries sustained by persons other than the State be paid to those persons (with certain exceptions) to the extent they are identifiable and there is a practicable method for making the payment; and direct that damages that cannot practicably be paid to injured individuals shall be paid to the State. Provides for notice by publication or other means to aggrieved parties who may be bound by the court's judgment in the Attorney General's action and the right of any aggrieved party to elect to exclude his or her claim from adjudication. Provides that the Attorney General may intervene as parens patriae on behalf of persons in civil actions brought by aggrieved individuals under the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act and the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that an assisted living or shared housing establishment that does not provide medication as an optional service must advise a prospective resident to consult a physician about whether to obtain a flu shot. Provides that an establishment that provides medication administration as an optional service shall annually administer a flu shot to each resident and shall administer or arrange for the administration of a pneumonia shot to each resident who is age 65 or older. Requires hospitals to administer annual flu shots to all patients and to provide or arrange for the administration of pneumonia shots to patients age 65 or over. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Notary Public Act and the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practice Act. Prohibits a person whose prior notary commission was suspended, canceled, or revoked from receiving another commission (now, a 10-year prohibition). Exempts notaries who are accredited immigration representatives (now, only attorneys) from the requirement that non-English advertisements of service include a notice that the notary is not an attorney. Applies the notice requirement to other identifying articles, such as letterhead and business cards. Prohibits the literal translation of various English terms that may imply the notary is an attorney. Prohibits a notary from accepting fees for immigration advice or assistance. Makes violations subject to fines, business offense penalties, and commission revocation. Makes other changes. Under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, imposes similar restrictions, requirements, and penalties on persons providing immigration services. Permits recovery of prohibited fees through compensatory damages and permits punitive damages of 3 times the amount of the fees. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Changes the requirements for approval of an application for a Certificate of Interexchange Service Authority. Adds guidelines for prepaid calling cards and point of sale services. Effective immediately.
Amends the Sale of Tobacco to Minors Act. Prohibits the sale of tobacco over the Internet.
Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Makes a technical change to the penalty Section.
Amends the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act and the Excellence in Academic Medicine Act. Provides that Alzheimer's disease and related disorders affect an estimated 4,500,000 (rather than 1,500,000) Americans and approximately 200,000 (rather than 111,000) Illinois citizens. Provides that the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee shall review and evaluate State programs and services provided by State agencies that are directed toward persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and recommend changes to improve the State's response to this health problem. Provides that payments to hospitals affiliated with each Regional Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center shall be effected through the Illinois Department of Public Aid under the Excellence in Academic Medicine Act. Creates the Alzheimer's Disease Center Fund (and amends the State Finance Act to include the fund as a special fund in the State treasury). Creates an Alzheimer's Disease Center Program to provide financial incentives to the Regional Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Centers established under the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act.
Amends the School Code and the State Finance Act. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a 3-year technology immersion pilot project to provide a wireless laptop computer to each student, teacher, and relevant administrator in a participating school and implement the use of software, on-line courses, and other appropriate learning technologies that have been shown to improve academic achievement and specified progress measures. Creates the Technology Immersion Pilot Project Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, with moneys being used by the State Board for the pilot project. Requires participating school districts to send an annual progress report to the State Board. Effective immediately.
Amends the Debt Management Services Act. In language defining "debt management service" as the planning and management of the financial affairs of a debtor for a fee and the receiving of money from the debtor for the purpose of distributing it to the debtor's creditors in payment or partial payment of the debtor's obligations or soliciting financial contributions from creditors, adds language providing that the distribution may be made directly or indirectly. Effective immediately.