Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Removes language allowing the Department to establish the educational requirements for performing advanced optometric procedures by rule. Provides that the practice of optometry includes advanced optometric procedures only upon successful completion of an advanced optometric training and testing program approved by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that the Department may adopt rules to approve an advanced optometric training and testing program. Provides that schools or colleges of optometry offering the advanced optometric training and testing program shall submit a list of persons who have successfully completed the program to the Department on an annual basis or upon the Department's request. Provides that an applicant seeking licensure renewal shall complete 30 hours of continuing education relevant to the practice of optometry during each pre-renewal period. Provides that an optometrist providing advanced optometric procedures must complete an additional 6 hours of continuing education in advanced optometric procedures during each pre-renewal period. Makes other changes.
Sponsored bills
Mourns the death of Terry F. Peshia of Oswego.
Creates the Industrial Hemp Act. Provides that a person desiring to grow, cultivate, or process industrial hemp or industrial hemp products must be licensed by the Department of Agriculture. Provides that the application for a license shall include the name and address of the applicant and the legal description of the land area, including Global Positioning System coordinates, to be used to cultivate industrial hemp. Provides that the Department may determine, by rule, the duration of a license and the requirements for license renewal. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Noxious Weed Law. Provides that "noxious weed" does not include industrial hemp. Amends the Cannabis Control Act. Provides that "cannabis" does not include industrial hemp. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act.
Amends the Personnel Code. Provides that the Department of Central Management Services is not required to verify the State educator license of a teacher employed by the Department of Juvenile Justice if the license is verified by the State Board of Education. Provides that the provision shall become inoperative when the consent decree entered into on December 6, 2012 (as has been or may be corrected, amended, or modified in the action entitled R.J., et al. v. Mueller, case no. 12-cv-07289, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division) is no longer in force. Amends the Department of Juvenile Justice School District Article of the School Code. Provides that the salary of a teacher employed by the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be comparable to the salary of a teacher employed by a school district in the same geographical area in which the institution or facility is located. Effective immediately.
Amends the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act. Provides that a person who is required to register under the Act may file a Petition to Review Registrant Status with the county where he or she is required to register, seeking a hearing for early removal from the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry. Provides that the registrant shall be removed from the Registry if he or she can demonstrate exemplary conduct within his or her community, in addition to successful completion of the terms and conditions of his or her registration for 5 consecutive years on the Registry. Provides that exemplary conduct shall be successfully demonstrated when the registrant presents testimony, character witnesses, or other evidence to demonstrate rehabilitation and that the registrant has had no felony convictions during the last 5 years of registration. Provides that the office of the State's Attorney shall receive a copy of the petition and shall inform the victim involved of a hearing date and time and the courtroom scheduled for the hearing. Provides that specified information shall be collected and be accessible on the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides for the issuance of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm license plates to any Illinois resident who has earned the Southwest Asia Service Medal from the United States Armed Forces. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the purpose of the Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot program is to encourage and assist beginning entrepreneurs in starting new businesses (instead of "new information services, biotechnology, and green technology businesses"). Removes provisions limiting the aggregate amount of all reimbursements under the Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot program to $500,000 per State fiscal year. Effective immediately.
Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that law enforcement officers, in an effort to assist the Department of Children and Family Services in child protective investigations in its response to reports of child abuse or neglect, must, upon request of a child protection investigator, accompany the child protection investigator. Provides that it is the responsibility of the accompanying officer to accompany the child protection investigator to any other police jurisdiction that is outside the accompanying officer's primary jurisdiction. Amends the Department of State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Counties Code, and the Illinois Municipal Code making conforming changes.
Encourages every school district in the State of Illinois and the heads of each school in this State, in collaboration with local law enforcement, to begin exploring and implementing the necessary modern response training programs and innovative procedures that are designed to help prevent the loss of life in the event of an on-campus emergency.
Congratulates Montgomery Police Chief Daniel Meyers on his retirement.