Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the voters of Cook County may, by initiative petition and referendum, modify the rate of a retailers' occupation tax and a service occupation tax imposed by the county and limit the amount of any expenditure made by the county. Preempts home rule powers. Effective immediately.
Amends the Toll Highway Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning powers of the Toll Highway Authority.
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Authorizes a court to award reasonable attorneys fees and costs and assess a fine not to exceed $1,000 if it finds that a public body denied or delayed access to a public record on improper or unreasonable grounds or for the sole purpose of delaying access without good cause.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall provide an annual increase in funding to all programs serving individuals with developmental disabilities for which the Department has established payment rates, including but not limited to intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled, services provided under the Illinois Home and Community Based Services Medicaid Waiver for adults with developmental disabilities, and other programs for individuals with developmental disabilities supported by State funds or by funding under the Social Security Act; provides that the annual increase in rates shall be effective the first day of every State fiscal year. Provides that Medicaid payment rates for all nursing facilities certified by the Department of Public Health under the Nursing Home Care Act as Intermediate Care for the Developmentally Disabled facilities shall be increased annually on July 1 by the over-the-year increase in the previous calendar year of the non-seasonally-adjusted Employment Cost Index for total compensation for all civilian workers compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Effective July 1, 2009.
Amends the AIDS Confidentiality Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Property Tax Code. With respect to the alternative general homestead exemption, removes the requirement that the base year be recalculated when the property is sold or transferred. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In connection with standards of payment for nursing homes under the medical assistance program, provides that for facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the Nursing Home Care Act as Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled or Long Term Care for Under Age 22 facilities, the rates taking effect on July 1, 2009 shall include an increase sufficient to provide a $0.50 per-hour wage increase for non-executive staff. Effective July 1, 2009.
Amends the Communicable Disease Prevention Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the authority of the Department of Public Health to pay for health insurance coverage on behalf of HIV-infected persons.
Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides for reasonable visitation between a child and a non-custodial parent through electronic communication such as telephone, e-mail, instant messaging, and other modes of electronic communication. Provides that the court may not use time spent in electronic communication to affect child support, custody, visitation, or removal of a child from the State. Provides for the custodial parent to provide any new e-mail address of the child to the noncustodial parent within 24 hours of the change. Makes other changes concerning electronic communication between a parent and a child and between a grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling and a child.
Amends the Environmental Barriers Act. Sets forth certain places to which the accessibility standards adopted by the Capital Development Board shall not apply.
