Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Military Reservist Business Assistance Loan Program to make loans to small businesses (i) that lose an owner, a manager, or a key employee due to a period of military conflict and (ii) that will experience economic injury as a result of the loss of that owner, manager, or key employee. Authorizes the Department to accept grants, loans, or appropriations and associated contracts and agreements for purposes similar to this program. Limits the total amount of any loan awarded under the program to $150,000. Requires the Department to adopt rules concerning the administration of the program and to create a competitive application procedure. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the School Code. With regard to funds appropriated from the Driver Education Fund to the State Board of Education for reimbursement to school districts for providing driver education, provides that (i) as soon as may be after each quarter of the year, the State Comptroller shall draw his or her warrants upon the State Treasurer as directed by the State Board of Education, (ii) the warrant for each quarter shall be in an amount equal to one-fourth of the total amount to be distributed to school districts for the year, and (iii) payments shall be made to school districts as soon as may be after receipt of the warrants. Effective immediately.
Creates the Restroom Access Act. Requires a retail establishment that has a toilet facility for its employees to allow a customer to use that facility during normal business hours if the following conditions are met: (1) the customer requesting the use of the employee toilet facility suffers from an eligible medical condition or utilizes an ostomy device; (2) three or more employees of the retail establishment are working at the time the request is made; (3) the retail establishment does not normally make a restroom available to the public; (4) the employee toilet facility is not located in an area where providing access would create an obvious health or safety risk to the customer; and (5) a public restroom is not immediately accessible to the customer. Provides circumstances in which the retail establishment or an employee would not be civilly liable for any act or omission in allowing a customer to use an employee toilet facility. Provides that a retail establishment is not required to make any physical changes to an employee toilet facility. Provides a penalty of not more than $100 for a violation of the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Provides that a provider agency may recruit volunteers for the purpose of increasing public awareness and providing transportation and companion services to eligible adults. Effective immediately.
Amends the Crime Victims Compensation Act. Provides that the definition of "pecuniary loss" includes the first month's rent and security deposit of the dwelling that the claimant relocated to and other reasonable relocation expenses incurred as a result of the violent crime.
Amends the Technology Development Act. Creates a Technology Development Fund for use by the State Treasurer in paying the expenses of investments from the Technology Development Account. Permits the State Treasurer to use any excess for grants to schools to buy computers and to upgrade technology. Permits the State Treasurer to deposit up to 10% of the earnings on Account investments into the Fund. Effective immediately.
Creates the Home Care Consumer and Worker Protection Act. If an agency places a home care worker with a consumer to provide home care services, requires the agency to give the worker and the consumer a notice setting forth the rights and responsibilities of each of them as well as appropriate phone numbers and addresses of the Department on Aging. Provides that the Act does not apply to nursing homes, home health agencies, and certain other agencies. Provides that an agency subject to the Act must comply with the Health Care Worker Background Check Act and must ensure that every home care worker placed by the agency for hire by a consumer has the appropriate credentials and is appropriately licensed or certified as required by law. Authorizes the Department on Aging to investigate complaints of violations of the Act, issue cease-and-desist orders, and seek injunctive relief. Provides for a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day that a violation continues. Effective January 1, 2006.
Creates the Assistive Technology Protection Act. Requires a physical evaluation of a consumer by a health care professional and a technology assessment by a qualified rehabilitation professional before an assistive device is sold or leased to the consumer. Provides that a manufacturer who sells an assistive device shall furnish the consumer with an express warranty that the assistive device will be free from any condition or defect that substantially impairs the value of the assistive device to the consumer. Provides that the consumer is entitled to a refund from the manufacturer if the manufacturer fails to repair the assistive device. Establishes procedures for receiving a refund. Prohibits the resale or lease of an assistive device returned by a consumer without full disclosure of the reasons for the return. Provides for arbitration of disputes under the Act, under rules adopted by the Attorney General. Requires the Attorney General to prepare a written statement of a consumer's rights under the Act and to make copies of the statement available to assistive device manufacturers, dealers, and lessors. Provides that a consumer's purported waiver of any of his or her rights under the Act is void. Authorizes the Attorney General to impose civil penalties for violations of the Act, and provides for damages caused by a violation of the Act.
Creates the Firearms Act. Contains only a short title provision.
Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.