Rep. Kathleen A. Ryg

Amends the Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the second week of September of every year is designated as Everyday Heroes Week in Illinois. Provides that Everyday Heroes Week is in honor of all men and women of the military, fire, rescue, emergency, medical field, police, and public works departments, who risk their lives every day. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after July 1, 2003, the Department of Public Aid shall reimburse providers of home health services under the Medicaid program at the same rates at which the federal government reimburses providers of those services under the Medicare program, using the Low Utilization Payment Adjustment (LUPA) national-average rate structure. Requires that the Department adjust those rates annually to reflect changes in the LUPA national-average rate structure. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning the short title.

Appropriates $1,560,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Public Health for grants to the Metropolitan Chicago Hospital Council-CHC for support of the Illinois Poison Control Center. Effective July 1, 2004.

Creates the Corporate Location Efficiency Task Force to study and report on the issues of jobsite locations and the commute time and cost of housing issues for employees across the State.

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the Public Health Laboratory Services Revolving Fund to the Department of Public Health to reimburse units of local government that are located in Metropolitan Statistical Areas as defined in the United States 2000 Census for laboratory services expenses related to the identification and analysis of emerging public health problems or outbreaks. Effective July 1, 2004.

Urges Congress to provide a guaranteed level of funding for veterans' health care with mandatory funding.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code to require coverage for rehabilitation therapy for brain injuries. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to require the same coverage under those Acts. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. For purposes of the AABD program, provides that "disabled person" is defined as in the Social Security Act (instead of providing a definition separate from that Act). Sets forth standards to be used by the Department of Human Services in determining whether persons are disabled for purposes of the AABD program. Provides Medicaid eligibility for non-citizens in the case of medical care needed for treatment of an emergency condition, if the non-citizen otherwise meets the financial eligibility requirements for the AABD MAG program or Family Care program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Human Services (Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Directs the Department to study the costs and benefits of establishing a specific treatment methodology for people suffering from both mental illness and substance abuse. Requires a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by February 1, 2005. Effective immediately.