Rep. Kathleen A. Ryg

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Creates the Biometric Information Privacy Study Committee to examine: the use of biometric identifiers, information, and technology used by the State and local governments and report on current policies, procedures, and practices used by governmental entities to protect against unauthorized disclosure of information; best practices; and issues. Provides the Committee's report and recommendations shall be submitted to the General Assembly before December 31, 2010. Provides that members of the Committee shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses.

Creates the Advanced Science Zones Act. Sets forth procedures for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to certify areas in the State as Advanced Science Zones. Sets forth procedures for the administration of the Zones. Requires the Department to establish several programs with respect to the Zones including a loan program, a financial-assistance program, a transferable investment tax credit, and a tax-deduction certification. Contains other provisions. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make corresponding changes concerning the tax credits and deductions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that if the Director of Public Health determines that it would be in the best interests of the residents of a nursing home to do so, the Director may require that the nursing home use the amount of any penalty assessed under the Act for the purpose of implementing a directed plan of correction rather than pay the amount of the penalty to the Department of Public Health for deposit into the Long Term Care Monitor/Receiver Fund. Provides that if the Director of Public Health requires a facility to use the amount of a penalty for the purpose of implementing a directed plan of correction, it is the Department of Public Health's responsibility to ensure that the facility in fact uses the amount of the penalty for that purpose. Effective immediately.

Resolves that the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, shall develop a 7-year Plan with yearly benchmarks to enhance and expand access to quality community services and supports, by December 1, 2009.

Creates the Pediatric Palliative Care Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall develop a pediatric palliative care pilot program under which a qualifying child may receive community-based pediatric palliative care from a trained interdisciplinary team while continuing to pursue aggressive curative treatments for a potentially life-limiting medical condition under the benefits available under the Medicaid program. Provides that the Department shall apply for a federal waiver to conduct the program. Provides that a "qualifying child" for the pilot program is a child under the age of 18 years who is enrolled in the Medicaid program and suffers from a potentially life-limiting medical condition. Sets forth certain counties to be included in the pilot program. Requires a report to the General Assembly at the end of the 3-year pilot period. Amends the Hospice Program Licensing Act; requires the Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board to review pediatric palliative care issues. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act and the State Finance Act. Removes the allocation formula for the use of the Community Mental Health Medicaid Trust Fund and provides that 100% of the Fund shall be used for the purchase of community mental health services. Removes the reallocation of the first $16,700,000 from the Community Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Trust Fund. Requires the Department of Human Services to annually report to the Governor and the General Assembly upon total deposits into and expenditures from those funds. Provides that the moneys in those funds are exempt from fund sweeps. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Public Safety Special Needs Alert Program Act. Establishes the Special Needs Alert Program (SNAP) database to ensure persons with disabilities or special needs or both have the same access to public safety services as provided to all citizens. Requires public safety agencies to make reasonable efforts to publicize the SNAP database and provides how a special needs person or family member or care giver of a special needs person can enter emergency contact information into the SNAP database. Contains provisions concerning the verification of information entered into the database; the dissemination of emergency information entered into SNAP to other public safety agencies during an emergency 9-1-1 call; the confidentiality of information entered into SNAP; liability; defined terms; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall combine best practices and methods and programmatic functions of the Illinois Future Teacher Corps Program and the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching's Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program into one program, to be known as the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program and managed by the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that this consolidated program shall be fully operational before July 1, 2012 and that Fiscal Year 2012 shall be the last year that Illinois Future Teacher Corps scholarships are available. Provides for a transition period. Requires the Commission to transfer funding from the Illinois Future Teacher Corps Program to the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that following the completion of the transition of funding, all applications for scholarship assistance shall be in a form determined by the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that the eligibility requirements apply only to Illinois Future Teacher Corps scholarships. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mechanics Lien Act. Requires that a contractor for improvements of an owner-occupied single-family residence give the owner written notice before filing a lien against any property of the owner. Effective immediately.