Rep. Esther Golar

Amends the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Public Health Program Beneficiary Employer Disclosure Law. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the knowing possession of a controlled or counterfeit substance or controlled substance analog.

Creates the Paid Medical Leave For Caregivers Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Supports the empowerment of Local School Councils as effective local, publicly-elected decision-making bodies in the city of Chicago and the sponsorship of subject-matter hearings on the needs of Local School Councils to ensure their continued success.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the amount of the earned income tax credit from 5% of the federal credit to: (i) 7.5% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2007; and (ii) 10% of the federal tax credit for taxable years ending in calendar year 2008 or thereafter. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children's Health Insurance Program Act, the Covering ALL KIDS Insurance Act, the Illinois Public Aid Code, and the Veterans' Health Insurance Program Act. Provides that the fee schedule for each of these programs must be competitive with those of non-governmental, third-party health insurance programs. Provides that (i) reimbursement for any service must not be lower than Medicare reimbursement in effect on December 31, 2007; (ii) the fee schedule must be decreased or increased every January 1 corresponding to the decrease or increase in the Consumer Price Index for medical care published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, but in no case more than 4% per year; and (iii) payment for services must be made within 30 days after receipt of a bill or claim for payment. Effective July 1, 2008.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Under specified circumstances, allows for a maximum of 5 additional charter schools exclusively for truants or dropouts in Chicago if the limit on the number of charter schools that may operate at any one time in the rest of the State has not been reached. Provides that if any of the additional charter schools are not used exclusively for truants or dropouts, then the State Board of Education shall withhold and the charter school shall forfeit all State funding designated for that school.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to provide coverage for habilitative services, including, but not limited to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy for children under the age of 19 with congenital or genetic defects existing at or from birth or with a defect acquired at a young age. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Creates the Probationary School Oversight Committee to work with principals and staff to develop stringent guidelines to address school performance.