Rep. Esther Golar

Mourns the death of Arthur Kenneth Jones.

Amends the Transportation Cooperation Act of 1971. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of this Act.

Mourns the death of Ceola Crawford.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to change the repeal date of the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act from January 1, 2008 to January 1, 2018. Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Replaces "Department of Professional Regulation" with "Department of Financial and Professional Regulation" and "Director of the Department of Professional Regulation" with "Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation" throughout the Act. Adds a provision concerning an applicant's or licensee's change of address. Provides that a civil penalty of $10,000 (rather than $5,000) shall be imposed upon an individual for each offense of unlicensed practice. Makes changes to provisions concerning licensure, licensure by endorsement, grounds for disciplinary action, rehearing, and the appointment of a hearing officer. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Attorney General Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning appointment of substitute attorneys.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Makes a technical change in a Section defining "aged" or "senior citizen".

Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Provides that a forest preserve may sell certain vacant, subdivided residential outlots if the board of commissioners determines that the sale is advantageous to the district. Sets forth other criteria for the sale of the lots. Provides that the proceeds from the sale must be set aside and used only for certain capital improvements or for the payment of bond indebtedness. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a vision examination must be included as a part of the health examination required within one year prior to entering kindergarten or the first grade, whichever grade the child first enters, of any public, private, or parochial elementary school. Makes related changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective January 1, 2008.

Amends the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Act. Provides that in any fiscal year in which an appropriation for the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Initiative is made, the consortium shall guarantee that support will be available to an admitted cohort for the cohort's training for that fiscal year (instead of providing that the consortium shall guarantee that support will be available to an admitted cohort through the cohort's full period of training). Makes changes concerning expenditures under the Initiative with regard to requests to waive the teaching obligation or to defer repayment, the way grants are awarded to provide the required support for a cohort of candidates, and what a program budget must include. Provides that grant funds may be used by any member of a consortium to offset the costs of child care and other direct expenses that are necessary to permit candidates to maintain their class schedules. Effective July 1, 2007.

Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Subject to appropriations, requires the Department to pay veterans service organizations for services provided by veterans service officers in processing claims and other benefits for veterans and their spouses or other beneficiaries residing in Illinois. Requires payment at the rate of $0.010 for each dollar of benefits obtained for veterans or their spouses or other beneficiaries. Sets forth criteria that a veterans service organization must meet.