Rep. Rosemary Mulligan

Amends the Illinois Workforce Investment Board Act. Requires the Illinois Workforce Investment Board to annually, as soon as practical after the end of a fiscal year, retain a certified public accountant to perform an external financial and performance audit for that fiscal year and to file the certified audit with appropriate local and State officers and agencies. Effective January 1, 2010.

Amends the Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires a mechanism to exist which will allow certain medical assistance recipients required to receive care administered through an entity licensed under the Health Maintenance Organization Act or a third party administrator paid through a capitated payment rate, to opt out of such coverage and enroll in a fee-for-service based coverage, if certain conditions apply. Effective July 1, 2010.

Amends the Election Code. Prohibits media communications that refer to clearly identified candidates until specified periods before a general primary and general election, with certain exceptions. Authorizes the State Board of Elections to impose civil penalties for violations.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that the holder of a gift certificate issued on or after January 1, 2011 that has a balance of less than $10 must be given the option of receiving that balance in cash. Effective January 1, 2011.

Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Provides that, subject to appropriations, the Department shall establish a program to make grants to entities for providing mental health and preventive health services, as well as assistance in obtaining other available services, using mobile units that travel to various locations to provide services, including local veterans organization facilities and facilities serving the homeless. Provides that services under the program shall target homeless veterans and other veterans facing obstacles to obtaining needed care or services, including those residing in rural and medically underserved areas. Effective immediately.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. In a provision concerning dispensing prescriptions, provides that if the physician or other authorized prescriber prescribes a specific generic drug, then the pharmacist must notify the patient or customer when he or she is dispensing a generic drug other than the specific generic drug prescribed. Provides that if a physician or other authorized prescriber changes a patient's prescription to a generic drug other than the specific drug that was originally prescribed, then the pharmacist must notify the patient or customer of this change at the time of dispensing that drug. Effective immediately.

Amends the Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse and Dependency Act. Includes a study to identify the recidivism rates among adults and juveniles in the compulsive gambling program established by the Department of Human Services and requires the Department to file a report with the General Assembly detailing the results of the study on or before January 1, 2010 and every 2 years thereafter. Amends the Riverboat Gambling Act. Provides that an amount equal to 0.5% of the adjusted gross receipts of all owners licensees under the Act or one-twelfth of $10,000,000, whichever is less, shall be paid monthly, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, from the State Gaming Fund to the Department of Human Services for the purposes of funding the compulsive gambling program established under the Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse and Dependency Act. In provisions requiring that each licensed owner post signs with a statement regarding obtaining assistance with gambling problems, provides that the signs be posted near each automated teller machine. Effective immediately.

Urges Congress to enact employment security reform, including repeal of the surtax under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA).

Appropriates $10,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Community College Board for grants to community college districts to expand job training programs for individuals who are unemployed. Effective July 1, 2009.

Amends the Legislative Information System Act. Requires LIS to create and maintain a Legislative Ideas Forum to allow citizens to make suggestions and comments concerning legislative ideas and pending legislation. Citizens will be identified on the Forum only by username. Requires LIS to monitor submissions and decline to post those with inappropriate language or that are libelous. Allows Senators and Representatives to request that posts originating from their district be forwarded to them electronically. Effective immediately.