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.
Sponsored bills
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 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.
Creates the Illinois Latino Family Commission Act and the Illinois Latino Family Commission. Sets forth the purpose and the composition of the Commission. Provides for the funding of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall annually report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the Commission's progress towards its goals and objectives. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Creates the Ensuring Success in School Law to (1) ensure that youth who are parents, expectant parents, or the victims of domestic or sexual violence are identified by schools in a manner respectful of their privacy and safety, treated with dignity and regard, and provided the protection, instruction, and related support services necessary to enable them to meet State educational standards and successfully attain a high school diploma; (2) ensure that Illinois school-level staff and policymakers understand and are sensitive to the needs and characteristics of such youth; (3) afford protections in a school setting to a population of youth who have historically been stigmatized and discriminated against; and (4) promote best practices in Illinois' schools. Contains provisions concerning confidentiality; the right to attend school; review and revision of policies; and specially trained personnel. Makes other changes in the School Code with respect to parents, expectant parents, and victims of domestic or sexual violence in provisions concerning the suspension and expulsion of pupils, home instruction, in-service training programs, alternative schools within Chicago, an individualized education program for a child with a disability, truants, and charter schools. Provides that the provisions of the Act are severable. Effective immediately.
Creates the School Health Center Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to initiate 20 new school health centers over a 5-year period beginning July 1, 2007, and build capacity with existing school health centers in the State. Effective immediately.
Creates the Illinois Stem Cell Initiative of 2007. Contains only a short title provision.
Creates the Teacher Homebuyer Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to establish and administer a program to provide down payment assistance to public school teachers who teach in hard-to-staff schools or hard-to-staff positions for purchasing residences within the school district. Provides that the assistance shall be in the form of a deferred payment, low-interest subordinate mortgage loan with a term not longer than the term of the first mortgage loan, with interest accruing at a rate of up to 5% per annum. Provides that if the borrower has continuously been a teacher for the 5-year period immediately following the date of recordation of the loan deed of trust, then repayment of the loan shall be forgiven and considered a grant. Provides that repayment of the principal and accrued interest is due and payable upon the occurrence of certain events. Effective immediately.
Amends the Collection Agency Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning definitions and entities acting as a collection agency. Sets forth requirements for debt collectors or collection agencies regarding communication with persons other than the debtor, communication conducted in connection with debt collection, validation of debts, and debt collection as a result of identity theft. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to provide that a violation of certain Sections of the Collection Agency Act constitutes an unlawful practice under the Act. Effective January 1, 2008.