Amends the School Code. Adds the subjects of consumer debt, higher education student loans, and identity-theft security to the list of subjects that are required to be included in the financial literacy component of consumer education. Effective July 1, 2015.
Amends the Public Accountability and Performance System Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the School Code. Repeals provisions of the Code concerning concussions and head injuries and student athletes. Sets forth provisions concerning the prevention, treatment, and oversight of concussions affecting student athletes instead. Requires the governing body of each school district and charter school with students enrolled who participate in an interscholastic athletic activity to appoint or approve a concussion oversight team. Requires each concussion oversight team to establish a return-to-play protocol for a student's return to interscholastic athletics practice or competition following a force or impact believed to have caused a concussion. Sets forth provisions concerning the members of the concussion oversight team; the provision of concussion information to a student and the student's parent or guardian or another person with legal authority to make medical decisions for the student; the removal of a student from an interscholastic athletics practice or competition if he or she might have sustained a concussion; training courses for coaches, athletic trainers, and certain other health care professionals; the development of a venue-specific emergency action plan; immunity; and rulemaking. Makes technical changes having a revisory function. Effective immediately.
Creates the Caregiver Advise, Record, and Enable Act. Provides that after a patient is admitted as an inpatient into a hospital and before the patient is discharged or transferred, the hospital shall provide the patient or the patient's legal representative with an opportunity to designate a caregiver. Provides that the hospital shall document the patient's designation of a caregiver. Requires the hospital to notify the patient's designated caregiver prior to the patient's discharge or transfer, unless the patient indicates that he or she does not want the designated caregiver to be notified. Requires the hospital to consult with the designated caregiver and issue a discharge plan that contains certain information. Provides that the hospital issuing the discharge plan shall make an effort to provide or arrange for the designated caregiver to receive instructions in the after-care assistance tasks described in the discharge plan. Provides that the Act shall not be construed to interfere with the rights of an agent operating under a valid health care directive and shall not be construed to create a private right of action against certain individuals and entities. Contains other provisions. Effective 180 days after becoming law.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that subject to federal approval if required, a household that includes an elderly, blind, or disabled person shall be considered categorically eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits if the gross income of such household is at or below 200% of the nonfarm income poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2); and a household that does not include an elderly, blind, or disabled person shall be considered categorically eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits if the gross income of such household is at or below 165% of those nonfarm income poverty guidelines. Effective January 1, 2016.
Amends the State Treasurer Act. Creates the "Achieving a Better Life Experience" or "ABLE" account program to encourage and assist individuals and families in saving private funds for the purpose of supporting persons with disabilities in endeavors to maintain health, independence, and quality of life, and to provide secure funding for disability-related expenses on behalf of designated beneficiaries with disabilities that will supplement, but not supplant, benefits provided through private insurance, federal and State medical and disability insurance, the beneficiary's employment, and other sources. Provides that the State Treasurer shall be primarily responsible for the plan but shall work with the Illinois State Board of Investment. Sets forth the requirements of the plan. Requires the State Treasurer to adopt rules to implement the program. Defines required terms.
Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Prohibits a State agency from entering into a contract subject to the Code with a business that boycotts Israel. Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires each of the 5 State-funded retirement systems (or the Illinois State Board of Investment where applicable) to make its best efforts to identify all companies that boycott Israel in which it has direct or indirect holdings and, under certain circumstances, to divest itself of holdings in those companies.
Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall cooperate with the Department of Transportation to promote public awareness regarding the national human trafficking hotline. Provides that this includes, but is not limited to, displaying public awareness signs in high risk areas, such as, but not limited to, truck stops, bus stations, train stations, airports, and rest stops.
Amends the Illinois Exotic Weed Act. Adds exotic bush honeysuckles (Lonicera maackii, Lonicera tatarica, Lonicera morrowii, and Lonicera fragrantissima), exotic olives (Elaeagnus umbellata, Elaeagnus pungens, Elaeagnus angustifolia), salt cedar (all members of the Tamarix genus), poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), and lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), teasel (all members of the Dipsacus genus), and Japanese, giant, and Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia japonica, syn. Polygonum cuspidatum; Fallopia sachalinensis; and Fallopia x bohemica, resp.) to designated exotic weeds.
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may accumulate an amount not to exceed 3% of the equalized assessed value of property subject to taxation by the county (rather than 5% of the amount appropriated to the county's general corporate or operating fund) in its County Capital Improvement, Repair, or Replacement Fund.
