Rep. Tony McCombie

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Creates a 5-year demonstration project within the Department of Human Services to provide an intensive workforce training program for entry level workers and a multi-generational healthy family initiative. Provides that the demonstration project shall be privately funded and shall be operated and maintained by a non-profit, community-based entity that shall provide wages earned by participants enrolled in the workforce training program as well as support services to families enrolled in the multi-generational healthy family initiative. Limits the number of participants in the demonstration to 500 and provides that participants shall qualify to have whatever financial assistance they receive from their participation in the demonstration excluded from consideration for purposes of determining eligibility for or the amount of assistance under the Code. Requires the selected community-based entity to comply with all applicable State and federal requirements and to develop and implement a research component to determine the effectiveness of the demonstration project in promoting and instilling self-sufficiency through its intensive workforce training program and multi-generational healthy family initiative. Contains provisions on reporting requirements and other matters.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits a school board from limiting the number of dual credit courses a student may enroll in or the number of credits a student may receive from dual credit courses. Provides that if a school district establishes an online learning program for students (with exceptions), the school board may not limit (i) which students may participate in the program, (ii) the number of online courses a student may enroll in, or (iii) the number of credits a student may receive from online courses.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall issue distinctive registration plates for covered farm vehicles. Provides that a $10 surcharge shall be collected, in addition to all applicable fees, for the issuance of a registration plate. Provides that the surcharge shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Provides that a designation as a covered farm vehicle shall not limit the purposes for which that vehicle may otherwise be used. Makes a corresponding change to the definition of "covered farm vehicle". Effective immediately.

Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Defines "fishing license" for purposes of the Act as an electronic or physical license authorizing the person to take a certain type of fish during a specified period of time. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires long-term care providers to submit all changes in resident status, including, but not limited to, death, discharge, changes in patient credit, third party liability, and Medicare coverage to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services through the Medical Electronic Data Interchange System, the Recipient Eligibility Verification System, or the Electronic Data Interchange System under a specified schedule. Requires the Department and other agencies to establish an expedited long-term care eligibility determination and enrollment system. Requires the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Secretary of Human Services and the Director of Aging, to hold meetings for provider associations representing facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act and certified as supportive living programs. Provides that the meetings shall be held every 6 weeks until all backlogged cases have been adjudicated and the application process has been reduced to the federal timeframe. Contains provisions concerning a 45-day extension of the federal eligibility application processing deadline in suspected cases of fraud; the identification of applicants who had full Medicaid benefits in the community for 6 months or more immediately before entering the long-term care facility; reporting requirements; public-private partnerships aimed at redeploying caseworkers to targeted high-Medicaid facilities for the purpose of expediting initial Medicaid and long-term care benefits applications; the establishment of a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant database; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Savings Bank Act. Provides that a savings bank shall have its books, records, and accounts examined at least once every 18 months (rather than at least once in each year) in the same manner as a State Bank (rather than be audited by an independent licensed public accountant not connected with the savings bank). Removes requirements concerning an annual audit. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning licensure of educators.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that taxpayers of a qualified historic structure located in a River Edge Redevelopment Zone shall be allowed a tax credit against certain provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code during a 48-month period. Provides that a taxpayer is required to provide a third-party cost certification regarding costs attributable to the rehabilitation of a historic building when the costs exceed $200,000. Defines "phased rehabilitation" and "placed in service". Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wind Energy Facilities Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act. Provides that the Act may be cited as the Renewable Energy Facilities Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act. Changes references in the Act from "commercial wind energy facility" to "commercial renewable energy facility". Provides that "commercial renewable energy facility" means a commercial wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility. Defines "commercial solar energy facility". Provides that for commercial renewable energy facility owners of a commercial solar energy facility, the agricultural impact mitigation agreement shall be entered into prior to the commercial renewable energy facility owner making contact with a landowner seeking an underlying agreement for the development of a commercial solar energy facility. Makes conforming changes in the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Effective immediately.

Designates the Savanna-Sabula bridge as the "Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge".