Recognizes the Kutsunis family gift of grant money that will go toward helping Geneseo high school seniors afford college and Geneseo's future capital improvement needs.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Public Aid may not establish any formulary limits on, or restrict by any prior authorization requirement, any insulin prescription drug as prescribed and determined to be medically necessary for the treatment of diabetes. Effective July 1, 2004.
Creates the Comprehensive Housing, Health, and Supportive Services for Older Adults Act and amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, the State Finance Act, and the Nursing Home Care Act. Requires the Director of Public Health, in coordination with the Director of Aging and the Director of Public Aid, to monitor and analyze the distribution of housing and services for older adults in the different geographic areas of the State and implement corrective action plans by July 1, 2005. Provides for a program for conversion of nursing homes to assisted living or shared housing establishments; makes such conversions exempt from the requirements of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, and provides for transition planning grants to nursing homes making such conversions. Creates special funds in the State treasury for use in implementing the Comprehensive Housing, Health, and Supportive Services for Older Adults Act. Provides for transfers from the Long Term Care Monitor/Receiver Fund to the new Nursing Home Conversion Fund and the new Nursing Home Transition Planning Grant Fund. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the educational services block grant for a school district having a population exceeding 500,000 inhabitants, provides that the grant shall include funding for children requiring special education services. Removes the extraordinary component of the Special Education program that the educational services block grant includes. Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Replaces certain provisions concerning State reimbursement to a school district with new provisions governing payments for children requiring special education services. Makes changes concerning room and board funds. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Provides that if a school district has an overall shortage of highly qualified teachers, as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, or a shortage of highly qualified teachers in the subject area of mathematics, science, reading, or special education, then the school board must spend at least 40% of the money it receives from Title 2 grants under the Act on professional development for teachers (in a specific subject area if applicable) until there is no longer a shortage of highly qualified teachers (in a specific subject area if applicable). Effective immediately.
Creates the Mercury Reduction Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency may participate in the establishment and implementation of a multi-state clearinghouse to assist in carrying out the purpose of mercury reduction. Provides that beginning July 1, 2005, no mercury-added product may be offered for final sale or use or distributed for promotional purposes in the State without prior written notification to the Environmental Protection Agency by the manufacturer of the product. Sets forth the requirements for this notification. Sets forth restrictions on the purchase or sale of certain mercury-added products. Provides that beginning July 1, 2006, no person may crush, shred, flatten, or otherwise process a motor vehicle for scrap metal without first making a good faith effort to remove any mercury light switches and mercury headlights. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2006, the Pollution Control Board must modify its rules governing universal hazardous waste as appropriate to promote the recycling, recovery, and proper management of elemental mercury and mercury-added products on a statewide basis. Sets forth penalties for violations of the Act. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Adds "vehicle recycler" to the list of persons who may not knowingly shred, scrap, dismantle, recycle, incinerate, handle, store, or otherwise manage any white good that contains any white components. Provides that no owner, operator, agent, employee of a junkyard or scrap dealership, or vehicle recycler may knowingly shred, scrap, dismantle, recycle, incinerate, handle, store, or otherwise manage any end-of-life motor vehicle that contains any mercury-added component. Defines "vehicle recycler", "end-of-life motor vehicle", and "mercury-added component". Effective immediately.
Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that proof that a minor was present in a structure or vehicle in which the minor's parent, custodian, or guardian was involved in the manufacture of methamphetamine constitutes prima facie evidence of abuse and neglect.
Amends the Community Senior Services and Resources Act. Authorizes the Director of Aging to accept monetary bequests and gifts for deposit into the Community Senior Services and Resources Fund. Directs the Department on Aging, in conjunction with the Community Senior Services and Resource Center Advisory Committee, to design an awareness campaign that can be implemented by senior services and resource centers at their individual expense. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the State aid formula.
Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning defaulting on a loan.
