Rep. Tom Demmer

Congratulates Tom Shaw on his retirement as CEO of Shaw Media.

Congratulates Tom Shaw on his retirement as CEO of Shaw Media.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Abolishes the State Board of Health. Transfers responsibility for developing a State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) from the Board to the Department of Public Health. Removes provisions establishing a planning team for the SHIP and provides that the SHIP Implementation Coordination Council shall serve as the planning team. Provides that the SHIP Implementation Coordination Council shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor (instead of the Governor appointing a new SHIP Implementation Coordination Council for each SHIP). Amends the Alternative Health Care Delivery Act. Transfers certain functions under the Act from the Board to the Department of Public Health. Amends the Counties Code. Requires plans for certain facilities to be submitted to and approved by the Director of Public Health (instead of the Secretary of the State Board of Health). Repeals an obsolete provision of the Obesity Prevention Initiative Act. Amends the Hospital Report Card Act. In a provision concerning the retirement of reporting measures by the Department, requires the Department to obtain approval from the Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care Advisory Committee (instead of the Board). Amends the Communicable Disease Prevention Act. In a provision concerning the adoption of rules requiring immunization of children, requires the Department (instead of the Board) to conduct 3 public hearings before the rule is adopted. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that the Governor shall appoint, and the Senate shall confirm, a State Long Term Care Ombudsman (rather than the Office of State Long Term Care Ombudsman shall be composed of at least one full-time ombudsman). Provides that the State Long Term Care Ombudsman shall be appointed for a term of 4 years and shall function within the Department on Aging and shall report to the Director and the Governor. Provides that the State Long Term Care Ombudsman shall function independently within the Department with respect to the operations of the Office, including the performance of investigations and issuance of findings and recommendations. Provides that the appropriation for the Office of State Long Term Care Ombudsman shall be separate from the overall appropriation for the Department.

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Provides that in the case of fire fighters, fire departments, or fire district paramedics, arbitration decisions concerning conditions of employment do not include manning levels. Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Defines "catastrophic injury" as an injury where the direct and proximate consequences of the injury permanently prevent an individual from performing any gainful work.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that services performed for an employing unit shall be deemed to be employment unless proved by judicial precedent or a formal ruling from the Internal Revenue Service that the services do not constitute employment or unless proved in proceeding that the services do not constitute employment under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act. Provides that the changes made by this amendatory Act become operative on the January 1 immediately after certain bond obligations have been reduced to zero. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that before imposing a delinquent vehicle dealer transfer fee, the Secretary of State must confirm that the vehicle dealer has been notified by certified mail that he or she will be subject to a delinquent vehicle dealer transfer fee if the certificate of title is not received by the Secretary within a given time period.

Proposes to amend the Legislature and Finance Articles of the Illinois Constitution. Amends the Finance Article to provide that the State budget shall be based on estimated revenue (now funds); defines "revenue". Provides that appropriations are expendable only during the fiscal year for which they were appropriated. Provides that no budget shall become law without the Comptroller's independent certification that the planned expenditures are less than or equal to the revenue estimates for the ensuing fiscal year. Provides that appropriations for the current fiscal year may not exceed the average annual revenue collected for the 3 prior years, adjusted in proportion to changes in population and inflation. Provides that within 30 days of the enactment of the State budget for a fiscal year, the Comptroller must certify whether the enacted budget will be balanced with expenses not exceeding funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year. Provides that the Comptroller may find at any time during the fiscal year that the State budget has become unbalanced and so report to the General Assembly. Provides that a special session of the General Assembly shall be convened within 10 days of receiving a report from the Comptroller to enact a new State budget. Makes a conforming amendment to the Legislature Article. Effective upon being declared adopted.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning Chicago laborers and retirement board employees.

Amends the School Code with respect to the debt limitations of school districts. Allows Bureau Valley Community Unit School District 340 to issue bonds with an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $25,000,000 if, among other conditions, (i) the voters of the district approve a proposition for the bond issuance at an election held on or after March 15, 2016; (ii) prior to the issuance of the bonds, the school board determines that the renovating and equipping of some existing school buildings, the building and equipping of new school buildings, and the demolishing of some existing school buildings are required as a result of the age and condition of existing school buildings; and (iii) the bonds are issued, in one or more issuances, on or before July 1, 2021. Provides that the debt incurred on the bonds shall not be considered indebtedness for purposes of any statutory debt limitation and the bonds must mature within not to exceed 30 years from their date. Effective immediately.