Amends the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Requires the Department on Aging to establish and coordinate specified elder abuse training and education programs and to establish a database of caregivers convicted of certain offenses against the elderly or disabled. Provides that mandated reporters who fail to report abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation are guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Changes elements of and penalties for the offenses of abuse and neglect of a long term care facility resident, criminal neglect of an elderly person or person with a disability (instead of "elderly or disabled person"), and financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Permits victims of certain offenses against the elderly to testify through an evidence deposition rather than appear in court. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Permits the court to sentence a person convicted of certain offenses against the elderly or disabled to community service, impact incarceration, or an alcohol or substance abuse program. Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that persons convicted of certain offenses against the elderly or disabled may not inherit property from a victim. Makes other changes.
Sponsored bills
Amends the School Code. Provides that in order to be eligible for election to a school board (or in Chicago to be eligible for appointment), a person must not be a child sex offender.
Amends the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Extends the responsibilities of the Department on Aging to include education and warning programs about elder abuse in conjunction with other State departments, banks and other financial institutions, and utility companies. Provides that professionals who are mandated reporters who willfully fail to report suspected elder abuse shall be referred to the appropriate professional disciplinary board and that other mandated reporters who willfully fail to report are guilty of a misdemeanor. Extends the period of review by a provider agency of services provided to elders from up to one year to up to 2 years.
Creates the Voting by Minors Act. Requires the State Board of Elections and State Board of Education to jointly develop a program under which kindergarten through 12th grade students in participating school districts located in participating counties vote in a simulated election conducted at actual polling places in conjunction with the 2004 general election. Provides that implementation of the program shall be accomplished with volunteers and private funding. Requires the State Board of Elections and State Board of Education to develop an educational component of the program to be offered to the schools of participating districts and to adopt rules preparatory to the program's implementation. Specifies reporting and timetable requirements. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for any employer to adopt or enforce a policy that limits or prohibits the use of any language in any workplace, unless the language restriction is justified by a business necessity and the employer has notified its employees of (i) the circumstances and the time when the language restriction is required to be observed and (ii) the consequences for violating the language restriction. Defines "business necessity".
Amends the Prenatal and Newborn Care Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Act's short title.
Amends the Early Intervention Services System Act. Provides that a "developmental delay" means a delay of 30% or more below the mean in function in one or more areas of childhood development (rather than authorizing the Department of Human Services to define the extent of the delay by rule). Requires that interagency agreements under the Act ensure that early intervention services are considered to be covered medical services for purposes of the Medicaid Healthy Kids Program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Increases the penalty for fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony. Increases the penalty for a third of subsequent violation from a Class 4 to a Class 3 felony. Increases the penalty for aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer from a Class 4 to a Class 3 felony. Increases the penalty for a second or subsequent violation from a Class 3 to a Class 2 felony. Provides that the termination of a pursuit of a fleeing vehicle by a peace officer for safety reasons shall be considered fresh pursuit of the driver or operator of a motor vehicle if a peace officer resumes the pursuit of the driver or operator of the motor vehicle within 24 hours after the officer terminated the pursuit for safety reasons.
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Includes, in the offense of aggravated battery, committing a battery against hospital personnel (rather than hospital emergency room personnel) engaged in their official duties, committing a battery to prevent them from performing their official duties, or committing a battery in retaliation for performing their official duties. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, to conduct a public information campaign to (i) educate women about the benefits of consuming folic acid before and during pregnancy to improve their chances of having a healthy baby and (ii) increase the consumption of folic acid by women of child-bearing age.