Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. In a provision concerning the Department of Human Services' Home Services Program, provides that personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers (rather than personal assistants) shall be paid at a rate negotiated between the State and the (rather than an) exclusive representative of personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers (rather than personal assistants) under a collective bargaining agreement. Provides that beginning on July 1, 2016, the hourly rate paid to personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers shall be no less than $15 per hour. Requires personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers to participate in a comprehensive in-person orientation, including standardized instruction or education as determined by the Department, concerning their obligations as an Individual Provider of Medicaid services, fraud training, and training on independent living philosophies. Requires personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers to attend annual in-person training, including training in preventing fraud and abuse. Provides that personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers shall be paid their regular hourly wage for all orientation and training hours. Requires the State to contribute into a Taft-Hartley health fund for the purpose of providing health insurance to qualified personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers. Provides that for State fiscal year 2017, the rate shall be $1.11 per hour paid to personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers and that for future fiscal years, the rate shall be adjusted as determined by actuarial analysis. Effective July 1, 2016.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish reimbursement rates which build toward livable wages for front line personnel in residential and day programs serving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including but not limited to intermediate care facilities for persons with developmental disabilities, community integrated living arrangements, developmental training programs, employment, and other residential and day programs for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities supported by State funds or funding under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act. Provides that the Department shall increase rates and reimbursements so that direct support persons earn a base wage of not less than $15 per hour and so that other front line personnel earn a commensurate wage. Defines "front line personnel". Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Makes establishment of the Resource Development Bureau discretionary, and makes related changes. Moves language providing that each year the Illinois Power Agency shall prepare a public report for the General Assembly and the Illinois Commerce Commission that shall include certain criteria associated with the procurement of renewable energy resources from under a provision concerning the renewable portfolio standard to a provision concerning Agency annual reports within the Act. In a provision concerning Agency annual reports: provides that the Agency shall report annually each February 15 (currently December 15) on the operations and transactions of the Agency; removes a provision regarding reporting the quantity, price, and rate of all renewable resources purchased under the electricity procurement plans for electric utilities; and provides that average quantity (rather than total quantity) be used for certain reporting criteria. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Mourns the death of Hope Jovicin of Richton Park.
Mourns the death of Matthew J. Heffernan of Tinley Park.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if, prior to expiration of registration, the Secretary of State has not provided the registered owner of a vehicle with notice that his or her registration is about to expire, the vehicle owner shall have a 30-day period after the expiration of registration to file an application for registration renewal, and shall not be issued a citation for the expired registration or charged registration late fees during that period. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. In a provision requiring a service officer to be assigned to each field office established by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, provides that he or she must be an honorably discharged veteran from service in the Armed Forces of the United States who has served at least 2 years of military service (rather than he must be an honorably discharged veteran from service in the Armed Forces of the United States; and he must have served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country). Removes the definition for "time of hostilities with a foreign country". Removes certain conditions concerning military service and discharge. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Veterans' Homes Fund as a special fund in the State Treasury. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow for the issuance of decals by Illinois Veterans' Homes. Provides for the original fee, renewal fees, and fee distribution for Universal special license plates with decals issued by Illinois Veterans' Homes.
Amends the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act. Provides that the Chief Judge of each judicial circuit shall (rather than may) establish a Veterans and Servicemembers Court program including a format under which it operates under the Act. Effective January 1, 2018.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the spouse of a deceased military service member who was issued military oriented special plates to retain the plates so long as that spouse is a resident of Illinois and transfers the registration to his or her name within 180 days of the death of the service member. Defines the term, "service member".