Sen. William Delgado

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Culturally Competent Healthcare Demonstration Program. Defines "culturally competent health care". Provides that the Program shall establish models that reflect best practices in culturally competent health care and that expand the delivery of culturally competent health care in Illinois. Provides guidelines for the administration of the Program. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Latino Family Commission Act and the Illinois Latino Family Commission. Sets forth the purpose and the composition of the Commission. Provides for the funding of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall annually report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the Commission's progress towards its goals and objectives. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that any information of a personal nature disclosed by a pupil 12 years of age or older in the process of receiving (i) school counseling services from a school counselor or school counselor intern, (ii) school psychological services from a school psychologist or school psychologist intern, or (iii) school social work services from a school social worker or school social worker intern is confidential, and provides that any information of a personal nature disclosed to a school counselor or school counselor intern, a school psychologist or school psychologist intern, or a school social worker or school social worker intern by a parent or guardian of such a pupil is confidential. Provides that the information must not become part of the pupil's record without the written consent of the person who disclosed the confidential information. Provides that the information must not be revealed, released, discussed, or referred to, with exceptions. Provides that no person required to keep the information confidential may incur any civil or criminal liability as a result of keeping that information confidential. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that the program of services established by the Department for the purpose of preventing unnecessary institutionalization shall be known as the Community Care Program. Requires certain services to be included in the Program, and authorizes the Department to include other services. Provides that participants may choose among the preventative services provided. Provides that the Department shall report the number of participants in the Community Care Program who receive medical assistance. Provides that the Department shall ensure that all eligible participants receive the number of hours they need up to the monthly service cost maximum, that all services are available to Community Care Program participants on evenings and weekends, and that participants have the right to choose how the hours of service are designated. Provides that the Program shall include personal assistant services. Contains other provisions. Effective July 1, 2007.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Increases the penalty for the violation of certain provisions concerning animal fighting from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony for the first offense and from a Class 4 felony to a Class 3 felony for second or subsequent offenses. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Under the Medicaid program, authorizes the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide for the services of persons licensed as a clinical social worker in supplying medical assistance. Prohibits the Department's rules from requiring that services for a specific Medicaid recipient provided by a licensed clinical social worker be recommended by a physician. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Health Data Task Force in the Department of Public Health. Provides that the Task Force shall develop a plan to create a linked health data system that measures, analyzes, and reports on the health status of Illinois residents. Sets out the contents of the plan and the composition of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall contract with an independent, not-for-profit organization in developing the plan. Requires the Task Force to submit the plan to the Governor and the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that if a pupil successfully completes one or more of the courses required as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma before entering high school, then the pupil shall be given high school credit for that course. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Replaces the term "homemaker" with the term "home care aide". Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a board of education may enter into a contract with a third party for non-instructional services currently performed by an employee or bargaining unit member or lay off those educational support personnel employees upon 90 (instead of 30) days written notice. Adds conditions on the entering of such a contract, including providing that: (1) a contract must not be entered into during the term of a collective bargaining agreement; (2) any third party that submits a bid to perform the services shall provide comparable liability insurance, a comparable benefits package, a list of the number of employees who will provide the services and the wages the third party will pay those employees, a minimum 3-year cost projection, and information about the criminal and disciplinary records of the employees; (3) a contract must not be entered into unless the school board provides a cost comparison; (4) a minimum of 2 public hearings to discuss the school board's proposal to contract with a third party must be held; (5) a contract shall contain provisions requiring the contractor to offer available employee positions pursuant to the contract to qualified school district employees whose employment is terminated because of the contract; and (6) a contract shall contain provisions requiring the contractor to comply with a policy of nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.