Sen. Iris Y. Martinez

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that communications received by State employees regarding procurement matters that must be reported to the Procurement Policy Board do not include those related to the qualifications based selection process for architectural, engineering, and land surveying services and do not include those concerning procurement matters of $250,000 or less. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $3,500,000 to the Board of Higher Education from the General Revenue Fund for the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Initiative. Effective July 1, 2011.

Appropriates $2,500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois State Board of Higher Education for the Grow Your Own Teacher Initiative. Effective July 1, 2012.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Title Insurance Act. Makes changes to the provision concerning fees paid by title insurance companies and independent escrowees. Creates a special income-earning fund, known as the Title Insurance Consumer Protection Fund, in the State Treasury. Sets forth the fees collected by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that shall be deposited in the Fund. Provides that money in the Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of providing restitution to consumers who have suffered monetary loss arising out of a transaction regulated by the Act. Provides that money in the Fund shall be subrogated to the amount of the restitution. Provides that money in the Fund may be transferred to the Professions Indirect Cost Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Title Insurance Consumer Protection Fund. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning a safe resident handling policy.

Amends the University of Illinois Hospital Act, the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act, and the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that every hospital, including the University of Illinois Hospital, and every ambulatory surgical treatment center must employ a surgical technologist or contract for the services of a surgical technologist. Sets forth educational and certification requirements for such surgical technologists. Provides for a waiver of the requirement to employ or contract for the services of a surgical technologist under certain conditions. States that these provisions do not prohibit a facility from employing or contracting for the services of a surgical technologist who meets certain other criteria. Effective January 1, 2014.

Amends the Dietetic and Nutrition Services Practice Act. Changes the short title to the Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act. Provides that any person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice, or holds oneself out as being able to provide dietetics and nutrition services without being licensed under the Act shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil penalty to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation in an amount not to exceed $10,000 (instead of $5,000) for each offense as determined by the Department. Reduces the number of members on the Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Board to 5 (instead of 7). Provides that to qualify for licensure as a dietitian nutritionist, the number of hours completed in a dietetic internship or documented, supervised practice experience in dietetics and nutrition services is a minimum of 1,200 hours (instead of 900 hours). Provides that the Department may, with regard to any license, refuse to issue or renew or may revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand or take other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as the Department may deem proper, including imposing fines not to exceed $10,000 (instead of $1,000) per violation, for any one or any combination of specified offenses. Creates a provision concerning the confidentiality of all information collected by the Department in the course of an examination or investigation of a licensee or applicant. Repeals provisions concerning transition and deposit of fees and fines. Makes other changes. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to extend the Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act from January 1, 2013 to January 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Amends the Eastern Illinois Economic Development Authority Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall designate on each driver's license issued a space where the licensee may indicate that he or she has been diagnosed with aphasia.