Sen. Iris Y. Martinez

Creates the Illinois Consumer Choice of Benefits Health Insurance Plan Act. Provides that insurers may offer policies of accident and health insurance that do not provide state-mandated health benefits. Requires applications and policies to contain notice that the policy may not cover some or all of the state-mandated health benefits. Requires insurers to provide a disclaimer at the time the policy is issued that must be signed by the applicant or subscriber. Grants the Secretary the power to adopt rules necessary to implement the Act. Requires insurers to maintain a description of its rating practices and renewal underwriting practices. Provides for the applicability of certain Illinois Insurance Code Provisions.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the preservation of pension rights.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law in the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires that each State agency develop and implement an Hispanic Employment Plan to increase the number of Hispanics and bilingual persons employed by the State. Requires each State agency to report annually to the Department of Central Management Services about its activities developing and implementing the agency's plan.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Prohibits statewide executive branch constitutional officers and General Assembly members from accepting campaign contributions from persons holding contracts with their offices during the period of the contracts. Requires that disclosures of campaign contributions to such an officer or member, or to political organizations organized on behalf of the officer or member, must be filed by (i) a person seeking a contract with the officer's or member's office, (ii) that person's spouse and dependent children, and (iii) owners of the company of that person. Establishes penalties for violations. Effective immediately.

Creates the Nursing Care and Quality Improvement Act. Provides that each hospital shall implement a staffing plan that (i) provides adequate, appropriate, and quality delivery of health care services, (ii) protects patient safety, and (iii) is consistent with the requirements of the Act. Sets forth the minimum direct care registered nurse-to-patient ratios required in a unit of a hospital during each shift in that unit. Sets forth development and reevaluation requirements for the staffing plan. Prohibits a hospital from discharging, discriminating, or retaliating in any manner with respect to any aspect of employment against a nurse based on the nurse’s refusal of a work assignment under certain conditions or against a nurse or any individual, who, in good faith, reports a violation of the Act, initiates, cooperates, or otherwise participates in an investigation or proceeding under the Act, or informs or discusses with other individuals or with representatives of hospital employees a violation or suspected violation of the Act. Sets forth penalties for violation of the Act.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code. Provides that, upon enactment of a federal transportation bill with a dedicated fund available to states for safe routes for schools, the Department of Transportation shall, in cooperation with the State Board of Education and the Department of State Police, establish and administer a Safe Routes to School Construction Program for the construction of bicycle and pedestrian safety and traffic-calming projects, with construction grants being made available to local governmental agencies. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning retirement annuity following nonoccupational disability benefits.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a homestead improvement exemption for the installation and maintenance of a residential fire safety sprinkler system. Provides that homestead properties that (i) have been improved with a fire safety sprinkler system after January 1, 2005 or (ii) have been modified after January 1, 2005 under a safety compliance plan are entitled to a fire safety sprinkler homestead improvement exemption, limited to $2,500 or the actual cost of installation, whichever is less, for the year that the system is installed, and $100 each year thereafter that the system remains in place, when that property is owned and used exclusively for a residential purpose. Further amends the Property Tax Code and the Criminal Code of 1961 to add cross-references. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement from the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning Chicago teachers.