Sen. Iris Y. Martinez

Creates the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act. Contains a short title only.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation and the Department of State Police, to establish and administer a Safe Routes to School Construction Program for the construction of bicycle and pedestrian safety and traffic-calming projects using federal transportation funds, with construction grants being made available to local governmental agencies. Effective immediately.

Creates the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003 and amends the State Finance Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the development of a Children's Mental Health Plan containing short-term and long-term recommendations to provide comprehensive, coordinated mental health prevention, early intervention, and treatment services for children from birth through age 18. Sets forth features that must be included in the plan. Creates the Children's Mental Health Council, composed of representatives of State government and representatives of various advocacy organizations, to submit a preliminary plan to the Governor on September 30, 2004 and a final plan on June 30, 2005. Imposes certain duties on the Office of Mental Health within the Department of Human Services, the State Board of Education, and school districts. Creates the Children's Mental Health Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, to be used for appropriations to the Department of Human Services for mental health prevention, early intervention, and treatment services for children from birth through age 18. Under the Medicaid program, requires the Department of Public Aid to provide for the screening and assessment of a child before a Medicaid-funded admission to an inpatient hospital for psychiatric services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Makes technical changes in a provision concerning the powers and duties of the Department of Transportation.

Amends the School Code. Requires revenues from vending machines that are not within the school cafeteria to be used exclusively for physical education and nutritional education. Effective September 1, 2004.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Requires coverages under those Acts to include benefits for outpatient prescription contraceptive drugs and devices and outpatient contraceptive services.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the notice of tax sale and redemption rights and the notice of expiration of the period of redemption from the sale, changes the form of the notices with respect to contacting the county clerk for further information about the notices. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall include, in the annual service needs report regarding autism submitted to the General Assembly, a plan to provide family support mechanisms to enable persons with autism to remain in a family home environment. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Extends eligibility for continued home-based skilled or intermediate care to persons over age 18 (under current law, eligibility is limited to persons 18 or younger). Requires an annual determination of need for that level of care and requires the Department of Human Services to make an annual report concerning services provided and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to require coverage under those Acts for surgical treatment of morbid obesity.

Amends the Animal Control Act. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning rabies inoculations.