Sen. Iris Y. Martinez

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the State aid formula.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes technical changes in a Section concerning railroad safety.

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 Medicaid eligibility for continued home-based skilled or intermediate care to persons age 21 or older (under current law, eligibility is limited to persons under age 21). 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 Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning eligibility for the AABD program, provides eligibility for persons who have been found ineligible for SSI due to expiration of the period of eligibility for refugees and asylees pursuant to federal law. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a person or entity may not print an individual's social security number on an insurance card that is used to establish the eligibility of an individual or his or her dependents to receive health, dental, optical, or accident insurance benefits, prescription drug benefits, or benefits under a managed care plan or a plan provided by a health maintenance organization, a health services plan corporation, or a similar entity. Provides that existing insurance cards with an individual's social security number must be replaced with insurance cards without the individual's social security number. Provides that a violation constitutes an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act. Effective January 1, 2005.

Amends the Federally Subsidized Housing Preservation Act. Changes the short title to the Federally Assisted Housing Preservation Act, and replaces references to "subsidized housing" with references to "assisted housing". Requires the owner of an assisted housing development to give 12 (instead of 6) months notice of the owner's intent to sell or otherwise dispose of the assisted housing; also requires notice of the owner's intent to complete prepayment or complete termination of the development's participation in a federal subsidy program or termination of the development's affordability restrictions. Provides for representation of a tenant association by a not-for-profit corporation or private purchaser. Requires that the owner offer the property for sale to a tenant association within 60 days after the association has complied with the requirements of the Act concerning notice to the owner. Requires that a tenant association notify the owner of its intent to purchase the property within 90 (instead of 30) days after receiving the owner's offer of sale. Effective immediately.

Requests that the core principles should be maintained in the upcoming reauthorization of the federal Workforce Investment Act.

Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Provides that the 10-year period for the registration of a sex offender shall commence when the sex offender both signs the notification form of the sex offender's duty to register and completes his or her initial registration with the law enforcement agency in which the sex offender is required to register. Effective immediately.

Urges the Senate of the United States to vote favorably to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Mourns the death of Carmelo Mercado of Chicago.