Creates the Primary Stroke Center Designation Act. Sets forth the findings of the General Assembly. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall designate as many hospitals as Primary Stroke Centers as apply for the designation, provided that the hospital meets the criteria set forth in the Act. Provides the criteria necessary for designation as a Primary Stroke Center. Provides that the Director of Public Health may suspend or revoke a hospital's designation as a Primary Stroke Center after notice and hearing if the Director determines that the hospital does not comply with the requirements of the Act. Provides that the Director of Public Health may award matching grants to hospitals that seek designation as Primary Stroke Centers and demonstrate a need for financial assistance to develop the necessary infrastructure. Provides that the Director of Public Health must, not later than July 1, 2010, prepare and submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the General Assembly a report indicating the total number of hospitals that have applied for grants under the Act before July 1, 2010 and the number of those applicants that have been found eligible for the grants, the total number of grants awarded, the name and address of each grantee and hospital and the amount of the award to each, and the amount of each award that has been awarded to the grantee. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure in relation to class actions. Adds additional requirements concerning: prerequisites to the maintenance of a class action (including provisions that a class action may be certified only if: the plurality of the class members are residents of Illinois or if the plurality of the class members were physically in Illinois when the cause of action arose; and a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of the controversy); where a class action may be brought; preliminary determinations to be made by the court; notice to the class; coupon and other noncash settlements; loss by class members under a proposed settlement; and attorney's fees.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that within 90 days after filing an appearance (instead of prior to filing any other pleading other than a motion for an extension of time within which to plead), a party may object to the court exercising personal jurisdiction over the party. Provides that participating in the litigation does not waive the jurisdictional argument (deletes a provision that if a party files a responsive pleading other than a motion for an extension of time prior to filing a motion to dismiss or to quash service of process, the party waives all objections to the court's jurisdiction over the party's person). Deletes a provision that states that error in ruling against an objecting party is waived by that party taking part in further proceedings in the case unless the objection is on the basis of the party not being amenable to service by an Illinois court.
Amends the Trusts and Trustees Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning small trust termination.
Amends the Good Samaritan Act. In a Section requiring a free medical clinic to post an explanation of its exemption from civil liability for that exemption to apply, as an alternative to this posting, provides that the clinic may provide an explanation of the exemption in writing to each person who is enrolled as a patient or member of that free medical clinic or, in the case of a minor patient or member, to the parent or guardian of that minor. Provides that a free medical clinic may receive reimbursement from other local governmental or community organizations (at present, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services). Effective immediately.
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Exempts, from the provisions of the Act, claims seeking damages for conduct that results in bodily injury, death, or damage to property other than the property that is the subject of the practice claimed to be unlawful. Applies to actions pending on or filed on or after July 1, 2007. Effective July 1, 2007.
Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Adds Illinois State Toll Highway Authority signs and structures to the list of items that may not bear the proper name or image of an executive branch constitutional officer or a General Assembly member if the item is designed, paid for, prepared, or distributed using public funds and the item is not in furtherance of the person's official State duties or governmental and public service functions.
For Fiscal Year 2009, appropriates $150,000,000 to the Capital Development Board for school construction grants pursuant to the School Construction Law. Effective July 1, 2008.
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health, to develop and make available to each school board guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies. Requires each school board to implement a plan based on the guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a non-expert's opinion or inference testimony is limited to opinions or inferences that are rationally based on his or her perception, helpful to a clear understanding of his or her testimony or the determination of a fact in issue, and not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge. Sets forth requirements regarding: qualifications, testimony, disclosure, and compensation of expert witnesses; bases of expert opinion testimony; limitations on expert testimony; pre-trial hearings and disclosures concerning expert witnesses; precedents to be followed in interpreting the new provisions; interlocutory appeals of rulings on the admissibility of expert evidence; standards to be followed by reviewing courts in determining the admissibility of expert testimony; severability; and other matters. Applies to actions commenced on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and pending actions in which a trial has not been scheduled or in which a trial has been scheduled more than 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.