Sen. Mattie Hunter

Creates the University Green Jobs and Technology Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall require that green jobs certificate and degree programs offered by each State university be uniformly named. Requires the Board to annually publicize on its Internet website information concerning efforts made by State universities to promote the green technology industry. Requires each State university to develop agreements to share equipment required for students participating in green jobs certificate or degree programs or enrolled in a course of study concerning green jobs. Requires the Board to annually prepare and publish on its Internet website a list of every green jobs course and green jobs certificate and degree program offered by State universities and an inventory of green jobs-related equipment used by these universities. Provides that representatives from each State university, in conjunction with research centers affiliated with these universities that focus on clean or sustainable energy and that are located within the same geographic regions, shall meet annually to develop collaborative efforts with regard to the green technology industry. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to work in concert with the Illinois High School Association to develop guidelines and other pertinent information and forms to inform and educate coaches, student athletes, and these athletes' parents and guardians of the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. Requires the concussion and head injury information sheet to be signed and returned by a student athlete and the athlete's parent or guardian prior to the student athlete's initiating practice or competition. Provides that a school board shall adopt a policy requiring a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game to be removed from competition at that time. Requires the policy to provide that a student athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the student athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries and the student athlete receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging, the Children and Family Services Act, the Department of Human Services Act, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, and the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department on Aging, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Public Health shall have the authority and are hereby directed to collaboratively adopt joint rules to establish (i) a cross-agency prequalification process for contracting with privately owned or operated human service providers; (ii) a cross-agency master service agreement of standard terms and conditions for contracting with privately owned or operated human service providers; and (iii) a cross-agency common service taxonomy for human service providers to streamline the processes outlined in the amendatory Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall be the lead agency in this matter. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Changes the definition of "ocular pharmaceutical agents" to mean any pharmaceutical agent or other substance germane to the treatment of the eye or its adnexa, except oral steroids. Provides that oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors may be prescribed only in a quantity sufficient to provide treatment for up to 72 hours. Removes a provision concerning the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation notifying the Director of Public Health as to the categories of ocular pharmaceutical agents permitted for use by an optometrist.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall strive to guarantee that persons, including children, suffering from mental illness, substance abuse, and other behavioral disorders have access to locally accessible behavioral health care providers who have the ability to treat the person's conditions in a cost effective, outcome-based manner. Requires the Department to designate as essential community behavioral health care providers organizations that meet certain qualifications; promote the co-location of primary and behavioral health care services centers; and work towards reducing Illinois' underserved and health professional shortage areas. Contains provisions concerning fee-for-service compensation; term limits for essential community behavioral health care providers; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Adds MDPV to the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Adds 3 synthetic cannabinoids to the list of Schedule I substances. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency, within 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, to make all permit applications on-line, editable, and savable files. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Provides that the "Ticket For The Cure" scratch-off game shall be discontinued on December 31, 2016 (instead of December 31, 2011). Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Ticket For The Cure Board shall be discontinued on June 30, 2017 (instead of June 30, 2012). Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Requires the Chicago Board of Education to establish a basic skills class for students in each of grades 4, 5, and 6. Provides that if a 3rd grade student is at least 2 grade levels behind in reading or mathematics, based on an assessment of the student's reading and mathematics skills, the student must be placed in a basic skills class when he or she is in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades until he or she completes 6th grade or attains reading or mathematics skills that are at or above the 6th grade level, whichever occurs first. Requires the State Board of Education to create the appropriate curriculum for the basic skills class, establish learning objectives for students in a basic skills class, and provide lesson plans for the basic skills class.