Sen. Terry Link

Mourns the death of Lawrence S. "Link" Lindquist of Waukegan.

Encourages all Illinois citizens to accept the challenge of improving their community and to make Illinois a great place to live by volunteering.

Authorizes the Department of Transportation to convey various described parcels of property in Lake County to the City of Park City. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the organization of the Department of Corrections.

Creates the Autism Spectrum Disorders Reporting Act. Provides that a qualified professional who diagnoses any individual who resides in Illinois with an autism spectrum disorder shall report within 30 days the existence of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis along with all such additional information as determined in rules promulgated pursuant to the Act. Provides that the reports shall be designated an autism spectrum disorder report and shall contain information which the Director of Public Health considers necessary to identify, locate, and investigate the occurrence, frequency, incidence, cause, effect, and prognosis of autism spectrum disorder, and other relevant data and findings. Provides that the Department of Public Health may enter into contracts with individuals, corporations, hospitals, universities, not-for-profit corporations, governmental entities or other organizations whereby such individuals, organizations or agencies agree to provide assistance in the compilation of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Registry or to conduct research on behalf of the Department of Public Health consistent with the purposes of the Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act. Requires that each of the following designate an African-American HIV/AIDS Response Officer, responsible for coordinating efforts to address the African-American AIDS crisis within his or her respective Office or Department and serving as a liaison to governmental and non-governmental entities: the Office of the Governor; the Department of Human Services; the Department of Public Health; and the Department of Corrections. Provides that a State agency that operates a facility that (i) is accessible to the public, (ii) is a high-traffic facility, and (iii) serves a high-risk community must provide the following in each such facility where space and security reasonably permit: space for free HIV counseling and antibody testing. Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois; provides that on its official Web site, the Department shall provide Web-friendly and printer-friendly versions of educational materials in connection with HIV and AIDS, targeted to persons presently or previously committed to the Department of Corrections or confined in a county jail, as well as family members and friends of such persons. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code; provides that certain prohibitions against eligibility for cash assistance under the Code for persons convicted of certain drug offenses do not apply to an individual who has tested positive for HIV; requires the Department of Public Aid to seek federal approval to expand access to health care under the Medicaid program for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections; requires the Department of Corrections to provide committed persons, their family members, and visitors with certain materials and services in connection with HIV/AIDS, including testing, counseling, and medical care. Amends the County Jail Act, and imposes similar requirements on sheriffs and wardens of county jails. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2006.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of each municipality may provide for the extermination of pests (now, rats only). Defines "pests" to mean undesirable arthropods (including certain insects, spiders, mites, ticks, and related organisms), wood infesting organisms, rats, mice, birds, and any other obnoxious or undesirable animals. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that vehicles that are towed or relocated at the request of the owner or operator (as well as those towed or relocated because they are abandoned, lost, stolen, or unclaimed) are subject to a lien under the Labor and Storage Lien (Small Amount) Act. Provides that the provisions of that Act regarding the maximum amount of the lien do not apply to liens covered by the Vehicle Code provision. Provides that with certain enumerated exceptions, personal property in a vehicle subject to a lien under the Code provision is also subject to that lien. Limits the amounts of liens under the provision. Provides that a relocator or other towing service that accepts a properly signed credit card receipt becomes a holder in due course, and neither the holder of the credit card nor the company that issued the credit card may refuse to pay the amount charged, minus the processing charge assessed by the credit card company. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. 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 School Code. Provides that the required unit of instruction studying the events of the Holocaust shall be expanded to include the study of other events of genocide, including those in Ukraine, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Sudan. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.