Sen. Pamela J. Althoff

Amends the Property Tax Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the mailing of tax bills.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act, and the School Code. Permits residential services providers that contract with the Department of Children and Family Services or the Department of Human Services to provide services to children age 5 to 22 with a developmental or intellectual disability to conduct a 60-day evaluation and residential assessment to facilitate a child's successful transition to a community-based children's group home, when indicated. Provides that the 60-day evaluation and assessment period must commence upon admission and must be conducted in a campus-based residential program where the child will be assessed and evaluated to determine his or her functioning and overall performance. Provides that specified disciplines may be completed during the evaluation and assessment period, including education or classroom support, speech or language, occupational therapy and physical therapy, and behavioral health services. Adds similar provisions to the School Code as to residential facilities that accept students age 5 to 22 with a developmental or intellectual disability for services paid for by an Illinois public State agency. Effective immediately.

Creates the Medicaid Budget and Impact Note Act. Requires every bill that amends the Illinois Public Aid Code, affects eligibility for or enrollment in Medicaid, or has a financial impact on the operation of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to have prepared for it, prior to second reading in each chamber, a brief explanatory statement or note that includes a reliable estimate of the expected impact of the bill on the annual budget of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the State of Illinois, as well as the projected costs and benefits associated with the implementation of each provision in the bill. Authorizes any member of the General Assembly to request one of these notes. Requires the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or his or her designee, to respond to requests for notes.

Amends the Fire Protection and Rescue Services Article of the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. Provides that the term "local public entity" includes, but is not limited to, a private person, organization, or corporation, including specialized operations teams for hazardous materials mitigation, underwater rescue and recovery, technical rescue, and incident management, that provides support to a fire department, fire protection district, or rescue squad district during an emergency when activated at the request of the fire chief of a fire department, fire protection district, or rescue squad district pursuant to a formal mutual aid system such as the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. Effective immediately.

Creates the Homeless Veterans Shelter Act. Provides that a homeless veteran performing services shall be compensated at the current prevailing wage rate and that training or education programs for homeless veterans that are sponsored by halfway houses, shelters, or transitional housing programs shall be licensed and certified by the State. Establishes inspection, registration, and licensing standards for halfway houses, shelters, and transitional housing programs that provide services for homeless veterans. Provides that homeless veterans that are employed and earning wages shall be charged a reasonable minimum rent to cover room and utilities. Requires organizations that engage in job preparation or temporary laborer or job placement services to be licensed in accordance with the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act and the Private Employment Agency Act. Requires shelters run by local and non-profit entities that provide services to homeless veterans to comply with specified program standards. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2013.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that the Procurement Policy Board shall provide written notice of an alleged conflict of interest to the contractor. Provides that the contractor shall have 30 days to provide a written response to the notice and may request a hearing before the Board. Provides that a State contract may be awarded as a sole source procurement unless a vendor requests a public hearing (rather than, a State contract may not be awarded as a sole source procurement unless approved by the chief procurement officer following a public hearing). Provides that a State contract shall include the general type of work to be performed by all known subcontractors (rather than the expected amount of money the subcontractor will receive under the contract). Provides that the chief procurement officer shall verify the status of a business entity's certificate of registration with the State Board of Elections through the Board's website (rather than, a copy of the certificate of registration must accompany any bid or proposal). Provides that, for certain certifications required for State contracts, if a false certification is made by a subcontractor, the contractor's submitted bid and contract may not be declared void, unless the contractor refuses to terminate the subcontract. Makes changes to a provision concerning procurement communications reporting requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Employee Classification Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the office hours of the clerks of courts.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that, if the last day of the filing period for petitions for nomination is the day before a State holiday, the Board may, by proclamation, authorize the office in which petitions must be filed to remain open until noon (instead of 5:00 P.M.) on the last day of the filing period. Provides that the proclamation must be issued before the first day for circulating petitions for nomination for that filing period, except that a proclamation for the 2013 consolidated election period must be issued within 7 business days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that polling places for early voting may remain open from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (instead of 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the Motor Fuel Tax Fund, the State Construction Account Fund, and the Road Fund shall not be subject to sweeps, administrative charges or chargebacks, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that would transfer any amount from those Funds into any other Fund of the State unless those actions were specifically authorized by law prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act. Repeals a Section of the State Finance Act authorizing the Governor to transfer moneys from the Road Fund to State Construction Account Fund. Effective immediately.