Sen. Kimberly Lightford

Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides for a minimum monthly personal needs allowance for institutionalized persons who are eligible for Medicaid. Provides that the State shall pay an amount in addition to the minimum monthly personal needs allowance authorized under the Social Security Act, so that the person's total monthly personal needs allowance from both State and federal sources equals $50. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Amends the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Act. Provides that subject to appropriations, the Department shall create a pilot program for adult day services for persons on the autism spectrum over the age of 22. Provides that the Department shall make grants to organizations that develop a replicable model for quality day services for adults with autism living in Illinois. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the School Code's construction.

Amends the Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007 in the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Article.

Creates the College Completion Report Card Act. Provides that within 3 months after the effective date of this Act, the Illinois P-20 Council shall collaborate with the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, and a consortia of private colleges and universities to convene a committee headed by the chairperson of the Joint Educational Leadership Committee, whose purpose shall be to advise the Illinois P-20 Council on the development of a template for a college completion report card. Provides that after development, the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall collaborate to collect data annually and publicly report college completion metrics, as well as report to and advise the Illinois P-20 Council on progress. Provides that the report card must be (i) clearly linked to performance funding metrics and the goals of the Public Agenda and (ii) simple to read and clearly indicative of minority and low-income student access, student progress, and progress towards increasing college completion. Provides that on or before September 30, 2014 and on or before September 30 of each year thereafter, the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall prepare a State report card and completion report cards for each institution that enrolls one or more students who receive Monetary Award Program grants. Provides that the committee shall provide to the Illinois P-20 Council and the longitudinal data system recommendations for more detailed data report cards that shall be publicly available for use by college, university, and agency leaders to identify solutions to improving certificate or degree completion. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for any employer, employment agency, or labor organization to inquire into or use the fact of an arrest, the fact of a criminal charge, or any expunged or sealed criminal history record information (instead of only the fact of an arrest or expunged or any sealed criminal history record information) of a person, as a basis to refuse to hire, for an adverse employment action, to refuse to grant tenure, or to affect the terms, privileges or conditions of employment, but that the prohibition against the use of the fact of an arrest or the fact of a criminal charge (instead of only the fact of an arrest) does not prohibit an employer, employment agency, or labor organization from obtaining or using other information which indicates that a person actually engaged in the conduct for which he or she was arrested or for which he or she was the subject of a criminal charge.

Amends the General Assembly and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Changes the manner in which highest salary for annuity purposes, final average salary, automatic annual increases, and survivor benefits are calculated for (i) persons who first become participants of either system on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and (ii) current participants of either system who irrevocably elect those reduced benefits.

Creates the Nursing Care and Quality Improvement Act. Provides that each hospital shall implement a staffing plan that (i) provides adequate, appropriate, and quality delivery of health care services, (ii) protects patient safety, and (iii) is consistent with the requirements of the Act. Sets forth the minimum direct care registered nurse-to-patient ratios required in a unit of a hospital during each shift in that unit. Sets forth development and reevaluation requirements for the staffing plan. Prohibits a hospital from discharging, discriminating against, or retaliating against (i) a nurse in any manner with respect to any aspect of employment based on the nurse's refusal of a work assignment under certain conditions or (ii) a nurse or any individual, who, in good faith, reports a violation of the Act, initiates, cooperates, or otherwise participates in an investigation or proceeding under the Act, or informs or discusses with other individuals or with representatives of hospital employees a violation or suspected violation of the Act. Sets forth penalties for violation of the Act.