Sen. Kimberly Lightford

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning school elections.

Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Adds a provision requiring that the Plan provide coverage for mammograms and prosthetic devices or reconstructive surgery incident to a mastectomy, Pap tests, prostate-specific antigen tests, colorectal cancer examination and screening, and contraceptives as required under certain Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that any expense or charge for routine physical examinations or tests related to certain covered benefits are not excluded from coverage under the Plan. Deletes a provision excluding any expense or charge for oral contraceptives used for birth control or any other temporary birth control measures from coverage under the Plan.

Amends the School Code. Provides that when calculating the State reimbursement for transportation costs, the State Board of Education may not deduct the number of pupils enrolled in early education programs from the number of pupils eligible for reimbursement if the pupils enrolled in the early education programs are transported at the same time as other eligible pupils.

Amends the Payday Loan Reform Act. In the elements of the definition of "payday loan", deletes the element that it have a term that does not exceed 120 days. Deletes a provision that a specified charge is considered fully earned as of the date on which the loan is made. Provides that when a consumer repays a payday loan in full before its due date, the lender shall rebate the unearned finance charges to the consumer on a straight-line amortization basis as of the date of repayment. Prohibits a licensee or a person making payday loans from evading the requirements and prohibitions of the Act by use of a device or subterfuge including, but not limited to, disguising a payday loan as a different type of transaction or characterizing a required fee as a purchase of a good or service in connection with a payday loan, and authorizes the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to develop rules to determine if a person or entity seeks to evade the applicability of the Act by any device, subterfuge, or pretense. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning regional superintendents of schools.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Authorizes non-home rule municipalities to impose a real estate transfer tax. Requires referendum approval to impose or increase the rate of the tax. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Illinois Insurance Code, and other Acts. Provides that on and after July 1, 2008, screening and diagnostic mammography shall be reimbursed under the medical assistance program at the same rate as the Medicare program's rates, including the increased reimbursement for digital mammography. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to take certain actions in relation to breast cancer screening and treatment, including establishment of bonus payments to mammography facilities meeting certain standards, a rate methodology for certain providers, and a performance goal for primary care providers; also requires the Department to establish a case-management or patient-navigation pilot program. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of this amendatory Act must provide coverage for all medically necessary pain medication and pain therapy related to the treatment of breast cancer on the same terms and conditions that are generally applicable to coverage for other conditions. Provides that mandatory insurance coverage relating to mammography shall be provided at no cost to the insured and shall not be subject to an annual or lifetime maximum benefit. Makes other changes in relation to mammography coverage, and makes these changes to the Illinois Insurance Code also applicable to the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and other Acts. Sets forth a statement of legislative intent and provides that the bill's provisions may be referred to as the Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities Act. Effective immediately.

In addition to any other amounts appropriated for this purpose, appropriates $7,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for the purpose of providing shelter and transitional housing and employment assistance for homeless youth. Effective July 1, 2008.

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that forgery of a property deed is a Class 2 (rather than a Class 3) felony. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Iler Beasley of Chicago.