Appropriates $15,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services to fund a 50 cent per hour wage increase for direct care and support staff employed by private sector agencies serving individuals with mental health disabilities. Effective July 1, 2005.
Creates the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact Act. Provides that this State and the other contracting states solemnly agree to the terms of the compact, whose purposes include the promotion of development and implementation of improvements to intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest. Establishes a Commission, with 4 members from each contracting state, serving without compensation from the Commission, to carry out the purposes of the compact. Provides for the election of Commission officers, for meetings and Commission administration, and for financing of the operations of the Commission by the compacting states. Provides that the compact becomes effective among the contracting states upon the agreement of 3 eligible states to participate. Provides for the admission of additional states to the compact, amendment of the compact, the withdrawal, default, or termination of contracting states, and construction and severability of the compact.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning block grants for school districts other than the Chicago school district.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the School Code's construction.
Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the waiver or modification of mandates within the School Code and rules, provides that the Spring mandate waiver report that the State Board of Education files with the General Assembly shall be filed before each March 1 (instead of May 1) and gives the General Assembly 60 days (instead of 30 days) to disapprove the report in whole or in part. Provides that requests for waivers from or modifications to physical education mandates must be contained in a separate report of the State Board. Instead of allowing the General Assembly to disapprove a waiver from or modification to a physical education mandate, provides that the General Assembly must approve the report containing waivers from and modifications to physical education mandates in whole or in part within 60 calendar days after each house of the General Assembly next convenes after the report is filed by adoption of a resolution by a record vote of the majority of members elected in each house, otherwise the waiver shall be deemed disapproved. Makes an exception to the daily physical education requirement for pupils in schools engaged in block scheduling. Effective July 1, 2006.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning school district financial oversight panels.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Child and Spouse Support Unit to establish the Child Support Military Modification program that shall provide for temporary modification of child support paid by any member of the National Guard or Reserves of the United States Armed Forces called up to military active duty for more than 30 continuous days. Requires the Illinois Department of Public Aid to publish and distribute a publication reasonably calculated to inform members of the National Guard and the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces of the Child Support Military Modification program. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the members of the State Board of Education.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning before and after school programs.
Amends the School Code. In a provision allowing a school board to provide free transportation when conditions are such that walking constitutes a serious safety hazard, provides that the school board shall annually review the condition and determine (rather than certify to the State Superintendent of Education) whether or not the hazardous conditions remain unchanged. Effective July 1, 2005.
