Sen. Linda Holmes

Amends the Environmental Barriers Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that every electronic benefits transfer ("LINK") card issued on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act by the Department of Human Services for the purpose of enabling the cardholder to obtain SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) benefits or cash must include on the card's face a photograph of the cardholder. Provides that within 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act, the Department shall replace every still-valid card issued before that date with a card that includes on its face a photograph of the cardholder.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to serve each notice of alleged violation within 90 rather than 180 days after receiving a complaint alleging a violation of the Act, any rule adopted under the Act, a permit granted by the Agency, or a condition of such a permit. Prohibits the Agency from disclosing investigative data until it has served the alleged violator with a notice of the alleged violation. Defines "investigative data". Effective immediately.

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

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that a pet shop shall charge a $15 fee for each dog and cat sold.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Telecommunications Article.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that a hospital may use the information published by the Department of Insurance on its Professional Liability Insurance Resource Center web site in establishing financial responsibility requirements with respect to professional liability coverage for physicians with staff privileges at the hospital. Provides that a hospital may deem any professional liability insurer whose name appears on the web site to be acceptable for meeting the hospital's financial responsibility requirements with respect to professional liability coverage for physicians with staff privileges.

Amends the Co-operative Act. Provides that health benefit purchasing cooperatives may be organized by one or more persons in geographic areas designated by the Director of the Department of Insurance. Provides guidance for the design of a health benefit purchasing cooperative. Provides guidance for establishing member criteria and requires a cooperative to file the criteria and other reports with the Director of the Department of Insurance. Provides that each health benefit purchasing cooperative shall be organized on a membership basis with no capital stock. Provides that the contract between the health benefit purchasing cooperative and an insurer shall be for a term of 3 years. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. In the list of provisions to be incorporated into hospital policies regarding the risk of injury to patients and nurses and other health care workers associated with the lifting, transferring, repositioning, or movement of a patient, includes (1) the primacy of maintaining patient dignity, self-determination, and choice and (2) consideration of the feasibility of incorporating patient handling equipment or the physical space and construction design needed to incorporate that equipment in conjunction with federal handling equipment or the physical space and construction design needed to incorporate that equipment and federal guidelines known as Access to Medical Care for Individuals With Mobility Disabilities. Makes other changes. Effective on January 1, 2012.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Secretary of Human Services shall seek a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture to allow the State to specify certain foods that may and may not be purchased in Illinois with the benefits funded by the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program), including a general ban on the use of SNAP benefits to purchase foods of minimal nutritional value such as carbonated soft drinks, snack cakes, candies, chewing gum, flavored ice bars, and fried, high-fat chips. Requires the Secretary to consult with members of the General Assembly in developing the waiver and to obtain approval from the General Assembly before implementing the waiver. Further provides that beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act, in order to use a "LINK" electronic benefits transfer card to obtain SNAP benefits or cash, the user must show a current and valid photo identification. Prohibits such use of a LINK card if the name on the photo identification does not match the name on the LINK card or if the photo does not match the user of the card. Provides that every LINK card issued on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act must include on its face the name of every household member entitled to use the card.