Amends the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District Act. Makes a technical change in the Section creating the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District.
Creates the State Services Assurance Act. Establishes required staffing ratios for specified State agencies that provide essential services. Requires the Departments of Children and Family Services and Veterans' Affairs to convene caseload and workload standards task forces, and the Department of Juvenile Justice to convene a staffing ratio standards task force, to develop standards by January 1, 2007. Requires the Legislative Audit Commission, in consultation with the Auditor General, to schedule audits, to be completed by January 1, 2007, of each executive branch agency under the Governor's authority to determine its staffing level trends. Effective immediately.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Creates a new Article concerning retail electric competition. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to establish an Office of Retail Market Development and employ a Director of Retail Market Development. Sets forth the powers and duties of the Office. Requires the Director to present to the Commission, the General Assembly, and the Governor a detailed plan designed to promote retail electric competition for residential and small commercial electricity consumers. Requires the Commission to post the plan on its web site. Provides for a period of public comment on the plan. Effective immediately.
Creates the Interpreter for the Deaf Licensure Act of 2006 to replace the Interpreters for the Deaf Act. Provides for the regulation of interpreters for the deaf through licensure by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission. Establishes the Board of Interpreters and provides for evaluation teams. Preempts home rule. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Interpreters for the Deaf Fund. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure to add a provision concerning privileged communications involving interpreters for the hearing impaired. Repeals the Interpreters for the Deaf Act.
Amends the Home Health Agency Licensing Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the application of the Act.
Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Public Community College Act with respect to the trustee districts in Community College District No. 526. Provides that all counties, townships, census tracts, block groups, blocks, annexations, and natural boundaries are those that appear on maps published by the United States Bureau of the Census for the 2000 census and maps produced by the Department of Revenue (instead of providing that all counties, townships, census tracts, block groups, and blocks are those that appear on maps published by the United States Bureau of the Census for the 2000 census). Provides that the State Board of Elections shall adjust census tract boundaries, municipal and township annexations, and natural boundaries to make compact and contiguous districts. Effective immediately.
Creates the Central Illinois Economic Development Authority Act. Establishes the Central Illinois Economic Development Authority in Calhoun, Greene, Macoupin, Montgomery, Jersey, and Christian counties in order to promote economic development within those counties. Contains provisions concerning the powers and duties of the Authority. Allows the Authority to acquire, own, sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of interests in real property and to issue bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness for certain purposes in an aggregate amount not to exceed $250,000,000. Provides that the Authority shall be governed by a 9-member board. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.
Amends State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In the definitions of "employer" and "employee", updates certain references to the Illinois Century Network, which is now part of the Bureau of Communication and Computer Services. Effective immediately.
Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Allows a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches to enter into a supervising physician agreement with no more than 4, rather than 2, physician assistants at one time. Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act. Provides that no more than 4, rather than 2, physician assistants shall be supervised by a supervising physician at one time and that an alternate supervising physician may supervise more than 4, rather than 2, physician assistants. Effective immediately.
