Amends the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that "basic training" and "basic level" shall mean the Basic Operations Firefighter program (now, Firefighter II program) promulgated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Effective immediately.
Appropriates $5,742,500 from the Education Assistance Fund to the State Board of Education for National Board Certified Teachers for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services is authorized to make grants to a statewide Health Information Technology Resource and Support Center. Provides that the center's functions shall include: providing services on a statewide basis with a focus in rural and disparity areas of the State; providing medical practitioners, office managers, and healthcare support staff with information and assistance in understanding their health information technology (HIT) needs, selecting an appropriate system, and effective use of the system; and offering online continuing medical education (CME) courses on HIT and electronic medical records (EHR) related topics to physicians and other clinical practitioners. Effective July 1, 2009.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a veteran's surviving spouse is eligible for the disabled veterans' standard homestead exemption if the veteran would have qualified for the benefit but died before October 12, 2007. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code and the Public Community College Act. Provides that a school board shall make school buildings available for use as civil defense shelters for all persons; cooperate with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, local organizations for civil defense, disaster relief organizations, and federal agencies concerned with civil defense relative thereto; cooperate with these agencies and organizations in the use of other resources, equipment, and facilities; and cooperate with these agencies and organizations in the construction of new buildings to the end that the buildings be so designed that shelter facilities may be provided. Requires (instead of allows) a board of trustees of a community college district to make the buildings of the college available for emergency purposes, upon the request of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency or the State-accredited emergency management agency with jurisdiction, and to cooperate in all matters with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, local emergency management agencies, State-certified, local public health departments, the American Red Cross, and federal agencies concerned with emergency preparedness and response; provides that the request may also be made by the American Red Cross. Effective immediately.
Amends the Transportation Cooperation Act of 1971. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of this Act.
Amends the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act. Makes a technical change to the short title Section.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides the alternative retirement annuity (alternative formula) for persons employed on a full-time basis by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Central Management Services, the Historic Preservation Agency, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Military Affairs, the Department of Revenue, the Department of State Police, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs in the position of electrician. Allows for conversion of creditable service as an electrician before the effective date of the amendatory Act upon payment prior to retirement in an amount equal to the difference between the employee contributions that would have been required for such service under the alternative formula and the amount of employee contributions actually paid, plus interest. Exempts the change from new benefit increase provisions. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development Program Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the findings of the General Assembly.
