Sen. Chapin Rose

Urges the Governor and the Chief Procurement Officer (i) to cancel existing requests for proposals to administer Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Open Access Plan (OAP) benefits for the State Employees' Group Insurance Program and (ii) to issue a new request for proposals in a timely manner in order to facilitate the selection of an adequate network of administrators to provide access to health care for all State employees, retirees, and dependents.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning on the effective date of the amendatory Act, whenever an applicant for or recipient of public aid benefits applies for such benefits or the renewal of such benefits, the Department of Human Services shall notify the Illinois State Police of the applicant's or recipient's full name, date of birth, social security number, and current address.

Amends the Business Opportunity Sales Law of 1995. Provides that a business opportunity disclosure document shall contain a statement informing the prospective purchaser that he or she will be provided 14 days (rather than 10 business days) to review the disclosure document before signing any contract or agreement or making any payment to the seller or the seller's representative. Also amends the Limited Liability Company Act. Provides that a limited liability company may be formed for the purpose of practicing medicine if, among other conditions, each member is a hospital affiliate as defined in the Hospital Licensing Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that, beginning in calendar year 2012 and in each calendar year thereafter, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may certify no more than 39 Enterprise Zones. Effective immediately.

Creates the Public University Procurement Act. Creates the State University Procurement System, governed by a board consisting of one member appointed by each public university's board of trustees. Requires the System to (1) develop a proposed Procurement Code for Public Universities; (2) implement the Code, in conjunction with each university, after approval by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules; (3) hire and oversee a full-time Chief Procurement Officer for Public Universities; (4) develop university procurement policies on an ongoing basis; (5) evaluate a university's procurement performance on an ongoing basis; (6) develop an electronic procurement bulletin for the public advertising of all university purchasing opportunities above bid limits; (7) provide sole source hearings for those items in which vendor questions or issues have been raised, with final determinations made by the Chief Procurement Officer; (8) under the Code, require certification to conduct business in this State at the time of an award; and (9) develop diversity goals and a certification process that recognizes higher education's commitment to diversity and to annually publish the results. Provides for an Auditor General audit and report. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2016. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code to provide that from the effective date of the amendatory Act until July 1, 2016, the Code does not apply to public universities in this State. Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois to provide that no university shall be obligated to comply with (i) any mandate in the Act enacted after the effective date of the amendatory Act or (2) any regulatory mandate promulgated by the Board of Higher Education and adopted by rule. Effective immediately.

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

Amends the School Code. With respect to contracts with private carriers for the transportation of pupils being awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, provides that the consideration of quality may include past performance in this State or any other state under a similar contract. Provides that a school board may, before awarding a contract to the lowest responsible bidder, give a private carrier located no more than 45 miles from the school district's boundaries the opportunity to offer the transportation services for the same amount as the lowest responsible bidder. If so, allows the board to award the contract to the local private carrier instead.

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 Stamps 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, in order to use a LINK 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.

Mourns the death of Jan Lee Ray of Arthur.

Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, neither the Department of Public Health nor the health department of a unit of local government may regulate the serving or sale of food at a charitable fundraising event or at a farmers market.