Sen. Gary Forby

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Makes various changes concerning payments to health care providers for services rendered under the Act. Allows an employer or insurer to contract with a health care provider or group of health care providers for reimbursement levels for benefits under this Act different from those provided in the Act under specified conditions. Provides that, if a patient notifies a health care provider that the treatment, procedure, or service being sought is for a work-related illness or injury and gives the name and address of the responsible employer to the health care provider, the health care provider shall bill the employer directly. Requires registration of utilization review program for workers' compensation services with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Makes other changes. Makes a corresponding change in the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act. Contains a severability provision. Effective January 1, 2006.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that beginning January 1, 2007, the Department shall pay an additional $1.33 per hour of chore/housekeeping and homemaker service performed by a chore/housekeeping and homemaker service provider vendor to all vendors who certify that they will offer health insurance to all qualifying employees, and their dependents. Requires the amount of funding, for years after 2007, to be adjusted by the amount of which the medical component of the Consumer Price Index exceeds such component for the previous calendar year. Defines a qualifying employee as an employee that provides over 100 hours of chore/housekeeping and homemaker services per month for 3 consecutive months. Requires that chore/housekeeping and homemaker service provider vendors must certify that 50% of their workforce is eligible for coverage as a qualifying employee. Provides that the Department must set minimum standards for a qualifying health plan by rule. Sets forth that provider vendors who fail to offer coverage to all qualifying employees shall be subject to penalties up to and including the requirement to return all moneys paid under this paragraph by the State as prescribed by Department rule.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the open season for taking deer shall be not more than 18 days (now, 14 days) set annually by the Director between the dates of October 1st (now, November 1st) and the following January 31st (now, December 31st), both inclusive. Provides that legal handguns for taking deer include any handguns (now, any centerfire handguns) of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the $5 fee for the issuance of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card may not be increased until January 1, 2010 and the General Assembly may not pass any law increasing such fee until January 1, 2010. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning rules.

Amends the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Municipal Code. Provides that territory that is separated from a municipality only by a federal wildlife refuge may be annexed to the municipality if the municipality can show that the federal wildlife refuge creates an artificial barrier preventing annexation. Provides that it shall be conclusively presumed that the federal wildlife refuge does not create an artificial barrier if the annexing municipality is not the closest municipality within the county to the property to be annexed (now, does not limit the provision to municipalities within the county). Effective immediately.

Amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning violations.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State policy.