Sen. Ira I. Silverstein

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that any order of probation or conditional discharge entered following a conviction or an adjudication of delinquency for hate crime shall include a condition that the offender enroll in an educational program discouraging hate crimes if the offender caused criminal damage to property consisting of religious fixtures, objects, or decorations. Provides that the educational program may be administered, as determined by the court, by a university, college, community college, non-profit organization, or the Holocaust and Genocide Commission. Effective January 1, 2012.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that any licensed health care worker, who has been (1) convicted of committing a sexual criminal act that requires registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act against a patient in the course of patient care or treatment, (2) has been convicted of a criminal battery against any patient, (3) a forcible felony, or (4) required as part of a criminal sentence to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act, then the license of the health care worker shall by operation of law be permanently revoked without a hearing. Provides that no person registered as a sex offender may receive a license as a health care worker in Illinois. Requires that within 15 business days after receiving notice from the State's Attorney of the filing of criminal charges against the health care worker, the Secretary shall issue an administrative order that the health care worker may only practice with a chaperone during all patient encounters pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings. Adds provisions concerning the confidentiality of certain information and documents. Effective immediately.

Amends the Good Samaritan Act. Provides that any person who in good faith (instead of any person currently certified in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation who complies with generally recognized standards, and who in good faith), not for compensation, provides emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a person who is an apparent victim of acute cardiopulmonary insufficiency shall not, as the result of his or her acts or omissions in providing resuscitation, be liable for civil damages, unless the acts or omissions constitute willful and wanton misconduct. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that no person may be employed by the Department of Children and Family Services who has been declared a sexually dangerous person under the Sexually Dangerous Persons Act or convicted of committing or attempting to commit specified offenses. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency, within 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, to make all permit applications on-line, editable, and savable files. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Requires the Chicago Board of Education to establish a basic skills class for students in each of grades 4, 5, and 6. Provides that if a 3rd grade student is at least 2 grade levels behind in reading or mathematics, based on an assessment of the student's reading and mathematics skills, the student must be placed in a basic skills class when he or she is in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades until he or she completes 6th grade or attains reading or mathematics skills that are at or above the 6th grade level, whichever occurs first. Requires the State Board of Education to create the appropriate curriculum for the basic skills class, establish learning objectives for students in a basic skills class, and provide lesson plans for the basic skills class.

Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Provides that in order to enable access to a 9-1-1 system for cognitively-impaired, disabled, or special needs persons, the installation or connection of any automatic alarm, automatic alerting device, or mechanical dialer shall be allowed. Provides that the device shall be used only in an emergency situation reported by a caregiver after initiating a missing person's report. Sets forth the requirements for the device.

Amends the Oaths and Affirmations Act. Removes a provision that limited courts, judges, judicial clerks, county clerks, deputy county clerks, the Secretary of State, notaries public, and persons certified under the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporters Act of 1984 to administering oaths and taking affidavits and depositions only in their respective districts, circuits, counties, or jurisdictions.

Amends the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act. Provides that if there is property in the custody of a law enforcement agency whose ownership has been unascertained for at least 6 months, a sheriff, police chief, or principal law enforcement official, who determines that the public interest would be served, may donate the property to a registered charity or transfer the property to the local government of which the official is a part or to the State (instead of transfer the property to the local government of which the official is a part or to the State).

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Requires each candidate for election to the General Assembly to file, at the time of filing petitions for nomination, a certificate of having completed within the previous 12-month period an ethics and campaign finance training program designated by the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services. Amends the Election Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.