Amends the Personal Information Protection Act. Expands the scope of information to be protected to include medical, health insurance, biometric, consumer marketing, and geolocation information. Requires notice of breaches of security to be provided to the Attorney General. Requires privacy policies to be posted.
Amends the Boat Registration and Safety Act. Provides that persons that are not residents of Illinois do not need a water usage stamp to operate a non-powered watercraft in a paddling event or race. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall adopt rules governing the classification of events as paddling events or races. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to (i) develop a model youth suicide awareness and prevention policy; (ii) compile, develop, and post on its Internet website recommended guidelines and educational materials for professional educator training and recommended resources and age-appropriate educational materials on youth suicide awareness and prevention; and (iii) develop a model youth suicide awareness and prevention curriculum and make such curriculum available to all school districts and, upon request, to nonpublic schools. Requires each school board to (i) adopt an age-appropriate youth suicide awareness and prevention policy and (ii) require 4 hours of training in youth suicide awareness and prevention every 5 years for professional educators in school buildings serving students in any of grades 6 through 12. Effective immediately.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Requires a utility to waive the utility's initial credit and deposit requirements for a period of 60 days for a residential customer or applicant who is a victim of domestic violence. Provides that the domestic violence must be certified by treating medical personnel, law enforcement personnel, a State's Attorney, the Attorney General, or a domestic violence shelter. The certification letter must be printed on the certifying entity's letterhead or accompanied by a letter on the certifying entity's letterhead that identifies the certifying individual.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable year 2016 and thereafter, the amount of the senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption shall be the greater of (i) the amount of the exemption otherwise calculated under that Section of the Code or (ii) $2,000. Effective immediately.
Amends the Newborn Metabolic Screening Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to provide all newborns with screening tests for the presence of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). Provides that testing shall begin within 12 months following the occurrence of various events, including: (1) the development and validation of a reliable methodology; (2) the availability of any necessary reagents; (3) the establishment and verification of relevant and appropriate performance specifications; (4) the availability of quality assurance testing; (5) the acquisition and installment of necessary equipment; (6) the establishment of precise threshold values ensuring defined disorder identification for ALD; (7) the authentication of pilot testing; and (8) the authentication of achieving the potential of high throughput standards. Allows the Department to implement an additional fee for the screening prior to beginning the testing in order to accumulate the resources for start-up and other costs associated with implementation of the screening and thereafter to support the costs associated with screening and follow-up programs for adrenoleukodystrophy.
Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Creates the Military Prior Learning Assessment Task Force within the Board of Higher Education to study and make recommendations on how to best effectuate the recognition of military learning for academic credit, industry-recognized credentials, and college degrees through the use of the Prior Learning Assessment. Sets forth the membership of the task force and what the task force's study must include. Requires the task force to report its findings and recommendations on or before December 1, 2016. Repeals these provisions on December 1, 2017. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that accessibility improvements made to residential property shall not increase the assessed valuation of the property. Provides that the term "accessibility improvement" means a modification or addition to residential property that is designed to make the property more accessible to a disabled person, including, but not limited to, the installation of ramps, lifts, or fixtures or the removal of architectural barriers on the property. Effective immediately.
Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Expands the definition of "abused child" to include a child abused by a professional working with the child in his or her professional capacity who inflicts corporal punishment. Expands the definition of "neglected child" to include a child who is subjected to an environment which is injurious insofar as (i) the child's environment creates a likelihood of harm to the child's health, physical well-being, or welfare and (ii) the likely harm to the child is the result of the conduct of a professional who, while working in his or her professional capacity with the child, neglects his or her professional responsibilities or engages in conduct that is contrary to his or her professional responsibilities. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to adopt rules, by January 1, 2016, that address and set forth criteria and standards relevant to (1) investigations of reports of abuse or neglect committed by professionals working with children or adult residents in their professional capacity; and (2) investigations of allegations of harm to children or adult residents who are in child care facilities licensed by the Department under the Child Care Act of 1969, transitional living programs, or unlicensed foster homes. Provides that the Department is authorized and required to release information from unfounded reports as necessary in its determination to protect children and adult residents who are in child care facilities licensed by the Department under the Child Care Act of 1969.
Amends the Department of State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of State Police shall develop a coordinated program for a statewide emergency alert system when a person 21 years old or older who is believed to have Alzheimer's disease or related dementias is reported missing. Provides that the system shall be referred to as the Silver Alert system and shall include, but is not limited to, an electronic message sent to all law enforcement agencies; use of the emergency alert system; the use of electronic billboards and message signs in coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation if a vehicle is involved; posting of the Silver Alert message on Illinois Lottery terminals; the designation by the Department of a contact name and toll-free telephone number for tips and information; blast email and fax messages to media outlets; activation of a local reverse 911 systems to all businesses and residents if the person is on foot. Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall coordinate with the Department of State Police in the use of electronic message signs on roads and highways to immediately provide critical information to the public concerning missing persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act to make conforming changes.
