SENATE WEEK IN REVIEW: May 18-22, 2009                                     May 22, 2009

SPRINGFIELD – After making huge strides earlier in the week to shake off six years worth of legislative gridlock, lawmakers took a step backward at the end of the week, as the Senate President began to run out the clock on major campaign finance reform.

On Thursday, lawmakers sent to the governor the first capital construction program in more than 10 years. On Friday, Senators also approved several much anticipated ethics reforms, according to State Sen. Dan Duffy (R-Lake Barrington).

However, a proposed reform on campaign finance (SB 350) was blocked by the Senate’s Chicago leadership. It was unclear at week’s end if the Democrat majority would ever allow a vote on campaign finance reforms proposed by the Governor Pat Quinn’s bipartisan Illinois Reform Commission, before the legislature’s scheduled adjournment day of May 31. The campaign finance reforms are sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont).

Senate members also spent long hours debating and voting on legislation to meet the May 22 deadline for voting House bills out of the Senate.

 The reform measures that were approved on May 22, included Senate Bill 51, which is intended to improve transparency related to state contracts, reduce no-bid contracts and designate contractual officials independent of the governor’s office. Many of the ideas incorporated into the reform package were proposed in 2005 by the Senate Republican Caucus, including limiting no-bid emergency contracts to specific critical services for no longer than 90 days and requiring a public hearing before a no-bid sole-source state contract is awarded.

Another Senate GOP provision was incorporated which will require online disclosure of subcontracts, including the amount of the contract and the owners of the subcontracting business. Additionally, contractors who paid lobbyists to help obtain state contracts would be required to disclose those fees, and all lobbyist communications related to state contracting must be summarized by the state and posted online. Senate Bill 51 also establishes the position of an advisory Executive Procurement Officer, and four chief procurement officers to handle state purchases.

An additional ethics measure, Senate Bill 54, substantially changes the current process with regards to ethics investigations to make them more public, while increasing protections for state whistleblowers. The bill includes components from previous Senate Republican bills to increase financial transparency, including mandating the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget post Quarterly Financial Reports regarding the state’s financial condition online, as well as requiring OMB to make public any financial information that is sent to credit rating agencies and investors. The measure also tightens the state’s “revolving door” policies, and would require lobbyists to take ethics exams and regularly report expenditures.

While pleased to see comprehensive ethics legislation finally advance, Senator Duffy said that there is still more to be done, pointing to Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 69, which seeks to reform the state’s current redistricting system that has been criticized as undemocratic and unfair to the people of Illinois. SJRCA 69 incorporates the recommendations of the bi-partisan Illinois Reform Commission, and would create an advisory committee to oversee redistricting of Senate, House and Congressional districts. The committee would be required to hire a non-partisan, independent redistricting contractor to create the district maps.

Senate Republican lawmakers are also calling for consideration of Senate Bill 350, which would provide for political campaign contribution limits, restricting individuals to $2,400 in donations for both statewide and legislative candidates, and unions and other organizations to $5,000. Concerns were raised in the Senate Executive Committee that this legislation would not be allowed to be considered before the General Assembly adjourns next week, despite the Senate President’s reassurance that he plans to advance the legislation.

Though the capital proposal was ultimately approved by lawmakers, Senator Duffy said the capitol construction program was not an easy vote, because he did not agree with all aspects of the plan; however, most lawmakers agreed that it represented a bipartisan effort of the four legislative caucuses. Passed May 20, the $29.9 billion program will fix schools, roads and municipal infrastructure improvements that have languished for more than a decade – and provide tens of thousands of construction jobs in the process.

The Senate passed three bills that will set into motion the massive public works program. Passed by a 47-12 vote, House Bill 255 creates the Capital Projects Fund, which will be funded with revenues generated by the legalization of video gaming; an increase in license plate fees; and new taxes on coffee, tea, candy and grooming and hygiene products. Passed by a 59-0 vote, House Bill 312 is the spending (appropriations) bill for the capital construction program. Passed by a 59-0 vote, House Bill 2400 is the bond authorization legislation for the capital construction program. All three bills now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration. If passed there, the bills move to the Governor.

In other business, the Senate passed legislation that will help small communities buy emergency equipment like ambulances and firetrucks. House Bill 1307 adds volunteer and non-profit, stand-alone ambulance services to the current grant program that helps small communities buy firefighting equipment. The bill also adds defibrillators and communication equipment to the list of equipment that may be obtained through the grant program. The legislation will make at least $7.5 million in grants available annually for smaller communities. Passed by the Senate May 19 and the House March 24, House Bill 1307 now moves to the Governor for further consideration.

Also passed by the Senate May 19, House Bill 3828 creates the Task Force on the Conservation and Quality of the Great Lakes for the protection of the water quality and supply of the Great Lakes. The Task Force would be charged with reviewing the availability of federal funds for water quality and supply projects, the extent of water consumption and use from the Great Lakes, and the impact of invasive species on the lakes, among other topics. The bill was passed by the House March 24 and also moves to the Governor for further consideration.

Another bill passed by the Senate May 19 seeks to raise public awareness of a painful neurological disorder. House Bill 9 targets Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSDS), a chronic syndrome characterized by severe burning pain, changes to bone and skin, tissue swelling and extreme sensitivity to touch that, if untreated, results in permanent deformity and severe pain. The legislation would create an educational program about the nature and possible causes of the syndrome, the risk factors that may contribute to its development, various treatment options, and the availability of treatment and support services.

            Following are some of the bills that were approved by the Senate this week, and will now proceed to the governor for final action:

Agricultural Science (HB 3600):  Seeks to recruit teachers with dual agriculture and science certificates by opening up grant programs to all institutions of higher education that offer state-approved agricultural science teacher preparation programs.

Certificate of Error (HB 3664):  Allows counties to issue a certificate of error to eligible taxpayers who fail to apply for any homestead exemption.

Criminal Records (HB 3961):  Rewrites the laws related to expungement and sealing of criminal history records to make them more understandable and explicit.

Employee Records (HB 3634):  Extends the current three-year requirement for an employer to keep employee records for 5 years and extends the statute of limitations for employees to bring civil action from 3 years to 5 years from the date of the underpayment.

Martinsville/ Benld Schools (HB 2619):  Allows two school districts to exceed their debt limitation due to natural disasters, and issue bonds for construction without referendum.

Neighborhood Vehicles (HB 3705):  Restricts a person from operating a “neighborhood vehicle” on a public road without obtaining a title, license plates and a liability insurance policy.

Pension Compensation (HB 3964):  Provides that if a SERS member on leave of absence without pay purchases service credit for that period of leave, their earnings will be assumed to be equal to the rate of compensation immediately prior to the leave.

Rent Theft (HB 3934):  Raises the penalty on theft of rent money taken by an individual impersonating a landlord.

Trucking (HB 3956):  Increases the speed limit to 65 mph for big trucks traveling on interstates outside Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will.

Insurance Producer License (HB 70):  Increases the number of education hours a person must complete for an insurance producer license.

Prevailing Wage (HB 163):  Requires a public body to supply a contractor with written notice on the purchasing order explicitly stating that prevailing wage must be paid.

Forgery (HB 184):  Allows two or more acts of forgery to be joined and charged as a single offense if they further a single intention or if the property belongs to the same person or persons.

Property Damage (HB 192):  States that the aggregate value of damage to property by criminal defacement will be used to determine the amount of the penalty.

Unclaimed Property (HB 265):  Provides that if unclaimed property that may have been used in the commission of a crime is delivered to the Treasurer, the Treasurer may transfer that property to the Department of State Police or to the appropriate law enforcement agency

Vehicle Seizure (HB 253):  Allows for the seizure and forfeiture of a motor vehicle driven if the offender’s driver’s license or privileges were suspended or revoked because of a reckless homicide.

Campus Security (HB 336):  Requires that college campus security plans must include communication with governmental agencies and elementary and secondary school districts next to the higher education institution’s boundaries.

School Treasurer (HB 325): Permits the school treasurer to be a school board member for certain school districts.

Design Build Expert (HB 61):  Reduces restrictions on public building commissions, allowing them to employ a “design-build expert,” to give PBCs more flexibility when building public projects.

Library Failure (HB 211):  Establishes a procedure for dissolution of a public library for failure to perform mandated duties.

Library Transfers (HB 49):  Allows State agencies and universities to sell library materials that have been withdrawn from their collections, as opposed to destroying them.

SWIDA Board Changes (HB 301):  Replaces the Director of CMS with the Secretary of Transportation as an ex officio member of the Southwestern Illinois Development Authority board. 

Assisted Living Physicians (HB 68):  Establishes that chiropractors may provide services to residents of an assisted living facility without being licensed under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. 

Food Allergies (HB 281):  Requires the development of clear and consistent safety guidelines and policies for life-threatening food allergies to be provided to each school board for implementation.

Health Grants (HB 208):  Establishes a grant program for constructing or renovating community health care centers.

MRSA (HB 185):  Requires state-operated facilities, like correctional facilities and mental health hospitals, to establish MRSA prevention, control and reporting procedures.

Circuit Breaker (HB 366):  Establishes a comprehensive rewrite of eligibility for the Circuit Breaker Property Tax Grant and Illinois Cares RX drug coverage to increase eligibility for the 2009 claim year and provide for future annual increases based on annual Social Security increases, simplify the application process, and seek to align the programs.

Homestead Exemptions (HB 238):  Establishes that the homestead exemption for seniors is extended to those in assisted living.

Missing Endangered Senior (HB 282):  Includes people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia in the definition of a missing endangered senior so they will be included in the missing and endangered senior alert system.

Spousal Caregiver (HB 39):  Creates a demonstration project that would allow a spouse to be reimbursed by the state for providing care to his or her eligible spouse.

Court of Claims (HB 361):  Establishes a one year time frame for the Court of Claims to act on Line of Duty Compensation Act or IL National Guardsman’s Compensation Act claims, in order to reduce the claims backlog.

Firefighter Death (HB 77):  Requires the Governor to issue an official notice to have the U.S. National flag and the Illinois State flags flown at half-staff when an Illinois firefighter is killed in the line duty.

Cosmetology Schools (HB 615):  Provides that barber, cosmetology, esthetics or nail technology school refunds must adhere to the requirements of the school's regional or national accrediting agency, rather than the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences.

Disabled Workers (HB 655):  Creates a task force to review the opportunities for mainstream employment for people with disabilities, in an effort to increase the disabled employment rate.

Sex Offender (HB 550):  Prohibits a convicted sex offender from using computer software to delete information on any computer used by the offender while on parole, supervised release, probation, conditional discharge or supervision.

Discrimination (HB 721):  Prevents discrimination against a person because of his/her order of protection status.

ID Documents (HB 610):  Requires identification documents of a person sentenced to prison that are in the possession of the Sheriff to be forwarded to the Department of Corrections.

Sex Offender Employment (HB 396):  Requires the Department of Employment Security to provide the address, place of employment and former places of employment of registered sex offenders, at the request of local law enforcement.

Strangulation (HB 594):  Allows an aggravated domestic battery or an aggravated battery to be charged to batterers who strangled their victim, as a way to punish offenders more harshly.

Adoptions (HB 548):  Provides that school boards may require that a teacher/employee provide evidence that a formal adoption process is underway, and establishes that paid leave is provided for 30 days for birth and for adoption.

Ensuring Success (HB 605): Requires the Ensuring Success in School Task Force to submit its report by December 1, 2009.

Sign Language (HB 725):  Encourages school boards to include American Sign Language courses in foreign language curriculums, and allows public universities and colleges to accept ASL as a foreign language.

Principal Mentoring (HB 737):  Gives a first-year principal the option to participate in a second year of mentoring if sufficient funding exists.

Textbooks (HB 461):  Places restrictions on college textbook publishers to prevent “bundling” of textbooks.

Metal Dealers (HB 696):  Requires a recyclable metal dealer to obtain certain information for each transaction involving the purchase of metal street signs, including a declaration, signed and dated, by the seller to confirm the signs are not stolen property.

Inmate Research (HB 710): Repeals a provision allowing the Department of Corrections to allow a consenting inmate to participate in another state agency’s research program.

Memorial Highways (HB 457):  Allows for interstate highways or state highways to be named in honor of the memory of one or more Illinois State Troopers killed in the line of duty.

Parkinson’s Awareness (HB 760):  Designates each April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month.           

Partial Censuses (HB 719):  Provides that the Secretary of State must certify partial censuses so rapidly growing communities can receive state and federal revenue that is based on population.

Reporting Deadline (HB 743):  Extends the reporting deadline for the MWRD Civil Service Board by two weeks.

Telephone Companies (HB 791):  Repeals a requirement that telephone companies biennially report the status of implementation of 9-1-1 services to the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Truth in Taxation (HB 493):  Allows for additional information to be included in a Truth in Taxation notice.

Free Tobacco (HB 604):  Restricts establishments from giving out free samples of tobacco products, except in “adult-only” facilities.

Nursing Home Policies (HB 748):  Requires nursing homes to notify new residents in writing within 30 days notifying them that they can name a health care surrogate and execute a living will/power of attorney.

Medical Suspension (HB 546):  Provides a system for reviewing medical suspensions and for documentation of evidence prior to a summary suspension, and for peer review in a case of disciplinary action.

Pharmaceutical Disposal (HB 658):  Creates a Medical Disposal Solutions Collaborative to encourage environmentally responsible disposal of pharmaceuticals, which have been shown to contaminate the water supply.

Nursing Homes (HB 416):  Allows penalties assessed on nursing homes for late bed licensing payments to be waived when the Medicaid payment cycle is in excess of 60 days.

Refugees (HB 399):  Establishes ongoing AABD coverage for refugees to ensure they will not lose their assistance.

Bridge Construction (HB 641):  Gives township road districts an additional 24 months to use state funds for bridge construction before they lapse and go back to the state.

Cremation (HB 516):  Requires funeral directors and crematory authorities to make a reasonable effort to determine whether a deceased person, whose remains have been submitted for cremation, was a veteran or affiliated with a veteran, to determine if they should be interred at a veterans’ cemetery.

Carp (HB 872):  Requires DNR to conduct a one year pilot program to simulate the harvesting of two carp species in order to research and hopefully curtail the growth of this invasive species.

Dam Manuals (HB 2251):  Requires DNR to review and update its operations manuals for the Algonquin Dam and the William G. Stratton Lock and Dam on an annual basis.

Temp Agencies (HB 866):  Restricts a day and temporary labor service agency from being located near a school or Boys and Girls club.

Twice-Exceptional Children (HB 900):  Requires the State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities and the Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children to research and discuss best practices for addressing the needs of “twice-exceptional” children, who are gifted and have a disability.

Alcohol Warnings (HB 1793):  Requires retailers that sell alcoholic beverages to post a sign saying: “If you need assistance for substance abuse, please call the office of alcoholism and substance abuse at 1-200-843-6154.”

Elder Abuse Reporting (HB 813):  States that an optometrist who willfully fails to report any form of suspected abuse or neglect may see disciplinary action.

Capital Litigation Trust Fund (HB 869):  Increases oversight of the Capital Litigation Trust Fund, which pays for the expenses of court-appointed attorneys representing defendants who may receive the death penalty, in response to questionable expenses that have been paid out of the fund in recent years.

Community College Bids (HB 862):  Allows public community colleges to accept electronic bids for contracts.

Credit (HB 999):  Allows school districts to establish a line of credit if needed due to delayed state payments.

Health Education (HB 973):  Recommends that the subject of teen dating violence be included in the Comprehensive Health Education Program curriculum in grades 8-12.

Historical Sites (HB 1002):  Prohibits the Governor from sweeping funds from the historical sites fund.

Military Voting (HB 1131):  Allows spouses and dependents of military members to request an absentee ballot by fax machine or electronic transmission.

State Renovations (HB 1013):  Requires that state-funded building construction and major renovations of existing state-owned facilities must meet certain energy and environmental standards.

TIF District Steelville (HB 1086):  Extends the life of the TIF district created by the Village of Steelville on July 6, 1998 from 23 to 35 years. 

Bioterrorism Preparation (HB 805):  Allows the Departments of Public Health and Financial and Professional Regulation to have access to the health care professionals list to assist them in planning for bioterrorism and public health emergencies.

Crohn’s Disease (HB 986):  Adds Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis to the list of ailments that a person could have to be considered under the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities Act.

Comprehensive Care Policies (HB 838):  Clarifies the law by stating that no one can operate as a participant under the Comprehensive Care in Residential Settings Demonstration Project until they obtain a valid license.

Respiratory Care (HB 1294):  States that a person enrolled in a respiratory care education program is exempt from the Respiratory Care Practice Act.

State Board of Health (HB 1292):  Adds a chiropractor and a physical therapist to the State Board of Health.

Stroke Victims (HB 2244):  Provides for the establishment of an EMS regional plan concerning the triage, treatment, and transport of possible acute stroke patients.

Telemedicine(HB 1112): Requires IDPH to develop, publish and disseminate an educational brochure to educate the public on telemedicine to help people in rural areas who are forced to travel for medical treatment.

Abuse Notices (HB 1132):  Requires that final determination notices must be sent to alleged perpetrators of child abuse via both regular and certified mail.

Domestic Violence Fund (HB 808):  Exempts the Domestic Violence Shelter and Service Fund from fund sweeps.

Worker Awards (HB 804):  Requires DHS to present annual awards to direct care workers age 55 and older.

Alternative Fuels (HB 942):  Requires the Secretary of State to notify owners of motor vehicles that many cars are available that use E 85 gasoline, in an effort to promote the purchase of these vehicles.

Ambulances (HB 1307):  Includes volunteer, non-profit, stand alone ambulance services in the small fire-fighting equipment grant program to help them purchase new equipment.

Flags (HB 1332):  Establishes that flags flown outside of all state and local government buildings must be made in the USA.

National Guard Healthcare (HB 820):  Allows the Adjutant General to order the Illinois National Guard into active duty for non-emergency reasons, such as training with IEMA.

Veterans Employment (HB 1122):  Creates the Illinois Jobs for Veterans Task Force to determine if military training received by veterans could satisfy any state professional licensure requirements. 

Coyote Hunting (HB 2294):  Allows hunters to use equipment to cut down or trim trees and use tree stands during coyote hunting.

Fishing Interference (HB 2546):  Clarifies that the Hunter Interference Prohibition Act also applies to fishing activities.

Grain Code (HB 2533):  Allows the grain industry to use electronic price later contracts. 

Revoked Licenses (HB 2337):  Provides that no person or entity whose license, certificate, or authority has been revoked by the Department of Professional Regulation may apply for a restoration of the license, certificate, or authority for a three year period.

Children’s Day (HB 2593):  Designates the second Sunday in June each year as a holiday to be known as “Children’s Day”.

Park District Commissioners (HB 2295):  Establishes that Park District Commissioners may not serve as commissioner if they owe the park district money and they can’t have been convicted of a felony.

Personal Property (HB 2284):  Amends the Personal Property Storage Act to move regulatory jurisdiction from the Department of Agriculture to the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Health Advisory Panel (HB 2661):  Increases the number of members on the Illinois Health Policy Center advisory panel.

Special Education (HB 2362):  Exempts special education transportation contracts from the low-bid requirement to prevent fly-by-night companies from artificially undercutting the competition.

Brain Aneurysm Awareness (HB 2506):  Designates September as Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month.

Ovarian/Prostate Cancer Month (HB 2505):  Creates Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September. 

Radon Disclosure (HB 2439):  Requires sellers of certain property to disclose that they have no knowledge of elevated radon concentration or that prior elevated radon concentrations have been mitigated, but the provisions do not apply to residential dwelling units located on the third story or higher in any building.

Land Conveyance Correction (HB 2370):  Corrects a mistake to allow land in Will County that is owned by DOC to be sold so the money can be used for road construction at Weber Road and I-55.

Overgrown Yards (HB 2451):  Allows municipalities to remove nuisance greenery from any parcel of private property in the municipality after notifying the property owner who refuses to remove the nuisance greenery.

Cancer Treatment Insurance (HB 2275):  Eliminates the AMA Drug Evaluations and the United States Pharmacopeia Drug Information reference compendia which is out of date, and adds several other reference compendia that have recently been approved, all in relation to cancer drug treatment products.

Correction Facility Nurses (HB 2395):  Allows licensed nurses to administer prepackaged medications to detainees in a correctional facility.

Flu Shots (HB 2318):  Requires DCFS’ Web site to include information about the benefits of annual flu shots for children.

Injury Policies (HB 2285):  Requires hospitals and nursing homes to adopt policies to identify strategies for controlling risk of injuries when lifting or transferring patients.

Lily’s Law (HB 2481):  Creates the Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus Pilot Program (“Lilly’s Law”) to create and maintain a diabetes mellitus registry. 

Medicated Lenses (HB 2396):  Allows doctors of optometry to sell, dispense, and prescribe lenses that release eye related medications.

Mercury Web site (HB 2429):  Requires the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to create a Web site that provides information on compact fluorescent lamps and is intended to protect consumers from mercury pollution by encouraging proper disposal of fluorescent bulbs. 

Visiting Physicians (HB 2548):  Provides that a person can obtain a visiting physician permit if they have received an invitation to study, demonstrate, or perform a specific medical, osteopathic, chiropractic or clinical subject or technique in a state or national medical, osteopathic or chiropractic professional association or society conference or meeting.

Prisoners of War (HB 2536):  Provides that all former prisoners of war will receive free admission to any state-funded museum.

Pest Control (HB 3995):  Extends the repeal date of the Structural Pest Control Act from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2019.

Paternity (HB 4008):  Requires that the “acknowledgment of paternity and denial of paternity” form must include a statement letting the mother, alleged father, and the presumed father know that they have the right to request DNA tests regarding the child’s paternity and that by signing the form they waive DNA testing.

Crop Damage (HB 4177):   States that a person convicted of or placed on supervision for knowingly damaging or destroying someone’s crops is liable in a civil action to the owner for money damages up to twice the market value of the crops damaged or destroyed.

Drug Penalty Fee (HB 2680):  Imposes an additional $25 assessment for deposit into the State Police Services Fund to be used for grants to State Police drug task force or MEG units for individuals convicted of a drug offense.

Emergency Reponses (HB 2669):  Requires offenders convicted of arson to reimburse the local government for emergency response related to the offense.

False Threats (HB 4049):  Requires offenders to pay for the reimbursement of emergency response to a school for a false bomb or similar threat.

Judicial Sale (HB 3885):  Creates the offense of unlawful manipulation of a judicial sale, which is knowingly engaging in a conspiracy with another person who would otherwise be a competitor for the purpose of fixing or manipulating a judicial sale.

Golden Apple (HB 3999):  Combines the IL Future Teacher Corps into the Golden Apple Scholars Program.

Grow Your Own Teacher (HB 4117):  Provides that the Department of Juvenile Justice School District is eligible to receive teachers from the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Initiative Program.

Jr. High Accelerated Coursework (HB 4038):  Allows a junior high student to take a high school course taught by a high school teacher at his/her school building, instead of traveling to the high school.

School CEO (HB 2674):  Permits a school district, under a Financial Oversight Panel’s authority, to appoint a chief executive officer (C.E.O.) instead of a district superintendent and the district may appoint a chief fiscal officer instead of a chief school business official. 

Teacher Certificate Fund (HB 2871):  Protects the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund from potential funds sweeps and administrative charge backs.

Great Lakes Task Force (HB 3828):  Creates the Task Force on the Conservation and Quality of the Great Lakes for the protection of the water quality and supply of the Great Lakes.

“Green” Illinois (HB 4035):  Requires preference to be given to a bidder for State contracts who will fulfill the contract through use of products made from recycled supplies and requires state agencies to purchase recycled supplies, unless it is too expensive and impractical.

Commercial Paper (HB 3670):  Allows the Treasurer to invest in “commercial paper” that matures up to 270 days after the date of purchase as opposed to the current 180 days. 

Funds Transfer (HB 4242):  Directs the Comptroller and Treasurer to transfer more than $21 million from various state funds to the Audit Expense Fund for the purpose of carrying out audits. 

Violence Prevention Authority (HB 3647):  Requires the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority to develop and adopt rules that allow them to distribute grants to community and statewide organizations that promote violence prevention.

Therapist Disclosure (HB 2845):  Allows therapists to disclose records and communications when the disclosure is necessary to initiate or continue involuntary treatment proceedings.

DHS Records (HB 3843):  States that a recipient’s records and communications must be disclosed to the Inspector General of DHS within 10 business days of a request in the course of an investigation authorized by the Department of Human Services Act, and in testimony at health care worker registry hearings or preliminary proceedings when it’s relevant to the issue.

Inspector General (HB 3844):  Updates the powers and procedures of the DHS Inspector General with regard to the IG’s charge to investigate abuse and neglect at state facilities.

Safe Haven (HB 3925):  Increases the age children can be dropped off at a “safe haven,” from 7 days to 30 days.

Elder Self Neglect (HB 3967):  Requires the Department on Aging to implement a program based on the recommendations of the Elder Self-Neglect Steering Committee.

Double Taxation (HB 3635):  Limits the amount of double taxation for Illinois taxpayers whose income is taxed in both Illinois and another state.

Harvesting Permits (HB 4153): Allows IDOT to issue hay harvesting permits for Illinois rights-of-way.

Homemade Trailer (HB 2750):  Establishes requirements and documents which must be met in order to get a title for a homemade trailer.

Jake Break (HB 3721):  Authorizes IDOT to post signs that prohibit a truck driver from using a “jake brake,” which some say creates excessive noise.

Railroad Crossings (HB 3730):  Requires yield signs at highway rail grade crossings that are not equipped with automatic warning devices.

Windshield Tinting (HB 4327):  Fines individuals who install or repair tint on front windshields or front side windows of motor vehicles

Employment Advertising (HB 4197):  Allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to spend up to $30,000 annually to advertise for employees at veterans’ medical facilities for the purpose of seeking employees to fill vacancies.

Gold Star Mother’s Day (HB 3663):  Designates that the last Sunday in September is Gold Star Mother’s Day.

High School Diplomas (HB 3731):  Allows honorably discharged veterans of the Vietnam Conflict to be awarded high school diplomas from school boards.

Police Officers (HB 3877):  Establishes that military veterans may become a police officer up to 10 years after other police officers age eligibility expires.

School Bus Drivers (HB 3787):  Provides that when a school bus driver who is a member of the Armed Forces is called to active duty, the Secretary of State must list the permit as inactive until the permit is renewed.

Veteran’s Day (HB 4199):  Changes the definition of “Veterans Day” to a commemoration of victory of all United States Armed Forces in all wars, to include the Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Force.