Council will Help State Implement Federal Health Care Reforms

CHICAGO - July 30, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed an executive order to create the Illinois Health Care Reform Implementation Council. The council will help the state implement the health care reforms contained in the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA).

"Making sure that everyone in Illinois has access to quality, affordable health care is one of my highest priorities," said Governor Quinn. "This council will help my administration effectively implement the new federal law and make sure that every person's right to decent health care is protected."

Implementation of the federal ACA will improve the health of residents throughout Illinois by increasing access to health care, reducing treatment disparities, controlling costs, and improving the affordability, quality and effectiveness of health care.

The council will make recommendations to assist the state to: establish a health insurance exchange and other consumer protection reforms; reform Medicaid; assure high quality care; identify federal grants and other non-governmental funding sources; and foster the widespread adoption of electronic medical records.

The council will submit its first report to Governor Quinn by Dec. 31, 2010, followed by periodic reports on the implementation of its recommendations.

Members of the council will include directors of the Illinois Departments of: Healthcare and Family Services, Insurance, Public Health, Aging, Human Services, Department of Central Management Services, Labor, Financial and Professional Regulation, the Governor's Office of Health Information Technology and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget. Members may be represented by a designee.

A designee from the Office of Governor will serve as the council's chair and the directors of the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services will serve as vice-chairs. The council will receive administrative support from the agencies appointed to it.

The council will hold meetings across the state to inform the public about the opportunities and responsibilities under the ACA, soliciting recommendations for the implementation and reporting on those recommendations.

A copy of the Executive Order is attached.

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CHICAGO - July 26, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

Bill No.: HB 3998

Allows Grundy County to establish an Economic Development Project Area through passage of an ordinance.

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 4821

Restores requirements that were deleted from the Election Code by 2009's campaign finance reform law, allows the State Board to send certain notices electronically, and expands duties of the State Board of Elections.

An Act Concerning: Elections

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 4879

Prohibits ISBE from deducting pre-k students from the total number of students for purposes of transportation reimbursement, as long as the pre-k students are transported at the same time as other students.

An Act Concerning: Education

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 5006

Grants the Illinois Department of Corrections the authority to issue arrest warrants for any inmate who escapes from a correctional facility.

An Act Concerning: Corrections

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 5154

Prohibits the disclosure of a public employee's performance evaluations under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Action: Amendatory Veto

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 5398

Expands the membership of the Veterans Advisory Council.

An Act Concerning: Veterans

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 5444

Makes technical changes to the Criminal Code to ensure uniformity with the Illinois Vehicle Code as it pertains to vehicle forfeiture.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 5838

Removes the explanation of Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) protocol and responsibility at an outdoor physical fitness facility when there is no building within 300 feet of the facility, but an AED is still required onsite.

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 5871

Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to consider how gender impacts a prescription drug's effect when the Department makes the determination to require a pharmacy to request approval for Medicaid reimbursement prior to dispensing a drug.

An Act Concerning: State Government

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 5891

Codifies the expansion of the Breast and Cervical Cancer program.

An Act Concerning: Public Aid

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 5914

Instructs the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission to report on juvenile parole and clarifies the Prisoner Review Board's authority to continue a juvenile on parole even if the terms of parole have been violated.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 5927

Eliminates a three-month waiting period for re-enrollment for insurance coverage under the All Kids program or the Children's Health Insurance Program.

An Act Concerning: Insurance

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 5931

Prohibits a law enforcement officer, State's Attorney or other official from asking or requiring an alleged rape victim, adult or child, to submit to a polygraph examination or any other type of lie detector test.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 5969

Removes a requirement that a county pay for the issuance of a vehicle title if the vehicle is forfeited to a county under the Criminal Code.

An Act Concerning: Forfeiture

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6006

Permits nursing home and assisted living facilities to request to renew a facility license for one year instead of requiring facilities to renew for two years.

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6038

Extends the credit for affordable housing donations through the end of 2016.

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6041

Allows for the creation, re-creation, increase, and abatement of working cash funds and revises the regulations regarding how working cash funds can operate.

An Act Concerning: Education

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6047

Expands the eligibility of the Alternate Fuels Rebate program to include conversion rebates for hybrid vehicles.

An Act Concerning: Safety

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6153

Allows the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish a grant program to provide incentives for the dissemination of new energy technologies to certain entities.

An Act Concerning: State Government

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 6178

Authorizes arresting agencies to only pay an arrestee's qualified medical expenses incurred prior to the transfer of custody to the county sheriff.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6206

Expands the definition of an eligible institution where College Illinois! benefits may be used.

An Act Concerning: Education

Action: Signed

Effective Date: July 1, 2010

Bill No.: HB 6380

Expands the board of the Joliet Regional Port District by adding one member appointed by the Village of Romeoville.

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6450

Helps unemployed individuals whose driver's licenses have been suspended for failure to pay child support by allowing these individuals to obtain family financial responsibility driving permits in order to find a job.

An Act Concerning: Transportation

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: HB 6459

Bans synthetic cannabis, commonly referred to as "K2", which is increasing in popularity among youth.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: SB 387

Requires the six constitutional officers, public universities, community colleges, and the Toll Highway Authority to annually report to the legislature the progress of efforts to hire and promote Hispanics and bilingual persons at the supervisory and managerial levels of State government.

An Act Concerning: State Government

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: SB 735

Increases the Fairmount Race Track and its affiliated OTBs state tax rate from 0.25 percent to 0.75 percent of the daily pari-mutuel handle.

An Act Concerning: Gaming

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 2350

Amends the property tax code to clarify the eligibility for the returning veterans' homestead exemption.

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 3029

Makes technical changes to the Criminal Code to ensure uniformity with the Illinois Vehicle Code.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: SB 3037

Changes the name of the "Ticket For The Cure Fund" to the "Carolyn Adams Ticket For The Cure Grant Fund."

An Act Concerning: State Government

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 3091

Ensures additional funds for snowmobile trails by raising snowmobile registration fees and mandates liability insurance coverage for snowmobiles with limited exceptions.

An Act Concerning: Transportation

Action: Signed

Effective Date: April 1, 2011

Bill No.: SB 3097

Requires smoke detectors installed after Jan. 1, 2011 which are hard wired into the building's AC power line to have a battery or generator back-up.

An Act Concerning: Safety

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: SB 3222

Caps an Illinois-resident student's undergraduate tuition in their 5th and 6th years at a public university at the amount paid by the class that enrolled one year after the student first enrolled.

An Act Concerning: Education

Action: Signed

Effective Date: July 1, 2010

Bill No.: SB 3305

Adds to the offenses which are considered "violent offenses against youth" under Illinois law and which require registration with law enforcement entities.

An Act Concerning: Violent Offenders Against Youth

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 3446

Delays the date after which tax year 2010 property taxes in Cook County will be deemed delinquent from March 1 to April 1, 2011.

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 3666

Ensures that disabled veterans who qualify for the disabled veterans' property tax exemption continue to receive it if they move into a nursing facility.

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

Bill No.: SB 3699

Creates the Community College Transfer Grant Program Act to give grants to students transitioning from community colleges to 4-year universities.

An Act Concerning: Education

Action: Signed

Effective Date: July 1, 2010

Bill No.: SB 3705

Extends and expands - subject to appropriation - the College and Career Readiness Pilot Program for an additional 3 years to an additional 7 sites.

An Act Concerning: Education

Action: Signed

Effective Date: July 1, 2010

Bill No.: SB 3797

Amends the Criminal Code to increase the thresholds of various types of theft for which higher penalties can be imposed.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2011

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New Law Increases Penalty for Making Fake 9-1-1 Calls

CHICAGO - July 26, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed a bill into law to deter individuals from placing false 9-1-1 calls by increasing penalties for fake 9-1-1 offenses. The new law will help protect law enforcement officers and emergency responders from dangers they may face when responding to false 9-1-1 calls.

"Making false calls to 9-1-1 can put our law enforcement officers and emergency responders in serious jeopardy and endangers public safety by straining resources. We must do everything we can to support the brave men and women who protect the public," said Governor Quinn. "By making the penalty harsher, this new law will help deter people from placing false 9-1-1 calls."

House Bill 6101, sponsored by Rep. Lisa Dugan (D-Kankakee) and Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights), amends the law to impose greater penalties on individuals found guilty of making a false 9-1-1 call.

Under the new law, a person found guilty of making a false 9-1-1 call will face a Class 4 felony for the first violation as well as subsequent violations. A Class 4 felony is punishable by one to three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. Under current law a false 9-1-1 call can result in a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 and one year in jail.

The new law passed the Illinois General Assembly unanimously and takes effect Jan. 1, 2011.

This legislation comes after Kankakee County Sheriff's Deputy Dave Stukenborg was seriously injured in a car accident when responding to a prank call made to 9-1-1.

"Hopefully, this new law will deter people from making fake calls to 9-1-1, so no other family has to go through what my family has endured from such a senseless prank," said Stukenborg.

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Amendatory Veto Eliminates Requirement that Voters Publicly Declare Party Affiliation in Primary

 

CHICAGO - July 13, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today acted on legislation to encourage citizen participation in Illinois government by eliminating the requirement that Illinois residents must declare a party affiliation when voting in a primary election.

"This bill is an important step towards making our primary elections fairer and more competitive, but it does not go far enough," said Governor Quinn. "We cannot allow party affiliations to stand in the way of meaningful choice. Today's action will protect the privacy of voters' party preference and encourage greater participation in primary elections."

Today Governor Quinn issued an amendatory veto of House Bill 4842 to create a fairer primary election system in Illinois. The Governor's amendatory veto eliminates the requirement that a voter publicly declare political party affiliation when voting at a primary election. Under current Illinois law, a voter must declare a party affiliation before voting in the primary election, which is then recorded as public record.

As passed by the Illinois General Assembly, House Bill 4842 requires the Illinois State Board of Elections to produce an Internet voters' guide prior to the primary election, as is already required for general elections.

The Internet guide would include a photograph and short statement written and submitted by each candidate. Governor Quinn supports the use of electronic voter guides and the amendatory veto maintains all elements of the original bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) and Sen. Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago).

From Governor Quinn's amendatory veto message:

"Voting is a sacred right and as long as I am Governor, I will do everything within my power to protect each citizen's ability to cast a ballot. With my recommendation today, a voter's partisan preference will no longer be known to others. The decision to cast a primary ballot for one party or another will be strictly a matter of personal choice."

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