Legislative Update for February 12, 2007
The following are some of the more significant disability related bills filed in the General Assembly this session which are scheduled to be heard in committee during the week of February 12, 2007:
House Health Care Availability and Access Committee
February 14, 2007, 3:00 p.m.
Room 118, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 684, chief sponsor, Representative Karen May
Prohibits a hospital that has provided health care services to an uninsured patient from collecting more from the uninsured patient than the Medicare reimbursement rate.
NOTE: The following bills, previously scheduled for hearing by this Committee on February 6, 2007, are now scheduled for the above date and time: HB 148, HB 193, HB 209 (See: Legislative Update dated 2-2-07 for bill descriptions).
House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee
February 15, 2007, 9:00 a.m.
Room 114, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 544, chief sponsor, Representative Mary E. Flowers
Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act by requiring a comprehensive health education program to include instruction in secondary schools on clinical depression and suicide prevention.
NOTE: HB 146, previously scheduled for hearing by this Committee on February 7, 2007, is now scheduled for the above date and time (See: Legislative Update dated 2-2-07 for bill description).
House Human Services Committee
February 15, 2007, 9:00 a.m.
Room D-1, Stratton Building
Springfield, IL
NOTE: The following bills, previously scheduled for hearing by this Committee on February 7, 2007, are now scheduled for the above date and time: HB 138, HB 225, HB 368 (See: Legislative Update dated 2-2-07 for bill descriptions).
House Disability Services Committee
February 15, 2007, 4:00 p.m.
Room 115, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 226, chief sponsor, Representative Patricia Reid Lindner
Requires a gasoline or service station that offers motor fuel for sale only at self-service islands to provide at one or more islands a calling device that allows a person with a decal, a device, or registration plates issued to a person with disabilities to request assistance in dispensing motor fuel.
HB 558, chief sponsor, Representative Robert Rita
Creates the Community First Act. Provides that all persons who reside in, or are eligible to reside in, institutional care facilities have the right to have the amount of public funds that are or would have been expended on him or her for services provided by an institutional facility transferred to pay for community services.
HB 694, chief sponsor, Representative Jim Sacia
Provides that, if a person is charged with unauthorized use of a parking space reserved for a person with disabilities, the charges against the person shall be dismissed if he or she produces in court a device, issued to a person with disabilities under the Code, that the person was entitled to display at the time the citation was issued.
House Aging Committee
February 16, 2007, 11:00 a.m.
Room 114, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
NOTE: HB 254, previously scheduled for hearing by this Committee on February 8, 2007, is now scheduled for the above date and time (See: Legislative Update dated 2-2-07 for bill description).
House DCFS Oversight Committee
February 16, 2007, 9:00 a.m.
Room 122B, Capitol building
Springfield, IL
HB 191, chief sponsor, Representative Mary E. Flowers
Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop and implement a program of family preservation services designed to support intact, foster, and adoptive families who are experiencing extreme hardship due to the difficulty of caring for a child with a pervasive developmental disorder.
House Veterans Affairs Committee
February 16, 2007, 11:00 a.m.
Room C-1, Stratton Building
Springfield, IL
HB 579, chief sponsor, Representative Patricia R. Bellock
Requires the Secretary of Human Services, from funds appropriated to the Department of Human Services for that purpose, to establish a 2-year pilot program in 3 locations across the State to provide mental health services to veterans who do not qualify for mental health services under a federally funded or State-funded program and who do not have insurance coverage for mental health services.
HB 670, chief sponsor, Representative Linda Chapa LaVia
Creates the Illinois Discharged Servicemember Task Force. Requires the Task Force to investigate re-entry into civilian life for service members who have been engaged in an active theater.
NOTE: If you wish to take any action regarding any of these bills, you may wish to attend the committee hearing and/or contact the sponsor(s) of the bill, the members of the committee hearing the bill, and/or the legislators in your home district. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all legislators, both Representatives and Senators, can be found on the Illinois General Assembly website at: www.ilga.gov. You may also check this website to find out if any of the committee hearing dates or times have been changed (which may happen upon very short notice) and to read the full text of the bills.
