Public Act 100-0632
 
HB4278 EnrolledLRB100 17484 MJP 32653 b

    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Department of Veterans' Affairs Act is
amended by adding Section 2.01c as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2805/2.01c new)
    Sec. 2.01c. Veterans Home; notice of infectious disease.
    (a) As used in this Section, "infectious disease" means any
disease caused by a living organism or other pathogen,
including a fungus, bacteria, parasite, protozoan, prion, or
virus, that has a history of or potential for a significant
mortality rate among elderly or vulnerable populations,
including, but not limited to, strains of influenza,
Legionnaires' disease, and pneumonia.
    (b) If a Veterans Home administrator or a member of the
administrative staff is notified that, within one month or
less, 2 or more persons residing within the Veterans Home are
diagnosed with an infectious disease by a physician licensed to
practice medicine in all its branches; a hospital licensed
under the Hospital Licensing Act or organized under the
University of Illinois Hospital Act; a long-term care facility
licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act; a freestanding
emergency center licensed under the Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) Systems Act; a local health department; or any other
State agency or government entity, then, within 24 hours after
the facility is notified of the second diagnosis, the Veterans
Home must:
        (1) provide a written notification of the incidence of
    the infectious disease to each resident of the facility and
    the resident's emergency contact or next of kin;
        (2) post a notification of the incidence of the
    infectious disease in a conspicuous place near the main
    entrance to the Veterans Home; and
        (3) provide a written notification to the Department of
    Veterans' Affairs and the Department of Public Health of
    the incidence of the infectious disease and of compliance
    with the written notification requirements of paragraph
    (1).
In addition to the initial written notifications, the Veterans
Home must provide written notifications of any updates on the
incidence of the infectious disease and any options that are
available to the residents.
    The Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Department of
Public Health must post the notification of the incidence of
the infectious disease, any updates, and any options that are
available to the residents on their websites as soon as
practicable after receiving the notification, but in no event
shall the notice be posted later than the end of the next
business day.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.