HB0788eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0788 Engrossed LRB094 07124 RSP 37276 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Epilepsy Disease Assistance Act.

Section 5. Policy declaration. The General Assembly finds that epilepsy is a devastating health condition that afflicts 2,300,000 United States citizens, over 125,000 of whom reside in Illinois. The General Assembly also finds that epilepsy afflicts its victims at all ages, but is particularly devastating to children and the elderly. It is the opinion of the General Assembly that epilepsy can cause serious financial, social, and emotional hardships on the victims and their families of such a major consequence that it is essential for the State to develop and implement policies, plans, and programs to alleviate these hardships.

It is the intent of the General Assembly through implementation of this Act to establish a program for the conduct of epilepsy education, awareness, and treatment initiatives designed to address the service gaps and treatment needs of the people impacted by epilepsy. Additionally, it is the intent of the General Assembly, through a comprehensive, statewide system of community-based services (Epilepsy Treatment and Education Program), to provide for the identification, evaluation, diagnosis, referral, and treatment of victims of this disease.

Section 10. Duties of the Department.

The Department of Public Health shall:

(1) Assist in the development of programs for the care and treatment of persons suffering from epilepsy.

(2) Institute and carry on a statewide educational initiative among health care professionals, teachers, school administers, public health departments, and families, including the dissemination of information and the conducting of educational programs to assist in the early recognition and referral of persons for appropriate followup and treatment.

(3) Develop standards for determining eligibility for care and treatment under this program. Among other standards so developed under this paragraph, candidates, to be eligible, must be referred and evaluated by a program properly staffed and affiliated with a national epilepsy program.

(4) Extend assistance to the programs listed in item (2) in order to facilitate linkages for persons with epilepsy through the following:

(i) referral and evaluation for appropriate care management and treatment; and

(ii) diagnosis and treatment by epileptologists and the Epilepsy Foundation.

Section 15. Epilepsy Advisory Committee. The Epilepsy Advisory Committee is created as a committee within the Department of Public Health. The Epilepsy Advisory Committee shall consist of the Director of Public Health, or his or her designee, who shall serve as a non-voting member and who shall be the co-chair of the Committee, and 13 voting members appointed by the Governor.

The voting members shall include persons who are experienced in the delivery of diagnoses, treatment, and support services to victims of epilepsy and their families. The voting members shall include 3 board-certified neurologists licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, at least one of whom shall be a Director of a comprehensive epilepsy center; one representative of an educational institution that is affiliated with a medical center in the State; one representative of a licensed hospital; one nurse; one social worker; one representative of an organization established under the Illinois Insurance Code for the purpose of providing health insurance; one representative of each Illinois Epilepsy Foundation affiliate; and 2 people with epilepsy or members of their families.

Each voting member shall serve for a term of 2 years and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Members of the Committee shall not be compensated, but shall be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties from funds appropriated for that purpose. No more than 9 voting members may be of the same political party. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments.

The Epilepsy Advisory Committee shall advise the Department of Public Health on their duties under this Act.

Section 20. Regional programs. The Epilepsy Committee shall recommend the establishment of regional epilepsy treatment and education programs designed to provide community services to people with epilepsy and their families.

Section 25. Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund. The Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. Using appropriations from the Fund, the Department of Public Health shall provide grants-in-aid (i) to fund necessary educational activities and (ii) for the development and maintenance of services for victims of epilepsy and their families, as managed through an epilepsy program properly staffed and affiliated with a national epilepsy program. The Department shall adopt rules governing the distribution and specific purpose of these grants.

Section 30. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.640 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.640 new)

Sec. 5.640. The Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund.

Section 35. The Illinois Income Tax Act is amended by changing Sections 509 and 510 and by adding Section 507EE as follows:

(35 ILCS 5/507EE new)

Sec. 507EE. Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund checkoff. The Department must print on its standard individual income tax form a provision indicating that if the taxpayer wishes to contribute to the Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund, as authorized by this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, he or she may do so by stating the amount of the contribution (not less than $1) on the return and that the contribution will reduce the taxpayer's refund or increase the amount of payment to accompany the return. Failure to remit any amount of increased payment reduces the contribution accordingly. This Section does not apply to any amended return.

(35 ILCS 5/509) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-509)

Sec. 509. Tax checkoff explanations. All individual income tax return forms shall contain appropriate explanations and spaces to enable the taxpayers to designate contributions to the following funds: the Child Abuse Prevention Fund, the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund (as required by the Illinois Non-Game Wildlife Protection Act), the Alzheimer's Disease Research Fund (as required by the Alzheimer's Disease Research Act), the Assistance to the Homeless Fund (as required by this Act), the Penny Severns Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Fund, the National World War II Memorial Fund, the Prostate Cancer Research Fund, the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) Research Fund, the Multiple Sclerosis Assistance Fund, the Leukemia Treatment and Education Fund, the World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial Fund, the Korean War Veterans National Museum and Library Fund, the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, the Illinois Veterans' Homes Fund, the Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund, and the Asthma and Lung Research Fund.

Each form shall contain a statement that the contributions will reduce the taxpayer's refund or increase the amount of payment to accompany the return. Failure to remit any amount of increased payment shall reduce the contribution accordingly.

If, on October 1 of any year, the total contributions to any one of the funds made under this Section do not equal $100,000 or more, the explanations and spaces for designating contributions to the fund shall be removed from the individual income tax return forms for the following and all subsequent years and all subsequent contributions to the fund shall be refunded to the taxpayer.

(Source: P.A. 92-84, eff. 7-1-02; 92-198, eff. 8-1-01; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; 92-772, eff. 8-6-02; 92-886, eff. 2-7-03; 93-36, eff. 6-24-03; 93-131, eff. 7-10-03; 93-292, eff. 7-22-03; 93-324, eff. 7-23-03; 93-776, eff. 7-21-04.)

(35 ILCS 5/510) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-510)

Sec. 510. Determination of amounts contributed. The Department shall determine the total amount contributed to each of the following: the Child Abuse Prevention Fund, the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund, the Assistance to the Homeless Fund, the Alzheimer's Disease Research Fund, the Penny Severns Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Fund, the National World War II Memorial Fund, the Prostate Cancer Research Fund, the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) Research Fund, the Multiple Sclerosis Assistance Fund, the Leukemia Treatment and Education Fund, the World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial Fund, the Korean War Veterans National Museum and Library Fund, the Illinois Veterans' Homes Fund, the Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund, and the Asthma and Lung Research Fund; and shall notify the State Comptroller and the State Treasurer of the amounts to be transferred from the General Revenue Fund to each fund, and upon receipt of such notification the State Treasurer and Comptroller shall transfer the amounts.

(Source: P.A. 92-84, eff. 7-1-02; 92-198, eff. 8-1-01; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; 92-772, eff. 8-6-02; 92-886, eff. 2-7-03; 93-36, eff. 6-24-03; 93-131, eff. 7-10-03; 93-292, eff. 7-22-03; 93-324, eff. 7-23-03; 93-776, eff. 7-21-04.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.