Ryan Approves Measure To Assist Custodial Parents Adversely Effected By Late Payments: Eliminates Unnecessary Boards and Commissions

SPRINGFIELD - Governor George H. Ryan today approved legislation requiring the Department of Public Aid to assist custodial parents dealing with the adverse effects of delayed child support payments from the State Disbursement Unit.

Upon request from the custodial parent, Senate Bill 1638 requires the Department of Public Aid to verify hardships incurred due to late payments from the SDU. The verification, in the form of a letter, will be sent directly to the custodial parent and is intended to be used to help effected parents deal with negative credit reports or other financial hardships resulting from late child support payments.

"This is a situation that should have never occurred," Ryan said. "The very least we can do is help affected parents avoid credit problems." Senate Bill 1638, which has an immediate effective date, was sponsored by Senator Duane Noland, R-Blue Mound, and Representatives James Brosnahan, D-Evergreen Park; Sidney Mathias, R-Buffalo Grove; Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest; John McGuire, D-Joliet; and Bill Mitchell, R-Decatur.

Ryan also approved Senate Bill 807, which updates the practices and policies of the Health Facilities Planning Board. Under the legislation, out-of-state facilities performing outpatient surgical procedures will now be subject to review by the Health Facilities Planning Board. The legislation also calls for raising the certificate of need capital expenditure review threshold to $6 million in most cases.

In additional, members of the Health Facilities Planning Board, are now subject to the State Gift Ban Act and their meetings are now subject to the Open Meetings Act. Senate Bill 807 also requires the state Auditor General to conduct an audit of the Board.

Ryan also approved Senate Bill 1860, which eliminates 26 obsolete, out-dated or unnecessary boards, commissions and committees. The legislation is the result of recommendations from the Office of Statewide Performance Review which Ryan created by executive order to conduct a complete review of the workings of state government and establish a system of performance management.

Senate Bill 1860 also calls for the expansion of some essential boards and commissions including the Prisoner Review Board, the Illinois Development Finance Authority and the Civil Service Commission. It also requires that only Illinois residents may serve on a board of trustees for state universities.

Senate Bill 1860, which takes effect in thirty days, was sponsored by Senator James "Pate" Philip, R-Wood Dale, and Representatives Lee Daniels, R-Elmhurst, and Art Tenhouse, R-Liberty.

Other bills signed into law today include:

House Bill 2904 which prohibits a regional superintendent of schools from employing any relative as an assistant regional superintendent and eliminates the requirement for regional superintendents to sign various reports.

House Bill 2904, which has an immediate effective date, was sponsored by Senator Robert Madigan, R-Lincoln and Representatives Douglas Hoeft, R-Elgin and Michael Smith, D-Canton.

House Bill 3254 which allows elementary and secondary schools to excuse a student from performing or observing dissection and may allow the student to instead perform an alternative project.

The legislation has an immediate effective date and was sponsored by Senators Dan Cronin, R-Elmhurst; Dick Klemm, R-Crystal Lake; Kathleen Parker, R-Northbrook; Carol Ronen, D-Chicago; Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills and Representatives Lauren Beth Gash, D-Highland Park; Mary Lou Cowlishaw, R-Naperville; William Delgado, D-Chicago; Rick Winkel, R-Champaign, and Anne Zickus, R-Palos Hills.