Healthcare

Urges the federal government to allocate more funding toward finding a cure for Lyme disease. Encourages the Illinois State Board of Education to begin health education to prevent tick bites for children who represent the highest risk group for tick-borne diseases. Declares the month of May 2026 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in the State of Illinois.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on July 1, 2026, "prescription and nonprescription medicines and drugs" includes cannabis purchased by a qualified registered patient, provisional patient, or designated caregiver from a dispensing organization registered under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act or the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Adds, changes, and provides for the repeal of certain definitions. Makes conforming changes to terms in the Act. Repeals certain provisions on June 30, 2026. Adds references to the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, supplanting certain provisions in the Act on July 1, 2026. Provides for repeal of certain provisions on January 1, 2027, subjecting certain activities to the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Repeals certain provisions. Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Adds and changes definitions. Makes conforming changes to terms in the Act. Removes certain references and provides for repeal of certain provisions related to the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Makes provisions regarding mergers of certain licenses and medical patient prioritization. Provides for Adult Use Dispensing Organization licensee relocation. Provides for rescission of a conditional license, with certain requirements. Makes changes to provisions regarding Adult Use Dispensing Organization Licenses. Adds to requirements for Responsible Vendor Program Training modules. Adds new prohibitions and exceptions to provisions regarding changes to a dispensing organization. Requires prioritizing qualifying patients, provisional patients, and dedicated caregivers, with certain requirements. Adds certain State agencies and local health officials to provisions regarding investigations. Makes changes to provisions regarding Cultivation Center Licenses. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows for the issuance of the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois decal. Provides that for the original issuance of the decal, a $25 fee shall be charged, with $10 to the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Fund and $15 to the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Provides that for the renewal of the decal, a $25 fee shall be charged, with $23 to the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Fund and $2 to the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Creates the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Fund. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act and the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Required the Department of Human Services to provide informational materials about the Senator Scott Bennett ABLE Program to: persons who are placed in a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013; persons with disabilities who receive services funded by or administered in conjunction with the Department, including, but not limited to, home and community based services, home-based support services, PUNS services, home care services, and services at a Center for Independent Living. Provides that the informational materials shall be provided when a person first enrolls for such services and as part of any annual process required for the person to maintain eligibility for such services. Requires the Office of the State Treasurer to prepare and deliver the informational materials in an electronic format to the Department and distribute the materials to eligible persons.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028 that provides coverage for: habilitative services shall provide coverage for habilitative speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering, regardless of whether the stuttering is classified as developmental; rehabilitative services shall provide coverage for rehabilitative speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering; or both habilitative services and rehabilitative services shall provide coverage for habilitative speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering, regardless of whether the stuttering is classified as developmental, and shall provide coverage for rehabilitative speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering. Sets forth requirements and limitations for the coverage. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage under the provisions of those Acts. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective January 1, 2028.

Amends the Hospital Emergency Service Act. Provides that every hospital required to be licensed by the Department of Public Health pursuant to the Hospital Licensing Act which provides general medical and surgical hospital services, except for specified long-term acute care hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals, shall have at least one licensed physician who specializes in emergency medicine staffing the emergency department at all times. Effective immediately.

HB 4381 repeals Illinois' existing End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. This bill directly affects terminally ill patients who previously had access to a legal framework for physician aid in dying under the repealed law. The key provision is the complete removal of the statute, ending the current program without establishing new provisions. The repeal would eliminate the specific process allowing qualified patients to request and receive aid in dying through a physician. The bill does not create new policies but reverses the existing legal mechanism.

Creates the Combating Health Misinformation Act. Establishes the Health Misinformation Response Unit within the Department of Public Health to monitor and counter health misinformation. Requires the Department to offer public health literacy grants. Requires the Department of Public Health to recruit and train trusted messengers to assist in communicating accurate health information. Requires certain entities that distribute or communicate health-related information in the State to disclose funding sources, as well as to provide citations for alleged facts. Allows the Department of Public Health to request that information from those entities. Provides that specified entities that knowingly violate certain provisions of the Act commit an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Defines terms. Amends the School Code to require health literacy to be taught as part of a comprehensive health education program, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health. Makes conforming changes to the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

HB 4635 appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to fund nursing education scholarships. This bill directly affects nursing students in Illinois by providing financial support for their education. The funding becomes available starting July 1, 2026, and the bill specifies no additional eligibility requirements or program details beyond the appropriation amount and effective date. As a funding measure, it does not create new regulations or alter existing laws.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning coverage of preventive health services, requires coverage of spinal examinations for scoliosis.