Amends the County Department of Corrections Division of the Counties Code, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the County Jail Act. Provides that, upon the release of a prisoner or committed person from a county correctional institution, county jail, or Department of Corrections correctional institution or facility, the sheriff, warden, or Department shall provide the prisoner or committed person with an opioid antagonist if the prisoner was incarcerated for drug-related charges or was identified as having a substance abuse disorder.
Creates the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact Act. Provides that, one year after the effective date of the Act, the State of Illinois enters into the PA Licensure Compact in substantially the form provided in the Act with all other states joining the Compact. Provides that the purpose of the Compact is for participating states of the Compact to have allied in common purpose to develop a comprehensive process that complements the existing authority of state licensing boards to license and discipline physician assistants and to seek to enhance the portability of a license to practice as a physician assistant while safeguarding the safety of patients. Contains provisions relating to requirements for state participation in the contract. Includes the procedures a licensee must follow to apply for and obtain compact privilege. Provides that a participating state in which a licensee is licensed under the Compact shall have exclusive power to impose adverse action against the qualifying license issued by that participating state. Provides for the creation of a PA Licensure Compact Commission, including a delegate selected by each participating state's licensing board. Includes other provisions relating to the operation of the Commission, including when the Commission is implemented, the data system used by the Commission, and Commission rules. Includes provisions relating to oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement; construction and severability; and the binding effect of the Compact. Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Requires, no later than 3 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to (i) submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly describing all rule and statutory changes necessary to comply with the PA Licensure Compact and (ii) begin rulemaking procedures necessary to modify its rules to conform with the requirements of the PA Licensure Compact.
Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. In provisions requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a public education program regarding gambling disorders, requires the program to (i) promote public awareness to create a gambling informed State regarding the impact of gambling disorders on individuals, families, and communities and the stigma that surrounds gambling disorders and (ii) use screening, crisis intervention, treatment, public awareness, prevention, in-service training, and other innovative means to decrease the incidents of suicide attempts related to a gambling disorder or gambling issues. Requires the Department to determine a statement regarding obtaining assistance with a gambling disorder, which each licensed gambling establishment owner shall post and each master sports wagering licensee shall include on the master sports wagering licensee's portal, Internet website, or computer or mobile application. Permits the Department: to provide advice to State and local officials on gambling disorders; to support gambling disorder prevention, recognition, treatment, and recovery projects; to collaborate with other community-based organizations, substance use disorder treatment centers, or other health care providers engaged in treating individuals who are experiencing gambling disorder; and to perform other actions. Permits the Department to award grants to create or support local gambling prevention, recognition, and response projects. Makes other changes.
Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Provides that initial physical therapy evaluations without a referral or an established diagnosis may be performed by a licensed physical therapist via telehealth when the physical therapist determines that an in-person examination is not required based on the physical therapist's clinical judgment and the applicable standard of care (rather than cannot be performed via telehealth unless necessary to address a documented hardship). Provides that a physical therapist or a licensed physical therapy assistant may require the patient to undergo an in-person visit instead of providing telehealth services (rather than the use of telehealth as a primary means of delivering physical therapy must be an exception and documentation must support the clinical justification). Provides that a physical therapist providing telehealth must have the capacity to provide or be able to facilitate a referral to in-person care within the State (rather than must only have the capacity to provide in-person care). Provides that the standard of care for a patient receiving physical therapy through telehealth is equal to the standard of care for in-person care.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act. Provides those entitled to inspect and copy a recipient's record include the parent or guardian of a minor, regardless of the minor's age, who is involved in special education services under the School Code or the "designated representative" of a student over the age of 18 involved in special education services under the School Code.
Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. Creates the State Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Program to provide awareness, prevention, identification, intervention, and service delivery. Sets forth certain activities under the program, including, but not limited to: (i) designating a State FASD coordinator with knowledge and experience in the field of prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD; (ii) utilizing and adapting existing federal or State programs to include FASD identification and FASD-informed support; (iii) developing and expanding screening and diagnostic capacity for FASD; and (iv) providing training with respect to FASD for professionals across relevant sectors. Establishes a FASD State Advisory Committee to provide guidance for the FASD State Program to prevent FASD and provide for the identification, treatment, and support of individuals with FASD and their families. Sets forth certain activities of the committee; committee membership; and committee reporting requirements. Permits the Department of Human Services to contract with or provide grants to public and private nonprofit entities for FASD programs.
Amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act. Removes a provision which provides that, in ambulatory surgical treatment centers, anesthesia service shall be under the direction of a physician who has had specialized preparation or experience in the area or who has completed a residency in anesthesiology. Specifies that, with respect to anesthesia service in an ambulatory surgical treatment center, a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall seek consultation regarding development of an anesthesia plan and treatment of patients as is appropriate to the certified registered nurse anesthetist's level of expertise and scope of practice and as is warranted by the needs of the patient. Removes a requirement that an anesthesiologist participate through discussion of and agreement with the anesthesia plan and remain physically present and be available on the premises. Provides that a certified registered nurse anesthetist with clinical privileges may perform acts of advanced assessment and diagnosis and may provide such functions for which the certified registered nurse anesthetist is educationally and experientially prepared. Makes conforming changes to the Hospital Licensing Act. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a written collaborative agreement shall be adequate with respect to collaboration with certified registered nurse anesthetists if all of the following apply: (1) the agreement is written to promote the exercise of professional judgment by the certified registered nurse anesthetist commensurate with his or her education and experience; (2) the certified registered nurse anesthetist provides service based on a written collaborative agreement with the collaborating physician; and (3) methods of communication are available with the collaborating physician in person or through telecommunications for consultation, collaboration, and referral as needed to address patient care needs. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that an Illinois-licensed advanced practice registered nurse certified as a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall be deemed by law to possess the ability to practice without a written collaborative agreement. Sets forth requirements for a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Makes conforming changes in the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no provision of the Illinois Insurance Code, or any other law, prohibits assignability rights to an insured under any policy of dental insurance (in addition to accident and health insurance). Provides that if an enrollee or insured of an insurer, health maintenance organization, managed care plan, health care plan, preferred provider organization, dental service plan corporation, dental insurer, or third party administrator assigns a claim to a health care professional, or health care facility, a dental care provider, or a dental care facility, then payment shall be made directly to the health care professional, or health care facility, dental care provider, or dental care facility, including any required interest. Effective immediately.
Creates the Complex Wheelchair Right to Repair Act. Provides that, for complex wheelchairs and parts for complex wheelchairs sold or used in the State, an original equipment manufacturer shall make available to an independent repair provider, solely for the purpose of repairing complex wheelchairs, on fair and reasonable terms, any documentation, parts, service access methods, and tools, including, but not limited to, any updates to information, firmware, or embedded software that is needed for purposes of repair of complex wheelchairs and training courses and materials on the operation, inspection, diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of complex wheelchairs. Provides that a violation of any of the provisions of the Act is an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides for penalties. Provides that nothing in the Act shall require an original equipment manufacturer to divulge a trade secret to an independent repair provider. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Prohibits 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, 2026 from requiring a qualified complex rehabilitation technology supplier to obtain any form of prior authorization or any medical documentation to complete repairs for consumer-owned complex rehab technology. Requires coverage for time and labor expenses; travel allowance; and maintenance and repair of a consumer's backup power wheelchair or a rental wheelchair. Provides coverage for preventive maintenance. Amends various Acts to require coverage under those provisions. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2026.
Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Provides that the Department of the Lottery shall offer a special Lyme Disease Innovation instant scratch-off game for the benefit of the Lyme Disease Innovation Program with net revenue deposited into the Lyme Disease Awareness Fund. Grants the Department of the Lottery rulemaking powers. Adds references to the Lyme Disease Innovation scratch-off game to various provisions in the Act. Provides that the Department shall offer the game upon the discontinuation of the first game that is discontinued under certain provisions of the law. Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Specifies that the Lyme Disease Innovation Program shall be funded through moneys in the Lyme Disease Awareness Fund, including revenue generated from the Lyme Disease Innovation scratch-off game.
