Rep. Aarón Ortíz

Creates the Illinois Low Income Broadband Assistance Program Act. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish an Illinois Low Income Broadband Assistance Program (Program) to ensure the availability and affordability of broadband service to low income families in order to access remote learning and work platforms. Provides that the Department shall coordinate with Local Administrative Agencies to determine eligibility for the Program, provided that eligible income shall be no more than 150% of the federal poverty level. Provides that families whose annual household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty level shall be eligible for free broadband service. Provides that a credit of at least $9.95 a month for broadband services shall be payable monthly to: (i) families whose annual household income is above 135% of the federal poverty level but no greater than 150% of the federal poverty level; and (ii) families that include at least one adult person or dependent child who qualifies for or participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Supplemental Security Income program, Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefits Programs, and other specified assistance programs. Provides that the $9.95 broadband service credit may be adjusted according to family size. Provides that families who participate in the federal Lifeline program or any other State Internet service subsidy program shall not be eligible to participate in the Illinois Low Income Broadband Assistance Program. Provides bill payment requirements. Provides for the adoption of rules.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed in the State on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not require prior authorization for prescription drugs used in the treatment of COVID-19 that have received an emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Effective immediately.

Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, the Local Mass Transit District Act, and the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that the various transportation authorities shall provide free transportation during general election days, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the respective authorities.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning a financial oversight panel's powers. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/1B-22 Adds reference to: 115 ILCS 5/13 from Ch. 48, par. 1713 115 ILCS 5/4.10 rep. Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. In provisions concerning strikes, removes language that provides that for educational employees employed in the Chicago school district, at least three-fourths of all bargaining unit employees who are members of the exclusive bargaining representative must affirmatively vote to authorize a strike. Repeals a provision allowing collective bargaining between the Chicago school district and an exclusive representative of its employees to include decisions to determine the length of the work and school day and the length of the work and school year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Deletes language providing which laws shall be applied when proceeding against, prosecuting, or sentencing a delinquent minor who was charged with first degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or aggravated battery with a firearm where the minor personally discharged the firearm.

Amends the Pawnbroker Regulation Act. Clarifies that it shall be unlawful for any pawnbroker to charge or collect a greater benefit or percentage upon money advanced, and for the use and forbearance thereof, than permitted under the Predatory Loan Prevention Act. Amends the Predatory Loan Prevention Act. Provides that the definition of "loan" includes transactions subject to the Pawnbroker Regulation Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for any person or entity to solicit, broker, or otherwise engage in any other activity intended to facilitate or result in, or that in fact facilitates or results in, the origination of a loan that violates the Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for any person or entity to advertise or cause to be advertised a loan that violates the Act. Provides that a violation of the Act by a person or entity licensed under the Pawnbroker Regulation Act shall subject the person or entity to discipline in accordance with that Act. Makes other changes. Effective June 1, 2023.

Creates the COVID-19 Workplace Safety Response Act. Provides that each public and private employer with at least 30 employees shall establish a safety committee at each of the employer's primary places of employment. Sets forth requirements for the composition of the committees, meetings, records, and training. Establishes the duties of committees relating to hazard assessment and control, safety and health planning, development of procedures for contact tracing, accident investigations, and other specified matters. Establishes special functions of an employer related to COVID-19 and other pandemics. Provides for the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Labor to adopt necessary rules.

Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Defines "good faith effort" for purposes of the Act. Provides factors for determining whether a good faith effort has been made for purposes of granting a waiver under the Act. Provides for a uniform standard of contract goals for State agencies, public institutions of higher education, and other departments. Specifies further requirements concerning the uniform standard of contract goals. Provides that the terms of every contract entered into by a State agency or public institution of higher education for purposes of the Act shall include a provision requiring vendors who fail to comply with a utilization plan to return all funds paid to that vendor with an expectation of compliance. Provides that the Business Enterprise Council may (rather than shall) grant a waiver under specified circumstances. Makes conforming changes. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 30 ILCS 575/5 from Ch. 127, par. 132.605 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Modifies requirements concerning the establishment of a uniform standard of contract goals by the Business Enterprise Program. Provides that the Secretary of the Business Enterprise Council for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities shall have the duty to establish an enforcement procedure whereby the Council may recommend to the appropriate State legal officer that the State exercise its legal remedies which shall include, among other legal remedies, the imposition of a penalty in the amount of the discrepancy between the commitment contained in a utilization plan, as such amount may be amended over the term of the contract, and the qualifying payments made to the eligible certified vendors listed in the utilization plan. Specifies further requirements concerning exemptions and requests for waivers from specified requirements under the Act. Makes further changes concerning enforcement procedures under the Act. Modifies and adds defined terms for purposes of the Act. Makes conforming and other changes.

Creates the Education Debt Collection Practices Act. For the purpose of debt collection, provides that an institution of higher education (including an institution to which the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act of 2012 applies and a person engaged in the business of providing postsecondary education to a person located in this State, regardless of whether the person has obtained authorization from the Board of Higher Education to operate in this State or is accredited) may not (i) refuse to provide an official transcript on the grounds that a current or former student owes a debt to the institution, (ii) condition the provision of an official transcript on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the official transcript, (iii) charge a higher fee for obtaining an official transcript or provide less than favorable treatment of a request for an official transcript because a current or former student owes a debt, or (iv) use the issuance of an official transcript as a tool for debt collection. Effective immediately.

Creates the Mind Strong Act. Requires the Department of Public Health, or a third party contractor with experience in successful public education and awareness campaigns selected by the Department of Public Health, to develop and lead a 2-year educational campaign within each of Illinois' 11 health regions on the availability of adult mobile crisis response services within each region. Requires the Department to work in collaboration with community stakeholders, including certain organizations, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Human Services. Requires the public awareness campaign to begin no later than January 1, 2022. Sets forth certain requirements for the public awareness campaign, including that it be culturally competent and that any written materials be written in plain, easy-to-understand language and available in multiple languages that are representative of the communities in a particular health region. Lists the types of organizations that must be the focus of the educational campaign. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish, subject to appropriation, a grant program for adult mobile crisis response services to any adult age 18 or older experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis regardless of insurance status. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop and implement training and protocols for individuals answering crisis calls to the Crisis and Referral Entry Services (CARES) line. Contains provisions concerning the use of data to strengthen CARES line responses and adult mobile crisis response services, and other matters. Requires the Departments of Public Health, Human Services, and Healthcare and Family Services to adopt rules to implement the Act. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Alternatives to Crisis Escalation (ACE) Act. Requires the Department of Public Health, or a third-party contractor with experience in successful public education and awareness campaigns selected by the Department of Public Health, to develop and lead a 2-year educational campaign within each of Illinois' 11 health regions on the availability of adult mobile crisis response services within each region and how to access such services. Requires the Department to develop and implement this public awareness and educational campaign in collaboration with community stakeholders, including certain organizations, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Human Services. Requires the public awareness campaign to begin no later than January 1, 2022 and to take into account crisis services, if any. Sets forth certain requirements for the public awareness campaign, including that it be culturally competent and that any written materials be written in plain, easy-to-understand language and available in multiple languages that are representative of the communities in a particular health region. Lists the types of stakeholders that shall be included as partner-stakeholders in the development of the campaign. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish, subject to appropriation, a grant program for the purposes of providing adult mobile crisis response services to any adult age 18 or older experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis regardless of insurance status. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop and implement training and protocols for individuals answering crisis calls to the Crisis and Referral Entry Services (CARES) line. Contains provisions concerning the use of data to strengthen CARES line responses and adult mobile crisis response services, and other matters. Requires the Departments of Public Health, Human Services, and Healthcare and Family Services to adopt rules to implement the Act. Effective immediately.