Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that no petition for the appointment of a guardian of a minor shall be filed in which the primary purpose of the filing is to reduce the financial resources available to the minor in order to cause the minor to qualify for public or private financial assistance from an educational institution. Provides that the court may deny such a petition if it finds that the primary purpose of the filing is to enable the minor to declare financial independence so that the minor may obtain public or private financial assistance from an educational institution or a State or federal student financial aid program.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Establishes the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program as a part of the College Savings Pool (currently, not a part of the College Savings Pool), subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. Requires the Department of Public Health and the Department of Revenue to provide the State Treasurer with specified information concerning eligible children under the Program. Modifies provisions concerning seed funds, unclaimed seed funds, and incentives and partnerships. Establishes the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury (currently, held outside of the State treasury). Allows the State Treasurer to deposit up to $10,000,000 into the Fund from earnings generated from investment and safekeeping of funds in the State treasury. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the Director of Revenue may exchange information with the State Treasurer's Office for the purpose of administering the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program. Amends the State Finance Act to provide for the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program Fund. Modifies defined terms. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the term of an appointed trustee shall terminate immediately upon becoming a member of the system or being sworn into an elective State office, and the position shall be considered to be vacant. Provides that an elected trustee who is incumbent on the effective date of the amendatory Act whose status as a participating employee or annuitant has terminated after having been elected shall continue to serve in the participating employee or annuitant position to which he or she was elected for the remainder of the term. Provides that trustees shall continue in office until their respective successors are appointed and have qualified, except that a trustee elected (instead of appointed) to one of the participating employee (instead of participant) positions after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be disqualified immediately upon the termination of his or her status as a participating employee (instead of participant) and a trustee elected (instead of appointed) to one of the annuitant positions after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be disqualified immediately upon the termination of his or her status as an annuitant receiving a retirement annuity. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $25,800,000 from the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund to the Illinois Department of Public Health for the purpose of making Local Health Protection Grants to Certified Local Health Departments. Effective July 1, 2020.

Creates the Health Care for All Illinois Act. Provides that all individuals residing in this State are covered under the Illinois Health Services Program for health insurance. Sets forth requirements and qualifications of participating health care providers. Sets forth the specific standards for provider reimbursement. Provides that it is unlawful for private health insurers to sell health insurance coverage that duplicates the coverage of the program. Requires the State to establish the Illinois Health Services Trust to provide financing for the program. Sets forth the specific requirements for claims billed under the program. Provides that the program shall include funding for long-term care services and mental health services. Creates the Pharmaceutical and Durable Medical Goods Committee to negotiate the prices of pharmaceuticals and durable medical goods with suppliers or manufacturers on an open bid competitive basis. Provides that patients in the program shall have the same rights and privacy as they are entitled to under current State and federal law. Provides that the Commissioner, the Chief Medical Officer, the public State board members, and employees of the program shall be compensated in accordance with the current pay scale for State employees and as deemed professionally appropriate by the General Assembly. Effective July 1, 2019.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides that a member of the General Assembly, his or her spouse, and any immediate family member living with that member of the General Assembly shall not, for compensation: (1) act as a lobbyist or otherwise act in a capacity that would require that person to register as a lobbyist; or (2) communicate with any official of the executive or legislative branch of State government or any official of any unit of local government or school district for the ultimate purpose of influencing any executive, legislative, or administrative action. Provides that any person who violates the provisions commits a Class A misdemeanor and, if a member of the General Assembly, shall forfeit his or her office. Defines terms. Repeals current provisions banning members of the General Assembly from lobbying. Effective immediately.

Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides that specified persons are ineligible to accept employment at a specified entity. Removes language allowing the persons to apply for, hold, or own financial or voting interest in any cannabis business license if it is a passive interest in a publicly traded company.

Creates the Racial Impact Note Act. Provides that every bill which has or could have a disparate impact on racial and ethnic minorities, upon the request of any member, shall have prepared for it, before second reading in the house of introduction, a brief explanatory statement or note that shall include a reliable estimate of the anticipated impact on those racial and ethnic minorities likely to be impacted by the bill. Specifies the contents and provides for the preparation of each racial impact note. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Prohibits racial discrimination and harassment by State officers and employees. Provides that each State officer and employee shall annually complete a racial bias, discrimination, and harassment training program approved by the appropriate jurisdictional authority. Expands the jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission to include allegations of racial discrimination and harassment by persons registered under the Lobbyist Registration Act. Provides that the personnel policies of units of local government shall prohibit racial discrimination and harassment. Defines "racial discrimination and harassment". Provides for rulemaking, including emergency rulemaking. Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides the Secretary of State's Inspector General with jurisdiction to investigate complaints of racial discrimination and harassment by persons registered under the Lobbyist Registration Act. Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Prohibits racial discrimination and harassment by persons registered under the Lobbyist Registration Act. Provides that each registered lobbyist shall annually complete a racial bias, discrimination, and harassment training program approved by the Secretary of State. Defines "racial discrimination and harassment". Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Requires the Department of Human Rights to establish a racial discrimination and harassment hotline for the anonymous reporting of racial discrimination and harassment in both public and private places of employment, and to provide for reporting by both telephone and Internet. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act by reinstituting the pharmaceutical assistance program that was eliminated by Public Act 97-689 and changing the short title to the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Makes conforming changes in various Acts.

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for grants to the African American Family Commission. Effective immediately.