Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Prohibits a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance issued or renewed in this State from imposing prior authorization or step therapy requirements on menopause therapy under specified conditions. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, and the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 to establish provisions concerning continuing education on perimenopause and menopause recognition and management for physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Other Social Services Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Permits townships to use moneys received and collected for public aid to provide funds and administer programs for providing in-kind aid in meeting basic maintenance requirements, including, but not limited to, food banks, food pantries, food, and other specified items to persons who are poor, indigent, homeless, or in need of immediate assistance, regardless of eligibility (rather than to persons eligible for General Assistance under the Code).

Amends the Circuit Courts Act. Provides that when a vacancy occurs in an at-large judgeship of the 6th judicial circuit, the at-large judgeship shall be converted to a resident judgeship for either Champaign County or Macon County, depending on which of those counties the incumbent at-large circuit judge resided in when the incumbent judge was elected. Requires one additional associate judge to be appointed in the 7th circuit. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois State Auditing Act. Provides that, as soon as practical after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Auditor General shall conduct a comprehensive investigation of how 340B covered entities within Illinois participate in the 340B Drug Discount Program. Provides that the investigation shall examine the impact of this participation by 340B covered entities on State health programs, such as Medicaid and the State Employees Group Insurance Program, and shall include the specified assessments. Requires the Auditor General to make recommendations to the General Assembly based on the findings from the investigation.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Agency shall develop and begin implementation of requirements for a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan or other similar best management practice requirements, to be included in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued to facilities regulated under certain federal regulations. Provides that these requirements apply to the control of plastic pellets or other preproduction plastic materials, in stormwater runoff from these facilities.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that information published annually on the Department of Corrections website about hospice and palliative care in its institutions and facilities during the prior fiscal year shall include the cost of the Department's end-of-life care for committed persons who died of natural causes and were not in hospice or palliative care programs.

Amends the Protective Orders Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Changes the definition of "harassment". Provides that the court may order the respondent to cease harassment. Establishes procedures for motions to extend plenary protective orders. Provides that the court may order the respondent to stop creating, using, and disseminating; remove; and delete the following harassing conduct: (1) any and all material or statements that constitute harassment, including, but not limited to, doxing, electronically generated or digitally altered content, and sexual private images and digitally altered sexual images; and (2) any and all electronic tracking or monitoring devices, system, or other electronic means, or tracking information. Provides that the court may order the respondent to present sufficient evidence that such compliance has occurred. Amends the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 to make conforming changes.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Defines "reportable misconduct" as specified sexual and violent misconduct. Requires health professionals and health institutions to report reportable misconduct to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Sets forth provisions concerning time lines for reporting, contents of the report, and confidentiality. Permits the Department to adopt rules to implement, administer, and enforce the reporting requirements, including, but not limited to, rules that define terms and are necessary and appropriate to interpret and implement provisions concerning health professionals and health institutions. Provides that a law enforcement agency shall make a report to the Department within 30 days after opening an investigation into, making an arrest of, or bringing charges of a felony or Class A misdemeanor violation against a person who is licensed or registered by the Department. Provides that the State's Attorney shall report to the Department within 5 days after the conviction for a felony or Class A misdemeanor of a person who is licensed or registered by the Department. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Adds reporting requirements for specified serious incidents or events. Creates the Sexual Assault Survivors Fund. Makes changes in provisions concerning the posting of information; reports to the Department; penalties for failure to comply with the Act; and patient protection from abuse. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Amends the Illinois Adverse Health Care Events Reporting Law of 2005. Makes changes in provisions concerning the establishment of a reporting system. Amends various Acts pertaining to health professionals and health institutions. Adds the failure to report reportable misconduct to the causes that allow the Department to take disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the Department with regard to a license. Makes conforming and other changes.

Creates the Equitable Access to Education, Employment, and Training for Incarcerated Individuals with Disabilities Act. Provides that reasonable accommodations for incarcerated individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability shall include a waiver of any requirement that the individual take the Test of Adult Basic Education and receive a passing score, or take and receive a passing score on any other examination or test that the Department may require to determine academic achievement or access to educational programs, work assignments, and vocational programs. Provides that participation in these programs through the Test of Adult Basic Education waiver and other reasonable accommodations shall qualify individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability to earn earned sentence credit, consistent with opportunities provided to other incarcerated individuals. Provides that Department of Corrections staff, including educational personnel, shall receive annual training on: (1) identifying individuals who have an intellectual disability or a developmental disability; (2) providing accommodations and supports to an individual with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability in educational, employment. and vocational settings; and (3) administering appropriate alternative assessments. Provides that staff training programs shall be developed in collaboration with disability advocacy organizations and educational institutions. Provides that the Department shall ensure compliance with federal disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973, through the implementation of the Act. Provides that individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability who are denied access to programs or accommodations under the Act may file a grievance through the Department's established grievance procedures. Effective immediately.

Amends the Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks Title of the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that a municipality or county may, to the same extent as an owner or operator, conduct tank removal, abandonment, site investigation, and corrective action with respect to a petroleum orphan underground storage tank in accordance with the requirements of the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program, except that a municipality or county does not have to elect to proceed as an owner and the costs shall be eligible for payment from the Underground Storage Tank Fund. Defines "orphan underground storage tank". Makes conforming and other changes in provisions regarding the Underground Storage Tank Fund.