Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Provides that any person may report information about the suspicious death of an eligible adult to an agency designated to receive such reports or to the Department on Aging. Provides that if a mandated reporter has reason to believe that the death of an eligible adult is the result of abuse or neglect, the matter shall be reported to the agency designated to receive such reports or to the Department for subsequent referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency and coroner or medical examiner. Prohibits employers from discriminating against any employee who makes a good faith oral or written report concerning information about the suspicious death of an eligible adult. Contains provisions concerning the required testimony of a mandated reporter at an administrative hearing concerning the suspicious death of an eligible adult; the referral of evidence to the appropriate law enforcement agency; access to records concerning reports of suspicious deaths due to abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect; and other matters. Makes changes to the definitions of "abuse", "abuser", "mandated reporter", and "provider agency". Defines "insurance adjuster" and "insurance advisor". Effective January 1, 2023.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Modifies provisions concerning the College Savings Pool. Provides that "qualified expenses" includes qualified higher education expenses as defined under the Internal Revenue Code.

Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Provides that the funds transferred each month to the Grade Crossing Protection Fund may go to the maintenance of safety treatments to deter trespassing. Deletes language providing that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall not order more than $2,000,000 per year in Grade Crossing Protection Fund moneys for pedestrian walkways. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Illinois Commerce Commission, after a hearing or by stipulated agreement, to authorize and order the terms of installation, operation, maintenance, and use of safety treatments requested by a public authority or rail carrier to deter trespassing on railroad property at a place other than a public crossing. Provides that the trespassing location shall be within 1,000 feet of a public crossing or at a hotspot location as identified by the Federal Railroad Administration and confirmed by the unit of local government, railroad, and Illinois Commerce Commission via diagnostic review. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of introduced bill amending the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Makes changes to provisions of the introduced bill amending the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission has the power to enter into stipulated agreements with rail carriers or public authorities to fund, provide, install, and maintain safety treatments to deter trespassing on railroad property.

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.

Amends the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Act. Defines "law enforcement officer" or "officer" as any person employed by a unit of local government (rather than a county, municipality, or township) or an Illinois public university as a policeman, peace officer or in some like position involving the enforcement of the law and protection of the public interest at the risk of that person's life. Provides that "unit of local government" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Patient Rights Act. Provides that a health care professional or health care provider shall not contact a collection agency to collect unpaid debt when a patient has a late payment or nonpayment of a medical bill for COVID-19 testing, nor shall the health care professional or health care provider report the late payment or nonpayment to a credit reporting agency. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $50,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, from the State Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for grants to small businesses, with 50 or less employees, to train and hire qualifying returning citizens, as provided under the Returning Citizen Grant Program.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the second Monday in October of each year (currently, the last Monday in September) shall be a holiday to be known as Indigenous Peoples Day to be observed throughout the State (currently, not a holiday). Removes Columbus Day as a holiday and a commemorative date. Amends the Election Code, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, and the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act to make changes to provide for Indigenous Peoples Day as a State holiday and the removal of Columbus Day as a State holiday. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In provisions concerning the Council on Aging, provides that at least 7 citizen members shall represent underrepresented communities, including, but not limited to: one member who is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer individual; one member who is a transgender or gender-expansive individual; one member who is an African-American or Black individual; and one member who is an Asian-American or Pacific Islander individual. Creates the Illinois Commission on LGBTQ Aging to investigate, analyze, and study the health, housing, financial, psychosocial, home-and-community-based services, assisted living, and long-term care needs of LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to improve access to benefits, services, and supports for LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers. Requires the Commission to: examine the impact of State and local laws, policies, and regulations on LGBTQ older adults and make recommendations to ensure equitable access, treatment, care and benefits, and overall quality of life; and examine strategies to increase provider awareness of the needs of LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers and to improve the competence of and access to treatment, services, and ongoing care, including preventive care; and carry out other duties. Contains provisions concerning: members appointed to the Commission; Commission meetings and reports; an LGBTQ Older Adult Advocate to advocate for LGBTQ older adults and older adults living with HIV who experience barriers to accessing and utilizing services; an LGBTQ Older Adult Curriculum and Training Program; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Creates the Water Reuse Task Force Act. Contains the General Assembly's findings. Creates the Water Reuse Task Force. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Specifies voting and nonvoting members of the Task Force. Contains provisions regarding the Task Force's duties and reporting responsibilities. Requires the Task Force to recommend specified changes to administrative rules and to provide the recommendations to relevant State agencies. Provides that the Act is repealed on June 31, 2031. Contains other provisions. Effective June 1, 2023.