Rep. Dennis Tipsword

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. In provisions concerning the performance of functions by the highway commissioner of a road district, provides that, except for professional services, when the cost of construction, materials, supplies, new machinery or equipment exceeds $30,000 (instead of $20,000), the contract for such construction, materials, supplies, machinery or equipment shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder if specified conditions are met. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act. Provides that the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission is created and shall exercise jurisdiction with respect to the duties and powers delegated to it under the Act within the following port districts and counties: the Seneca Regional Port District, the Ottawa Port District, the Illinois Valley Regional Port District, the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District, and the Havana Port District and Fulton, Mason, Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, LaSalle, and Grundy counties. Provides that the Commission shall (1) coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives in the Commission area to enhance the reporting and benefits of statistical data; (2) make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, Congress, and federal agencies on regional issues that impact multimodal transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability, and climate resiliency of the Commission area; (3) coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives on the larger Illinois Waterway with the Mid-America Port Commission and the Joliet Regional Port District; (4) coordinate and synchronize federal activities associated with the nonfederal sponsorship of the M-55 Illinois-Gulf Marine Highway; and (5) request and assist in requesting funding for the Commission area and the surrounding areas, as the Commission deems necessary. Includes provisions relating to the organization of the Commission and the Commission's powers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that if the county jail located in the county where the committed person was residing immediately before his or her conviction for the offense for which he or she is serving sentence in the Department of Corrections has a reentry program for committed persons, the Department may transfer the custody of the committed person to the sheriff of the county where the reentry program is located for up to 12 months before the committed person's release date for participation in the reentry program.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the medical assistance program shall be subject to provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code concerning telehealth services. Makes a conforming change in the Illinois Insurance Code.

Amends Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes the testing requirement for motorcycle operators who are under the age of 18.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Deletes provision requiring Central Management Services to prepare and submit the total quantity of annual reports printed, the total cost, and the cost per copy and the cost per page of the annual report of the State agency printed during the calendar year covered by the report. Amends the Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and the State Finance Act. Deletes obsolete funding. Amends the Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Act. Removes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity from the Act. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, Unified Code of Corrections, Workers' Compensation Act. Repeals obsolete mandates. Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that in preparing the roster of approved certified independent arbitrators, the Chairman shall seek the advice and recommendation of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board at his or her discretion. Repeals obsolete mandate. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the chief county assessment officer in a county with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants may require an application to be made to establish or reestablish that a parcel is entitled to common area assessment of $1. Effective immediately.

Amends the Vital Records Act. In provisions concerning the search of death certificates for service members, replaces references to active duty or retired service members with references to active duty service members or veterans. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that sex-reassignment procedures are prohibited for patients younger than 18 years of age. Provides that if sex-reassignment procedures are administered or performed on patients 18 years of age or older, consent must be provided as specified. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall revoke the license of any physician who willfully or actively violates the prohibition on sex-reassignment procedures for patients younger than 18 years of age. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act and the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act. Adds a failure to comply with the provisions as grounds for fines, license denial, license suspension or revocation, or refusal to renew a hospital or facility's license. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Requires the Department on Aging to establish and administer a statewide 5-year pilot program to provide grant awards to counties and municipalities interested in maintaining a local recovery program for individuals who wander due to a medical condition such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, autism, or other specified disorders. Provides that under a county's or municipality's local recovery program, persons with a history of wandering shall receive a fitted electronic bracelet that emits a unique radio signal 24 hours a day that can be identified and tracked by a designated search team of volunteers, lead by local law enforcement, when alerted through a 911 emergency call about a missing person who has a history of wandering. Provides that any grant amounts provided to a county or municipality under the pilot program must be used to cover the costs associated with purchasing the electronic bracelets, training a designated team of volunteer search personnel, conducting community outreach activities to inform local residents and eligible families about the local recovery program, and any other costs required to implement the local recovery program. Provides that all funding for the pilot program shall come from private donations to the Department. Requires all donated moneys received by the Department for the pilot program to be deposited into the Local Recovery Programs for Persons Who Wander Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. Provides that moneys in the Fund shall be expended to make grant awards under the pilot program and for no other purpose; and that all interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall be deposited into the Fund. Requires the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement the pilot program, including, but not limited to, rules on the application and eligibility requirements, grant amounts awarded under the pilot program, and equipment standards for the electronic bracelets. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Local Recovery Programs for Persons Who Wander Fund. Effective immediately.