Rep. Jason Bunting

Amends the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Changes the definition of "emergency services" to provide that for the purposes of the provisions, emergency services are not required to be provided in the emergency department of a hospital. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, a health insurance issuer or a contracted utilization review organization may not require prior authorization or approval by the health plan for emergency services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow tow trucks to use red, blue, and white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights while operators are performing official duties. The change directly affects tow truck companies and drivers who need these lights to warn other motorists of hazardous conditions or stationary vehicles. By updating the list of vehicles authorized to use such lighting, the legislation clarifies that tow trucks now have the same visual signaling rights as other emergency vehicles. This update does not alter existing penalties for drivers who fail to yield to emergency vehicles or change the rules for which specific colors can be used, as those provisions remain unchanged.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that an incorrect response to a question on the written portion of the driver's license examination concerning driver responsibilities when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle shall be deemed an automatic failure of the written portion of the driver's license examination. Provides that the Secretary of State shall allow an applicant to retake the written portion of the driver's license examination the same day if the reason for failing was due to selecting an incorrect response relating to such a question.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that upon request by a unit of local government, the Department shall make available any study or survey completed by the Department that concerns traffic or the environmental impact on road construction projects. Allows a study or survey conducted by the Department to be substituted for a study or survey required by a unit of local government for construction projects affecting a portion of a State right-of-way.

Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Provides that an Emergency Telephone System Board shall include the county sheriff or the sheriff's designee and at least 2 (rather than 3) representatives of the 9-1-1 public safety agencies other than the sheriff's office.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a trafficking victim, as defined in the human trafficking provisions of the Criminal Code of 2012, may petition for vacation and expungement or immediate sealing of his or her juvenile court records and juvenile law enforcement records relating to events that resulted in the victim's adjudication of delinquency for an offense if committed by an adult would be a violation of the criminal laws occurring before the victim's 18th birthday upon the completion of his or her juvenile court sentence if his or her participation in the underlying offense was a direct result of human trafficking under the Criminal Code of 2012 or a severe form of trafficking under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Amends the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Provides that a licensed cosmetology teacher who submits to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation an application for licensure as a barber teacher must meet all requirements of the Act for licensure as a barber teacher, except that an applicant who has at least 3 years of experience as a licensed cosmetology teacher shall be given credit for hours of instruction completed for his or her cosmetology teacher license in subjects that are common to both barbering and cosmetology in the supplemental barber course. Provides that a licensed barber teacher who submits to the Department an application for licensure as a cosmetology teacher must meet all requirements of the Act for licensure as a cosmetology teacher, except that an applicant who has at least 3 years of experience as a licensed barber teacher shall be given credit for hours of instruction completed for his or her barber teacher license in subjects that are common to both barbering and cosmetology in the supplemental cosmetology course. Provides that a licensed esthetician teacher or licensed nail technician teacher who submits to the Department an application for licensure as a cosmetology teacher must meet all requirements of the Act for licensure as a cosmetology teacher, except that an applicant who has at least 3 years of experience as an esthetician teacher or licensed nail technician teacher shall be given credit for hours of instruction completed for his or her esthetician teacher or nail technician teacher license in subjects that are common to both esthetics or nail technology and cosmetology. Provides that the Department shall provide for the implementation of these provisions by rule.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that "clinical observation" means the ongoing observation of a patient's medical or mental health condition by a licensed health care professional utilizing a medical skill set while continuing assessment and care. Provides that the EMS Medical Directors on the EMT Training, Recruitment, and Retention Task Force may be active or retired. Provides that an education plan within a resource hospital may include classes performed outside of the region in which the resource hospital is located. Provides that "paramedic" means a person who has successfully completed a course in advanced life support care as approved by the Department of Public Health or accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP), is licensed by the Department, and practices with an Advanced Life Support EMS System. Provides that the Department shall have the authority to adopt rules governing the curriculum, practice, and necessary equipment applicable to emergency medical responders and shall allow curriculum in addition to the National Registry curriculum. Provides that a fee for EMS personnel examination, licensure, and license renewal shall be reasonable. Provides that a lead instructor is permitted to oversee a paramedic with at least 3 years of experience to teach EMT classes in high schools with a licensed teacher. Provides that pass rates for classes taught in high schools shall not adversely impact the lead instructor or affiliated EMS system, resource hospital, or provider. Provides that the Department may not include any additional criteria for approval of a staffing waiver utilizing an EMR other than the criteria outlined. Provides that the EMR pilot program shall not be implemented before Department approval which must be granted upon EMS System Medical Director approval.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires that upon approaching an emergency scene, a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, or a construction or maintenance area or zone, a person who drives a vehicle shall, proceeding with due caution, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least 4 lanes with not less than 2 lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle reduce the speed of the vehicle to a speed that is reasonable and proper with regard to traffic conditions and the use of the highway to avoid a collision and leaving a safe distance until safely past the stationary authorized emergency vehicle, or construction or maintenance area or zone. Provides that if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe, proceeding with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle to a speed that is reasonable and proper with regard to traffic conditions and the use of the highway to avoid a collision, or until safely past the construction or maintenance area or zone.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to issue a Nuisance Wildlife Control Permit not only to any person who is providing nuisance wildlife control services for a fee or compensation, but also to any person who solicits customers for themselves or on behalf of a nuisance wildlife control permit holder for a fee or compensation. Provides that a drainage district or road district or the designee of a drainage district or road district is exempt from the requirement to obtain a permit to control nuisance muskrats or beavers if certain requirements are met.