Rep. Jay Hoffman

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 Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no insurer, dental service plan corporation, professional service corporation, insurance network leasing company, or any company that amends, delivers, issues, or renews an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall require a dental care provider to incur a fee to access and obtain payment or reimbursement for services provided. Provides that a dental plan carrier shall provide a dental care provider with 100% of the contracted amount of the payment or reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act for a consumer reporting agency: (1) to make, create, or furnish any consumer report or credit report containing, incorporating, or reflecting any adverse information that the consumer reporting agency knows or should know relates to medical debt incurred by the consumer or a collection action against the consumer to collect medical debt; and (2) to maintain in the file on a consumer any information relating to medical debt incurred by a consumer or a collection action against the consumer to collect medical debt.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Adds public institutions of higher education to the list of organizations from which cost-effective energy efficiency measures may be procured for purposes of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that the term "special educational facilities and services" includes private special schools (instead of special schools) and separate public special education day schools. Provides that if a child has been placed in a separate public special education day school, a school district making tuition payments in excess of $4,500 shall be responsible for an amount in excess of $4,500 equal to 2 times the district's per capita tuition charge and shall be eligible for reimbursement from the State for the amount of such payments actually made in excess of 2 times the district's per capita tuition charge for students not receiving special education services. Requires a certification and finding to be made for reimbursement of a school district of the amount paid for tuition of a child attending a public special education facility.

Amends the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. Removes references to the State-Wide One-Call Notice System and replaces it with JULIE, Inc. Sets forth additional definitions. Provides that owners or operators of underground utility facilities are required to be members of JULIE. Sets forth requirements for excavators engaging in nonemergency excavation or demolition. Sets forth notice requirements prior to engaging in the excavation or demolition. Provides that underground utility facility owners or operators may request to be present when excavation occurs when there is a critical facility within a proposed excavation area and excavators shall comply with a request to be present during excavation. Creates the positive response system to be implemented by January 1, 2026. Provides that excavators and facility owners or operators shall use the positive response system to send and respond to required notices. Sets forth required response times in various circumstances. Provides that facility owners or operators shall respond to a valid planning design request and the requirements for the response. Provides for joint meet notifications and sets forth responsibilities of excavators and facility owners or operators for a joint meet. Provides that any county or the State that has shared geographic information system data with any other not-for-profit or agency shall share the information with JULIE. Sets forth requirements for emergency excavation or demolition circumstances. Sets forth liability for damage or dislocation of a facility. Makes other changes. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $1,500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Natural Resources for a comprehensive study of the Kaskaskia River watershed in coordination with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Effective July 1, 2023.

Appropriates funds from the General Revenue Fund to the governing board of each public university for personal services and the related costs of increasing the wage rates of university personnel employed in positions covered under the State Universities Civil Service System, beyond the annual cost of living adjustment, adjustments provided for in collective bargaining agreements, and any increases required by the Minimum Wage Law, in a fair and equitable manner so as to close the pay gap between public university workers and other State employees. Effective July 1, 2024.

Declares June 1, 2024 as Unity for Children of First Responders Day in the State of Illinois. Recognizes the sacrifices made by families and children of first responders. Recognizes Yanna M. Davenport for her efforts to make Unity for Children of First Responders Day a national event.

Declares the month of May 2024 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Urges all Americans to join in supporting ALS research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.