Rep. Dave Severin

Creates the Child Abuse Notice Act. Requires certain businesses and establishments, including, but not limited to, day care centers, elementary and secondary schools, bus stations, and general acute care hospital emergency rooms, to post in a conspicuous place a notice developed by the Department of Children and Family Services that is aimed toward children under 18 and provides information on what constitutes physical and sexual abuse and how to report such abuse. Requires the notice to be at least 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches in size, written in a 16-point font, unless the notice is provided by electronic means. Requires the Department, in consultation with an accredited Children's Advocacy Center, to develop a model notice no later than 6 months after the effective date of the Act. Requires the Department to make the model notice available for download on the Department's Internet website and provide the notice upon request to eligible business, schools, and other establishments. Provides that the notice shall be printed in English, Spanish, and in one other language that is the most widely spoken language in the county where the establishment is located and for which translation is mandated by the federal Voting Rights Act, as applicable. Imposes certain penalties on those businesses and other establishments that are subject to the Act that fail to comply with the Act's requirements. Exempts school districts and personnel from the penalty provision.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no insurer, dental service plan corporation, insurance network leasing company, or any company that amends, delivers, issues, or renews an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance that provides dental insurance on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall deny any claim subsequently submitted for procedures specifically included in a prior authorization unless certain circumstances apply. Provides that a dental service contractor shall not recoup a claim solely due to a loss of coverage for a patient or ineligibility if, at the time of treatment, the dental service contractor erroneously confirmed coverage and eligibility, but had sufficient information available to the dental service contractor indicating that the patient was no longer covered or was ineligible for coverage. Prohibits waiver of the provisions by contract.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that every youth in care must have a Haircare Plan included in their case plan unless the youth explicitly indicates to the youth's caseworker that a Haircare Plan is not needed due to the youth's ability to maintain haircare without assistance. Provides that a caseworker or placement plan specialist must develop the Haircare Plan in consultation with the youth and parents. Provides that at a minimum, the Haircare Plan must address: (1) necessary haircare steps to be taken to preserve the youth's desired connection to their race, culture, gender, religion, and identity; (2) the desires of the youth as it pertains to the youth's hair; (3) the guidance and desires of the youth's parents, unless the parents cannot be contacted; and (4) steps to be taken specific to the youth's hair during emergency situations, including, but not limited to, lice infestations and scalp rashes and infections. Provides that by June 1, 2025, the Department of Children and Family Services must develop training for caregivers on how to provide culturally competent haircare. Provides that each time a youth is placed with a caregiver, the caregiver must sign a declaration stating that the caregiver has reviewed the training materials and will follow the Haircare Plan for the youth. Requires each Department office location to provide a list of affordable, accessible, and culturally competent haircare providers and resources in each of the Department's geographic regions. Requires the Department to adopt rules, by June 1, 2025, to facilitate the implementation of Haircare Plans.

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that the governing board of each public institution of higher education shall adopt a policy to allow a student who is a member of the National Guard of any state, the District of Columbia, a commonwealth, or a territory of the United States or any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States to submit classwork and complete any other class assignments missed due to the student participating in a drill required as a member of the National Guard or the reserve component.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning no later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of State shall offer to qualified applicants the option to be issued an 8-year driver's license at a cost of $60. Provides that the Secretary shall submit proposed rules to implement the new provisions to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules no later than December 31, 2024. Makes corresponding changes.

Amends the Counties Code and the Autopsy Act. Provides that autopsies must be performed by board-certified forensic pathologists or, if under the direct supervision of a board-certified forensic pathologist, pathology residents or forensic pathology fellows (rather than a licensed physician must perform autopsies). In the Autopsy Act, further provides that other qualified personnel or other qualified personnel selected by a board-certified forensic pathologist (rather than a physician) may perform (rather than assist) an autopsy. Further amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county in which the body of a deceased person is found shall indemnify and hold harmless a board-certified forensic pathologist who renders services under the provisions for all of the pathologist's conduct arising out of the pathologist's testimony as an expert witness in a criminal proceeding based on the service provided under the provisions, except actions involving willful and wanton misconduct of the pathologist. Conditions the duty of the county to indemnify a board-certified forensic pathologist who rendered services under the provisions for a judgment recovered against the pathologist upon receiving notice of the filing of the action. Provides that, if a board-certified forensic pathologist is made a party defendant to an action and the action against the pathologist is based upon the pathologist's conduct arising out of the pathologist's testimony as an expert witness in a criminal proceeding, then, within 10 days of service of process, the pathologist shall notify the county in which the body of a deceased person was found of the fact that the pathologist has been made a party defendant to the action. Includes requirements for the notice. Provides that the State's Attorney of the county in which the body of the deceased person is found may appear and defend on behalf of the board-certified forensic pathologist. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that an affirmative vote of a simple majority of a quorum of the Long-Term Care Facility Advisory Board shall be necessary for Board action (instead of an affirmative vote of 6 members of the Board). Provides that a quorum shall be a majority in attendance of voting members. Provides that all draft rules and documents shall be provided at least 7 days prior to a meeting for all Board members to review. Provides that all Board meetings shall be conducted within 90 days of a request for advice from the Department of Public Health or the 90-day window shall be extended to ensure the Board has had an opportunity to act upon the proposed rules. Amends the ID/DD Community Care Act. Provides that an affirmative vote of a simple majority of a quorum of the DD Facility Advisory Board shall be necessary for Board action (instead of an affirmative vote of 6 members of the Board). Provides that a quorum shall be a majority in attendance of voting members. Provides that all draft rules and documents shall be provided at least 7 days prior to a meeting for all Board members to review. Provides that all Board meetings shall be conducted within 90 days of a request for advice from the Department of Public Health or the 90-day window shall be extended to ensure the Board has had an opportunity to act upon the proposed rules.

Amends the School Construction Law. In provisions concerning grant award amounts and required local matches, provides that the required local match and grant award amount are calculated by multiplying the required local match percentage and the grant award percentage by the recognized project cost, provided that, for the first application in which an applicant is funded (instead of only during the first application cycle after June 30, 2022), the amounts may be adjusted. Provides that to receive an adjustment, a school district on the 2004, 2005, or 2006 School Construction Grant List must initially apply and be approved during the first 3 application cycles after June 30, 2024. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In a Section concerning the debt limitations of school districts, provides that, in addition to all other authority to issue bonds, Union Ridge School District 86 may issue bonds with an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $35,000,000 if specified conditions are met, including (i) that the voters of the school district approve a proposition for the bond issuance at an election held on or after March 19, 2024 and (ii) that, prior to the issuance of the bonds, the school board determines, by resolution, that the projects set forth in the proposition for the bond issuance were and are required because of the age and condition of the district's existing school buildings. Provides that the debt incurred on the bonds shall not be considered indebtedness for purposes of any statutory debt limitation and must mature within not to exceed 25 years from their date, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Deletes provisions that require a meat processor to be a member of the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program in order for the meat processor to donate deer meat that the meat processor has processed. Provides that if a properly tagged deer is processed at a licensed meat processing facility and if the owner of the deer (i) fails to claim the processed deer within a reasonable time or (ii) notifies the licensed meat processing facility that the owner no longer wants the processed deer or wishes to donate the deer, then the deer meat may be given away by the licensed meat processor to another person or donated to a charitable organization or community food bank that receives wild game meat. Requires meat processors who donate deer meat to a charitable organization or community food bank that receives wild game meat to keep written records of all deer received.