Rep. Jerry F. Costello, II

Amends the State Finance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop and implement an algorithm that is based on quality scores and other operational proficiency criteria developed, defined, and adopted by the Department, by rule, to automatically assign Medicaid enrollees served under the Family Health Plan and the Integrated Care Program and those Medicaid enrollees eligible for medical assistance pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into managed care entities, including Accountable Care Entities, Care Coordination Entities, Children with Special Needs Care Coordination Entities, Managed Care Community Networks, and Managed Care Organizations. Provides that the algorithm developed and implemented shall favor assignment into managed care entities with the highest quality scores and levels of compliance with the operational proficiency criteria established.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that a unit of local government, including a home rule unit, may not impose any tax, fee, or other assessment other than the normal sales tax rate for goods, on any firearms, firearm attachments, or firearm ammunition. Provides that the provisions of any ordinance or resolution on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act by any municipal or county government that imposes any tax, fee, or other assessment other than the normal sales tax rate for goods are invalid and all those existing ordinances and resolutions are void. Defines "sales tax". Effective immediately.

Appropriates $3,000,000 from the Partners for Conservation Fund for FY16 for grants to Soil and Water Conservation Districts for clerical and other personnel, education and promotional assistance, and expenses of Soil and Water Conservation District Boards and administrative expenses. Appropriates $4,500,000 to the Department of Agriculture from the Partners for Conservation Fund for the Partners for Conservation Program to implement agricultural resource enhancement programs for Illinois’ natural resources. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Eliminates provision that prohibits a concealed carry licensee from knowingly carrying a firearm on or into any bus, train, or form of transportation paid for in whole or in part with public funds, and any building, real property, and parking area under the control of a public transportation facility paid for in whole or in part with public funds.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Makes changes concerning a provisional in-state educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, a career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, a provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations, a Substitute Teaching License, a teacher leader endorsement on a Professional Educator License, educator testing, the minimum requirements for educators trained in other states or countries, fees for Substitute Teaching Licenses, and requirements for licensees retiring during a renewal cycle.

Honors Rep. Katherine Cloonen for her service to Illinois.

Amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the first $100 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for one child and the first $200 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for 2 or more children shall be passed through to the family and disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant provided to the family. Provides that any amount of child support that would be disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant shall be disregarded in determining eligibility for cash assistance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the Child Bereavement Leave Act and amends the State Finance Act. Provides that an employee may use specified amounts of bereavement leave to grieve the death of the employee's child, attend services in relation to the death of the employee's child, or make arrangements necessitated by the death of the employee's child. Provides for enforcement by the Department of Labor. Provides for civil penalties. Authorizes the Attorney General to collect penalties. Creates the Child Bereavement Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.