Rep. Kelly Cassidy

Amends the Cannabis Control Act. Provides that the possession of 10 grams or less of cannabis is a civil law violation punishable by a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $200. Provides that a person commits the offense of unlawful use of cannabis-based product manufacturing equipment when he or she knowingly engages in the possession, procurement, transportation, storage, or delivery of any equipment used in the manufacturing of any cannabis-based product using volatile or explosive gas, including, but not limited to canisters of butane gas, with the intent to manufacture, compound, covert, produce, derive, process, or prepare either directly or indirectly any cannabis-based product. Provides that a violation is a Class 2 felony. Provides that the provisions of any ordinance enacted by any municipality or unit of local government which imposes a fine upon cannabis other than as defined in the Cannabis Control Act are not invalidated or affected by this Act. Amends the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act. Provides that if a person is convicted of 10 grams or less of cannabis, the penalty for possession of any drug paraphernalia seized during the arrest for that offense shall be a civil law violation punishable by a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $200. Provides for distribution of these fines. Amends Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person shall not drive or be in actual physical control of any vehicle, snowmobile, or watercraft within this State when the person has, within 2 hours thereof, a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration in the person's whole blood or other bodily substance of 5 nanograms or more of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per milliliter of whole blood or 10 nanograms or more of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per milliliter of other bodily substance from the unlawful consumption of cannabis (rather than a cannabis THC concentration in any amount). Amends various other Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning change of name.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Extends the repeal of the medicine locking closure package pilot program from January 1, 2017 to January 1, 2018. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides a process to register with the Department of Insurance as a pharmacy benefits manager and what information must be included. Provides that the Director of Insurance may revoke, suspend, deny, or restrict a certificate of registration for violation of the Code or on other grounds as determined necessary or appropriate by the Director. Provides that the Department shall regulate the drug pricing process used by pharmacy benefits managers, and specifies the appeals process for such pricing. Provides that pharmacy benefits managers shall not mandate that a covered individual use a specific pharmacy or provide incentives to encourage the use of a specific pharmacy under specified circumstances. Provides criteria for entities to use in performing on-site audits of pharmacy records. Provides that health plans must permit their enrollees to receive benefits, which may include a 90-day supply of covered prescription drugs, at any of its network community pharmacies. Contains provisions concerning medication synchronization. Provides that dispensing fees shall be determined exclusively on the total number of prescriptions dispensed. Regulates how pharmacy benefits managers may utilize personally identifiable data. Provides that the Department can regulate other specified activities of pharmacy benefits managers. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2016.

Supports the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's opposition to construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) across the Tribe's ancestral lands, waters, and sacred sites.

Proposes to amend the Judiciary Article of the Illinois Constitution concerning the retention of Supreme, Appellate, and Circuit Judges. Creates a Judicial Retention Commission in each Judicial District to determine the qualifications of Supreme and Appellate Court Judges seeking retention, and creates a separate Judicial Retention Commission in each Judicial Circuit to determine the qualifications of Circuit Judges seeking retention in the Circuit. Provides for the impaneling of additional Judicial Retention Commissions in a Circuit if more than 40 Judges have filed a declaration of candidacy for retention. Provides that Judges found unqualified by the Commissions may seek retention in retention elections. Provides that Judges found qualified are retained in office. Effective upon being declared adopted under Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Eliminates provisions that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for: (1) the manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to deliver more than 5 grams but less than 15 grams of a substance containing cocaine, fentanyl, or an analog thereof; (2) 3 or more grams but less than 15 grams of a substance containing heroin or an analog thereof; (3) a Class 2 or greater felony if the offender had been convicted of a Class 2 or greater felony, including any state or federal conviction for an offense that contained, at the time it was committed, the same elements as an offense now (the date of the offense committed after the prior Class 2 or greater felony) classified as a Class 2 or greater felony, within 10 years of the date on which the offender committed the offense for which he or she is being sentenced; or (4) residential burglary.

Creates the Nursing Home Accountability Act. Defines terms. Requires certain nursing facilities to report specified information concerning wages of their employees as part of an annual cost report. Requires the Department of Public Health to compare the information to the living wage certification standards. Contains provisions concerning the reporting, determinations, posting, and effect of such certification. Contains penalty, inspection of records, and rulemaking provisions. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, based on required reports by facilities, to determine if an employee of a facility is a recipient of public assistance for the purpose of imposing an employer responsibility penalty. Contains provisions concerning medical assistance information, prohibited practices, employee remedies, administrative appeals, and confidentiality. Establishes the Employer Responsibility for Public Assistance Fund as a special fund in the State treasury (and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act). Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may use money in the Employer Responsibility for Public Assistance Fund for specified purposes. Provides for a direct service minimum that sets a 50% direct service worker expenditure threshold that covered facilities shall meet using their medical assistance program funds. Contains provisions concerning reporting requirements, the calculation and determination of the direct service minimum, and repayment of medical assistance program payments in the event a facility does not meet the direct service minimum. Provides that the provisions of the Act are severable. Effective 90 days after becoming law.

Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Act.

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that the Department of State Police and the local law enforcement agency shall automatically expunge, on or before January 1 of each year, the law enforcement records of a person convicted of a civil law violation of possessing 30 grams or less of cannabis or drug paraphernalia possessed by the person arrested on the cannabis charge in the Department's or law enforcement agency's possession or control and which contains the final disposition which pertain to the person when arrested for that offense. Amends the Cannabis Control Act. Provides that the possession of 30 grams or less of cannabis is a civil law violation punishable by a maximum fine of $125. Amends the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act. Provides that if a person is convicted of 30 grams or less of cannabis, the penalty for possession of any drug paraphernalia seized during the arrest for that offense shall be a civil law violation punishable by a maximum fine of $125. Provides for distribution of these fines.