Rep. Kelly Cassidy

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to annually review and update the underlying data for, and use of, indicators used to determine whether a community is designated as an environmental justice community and to establish a process by which communities not designated as environmental justice communities may petition for such a designation. Provides that an applicant for a permit for the construction of a new source that will become a major source subject to the Clean Air Act Permit Program to be located in an environmental justice community or a new source that has or will require a federally enforceable State operating permit and that will be located in an environmental justice community must conduct a public meeting prior to submission of the permit application and must submit with the permit application an environmental justice assessment identifying the potential environmental and health impacts to the area associated with the proposed project. Provides requirements for the environmental justice assessment. Provides that a supplemental fee of $200,000 for each construction permit application shall be assessed if the construction permit application is subject to the requirements regarding the construction of a new source located in an environmental justice community. Contains provisions regarding public participation requirements for permitting transactions in an environmental justice community. Provides that, if the Agency grants a permit to construct, modify, or operate a facility that emits air pollutants and is classified as a minor source, a third party may petition the Pollution Control Board for a hearing to contest the issuance of the permit. Contains provisions regarding environmental justice grievances. Defines "environmental justice community". Contains other provisions. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 415 ILCS 5/39.5 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1039.5 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Removes language requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to annually review and update the underlying data for, and use of, indicators used to determine whether a community is designated as an environmental justice community. Requires the Agency to conduct an evaluation of a prospective CAAPP permit owner's or operator's prior experience in owning and operating sources of air pollution. Provides that the Agency may deny such a permit if the prospective owner or operator or any employee or officer of the prospective owner or operator or any employee or board member has a history of specified criminal actions. Removes language requiring the air dispersion modeling to examine air quality related impacts to determine estimated emissions of specified pollutants. Makes other changes.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to permit medical assistance recipients, including those enrolled in managed care, to obtain pharmacy services from the pharmacy of their choice if the pharmacy is licensed under the Pharmacy Practice Act and accepts the professional dispensing fee for pharmacy services as determined by the Department. Provides that no managed care organization that contracts with the Department to provide services to recipients may restrict a recipient's access to pharmacy services to a selected group of pharmacies. Provides that if a managed care organization merges with or is acquired by another entity, the resulting entity may not restrict a recipient's access to pharmacy services to a selected group of pharmacies. Permits the Department to renegotiate with the resulting entity the terms of the managed care contract the Department had with the original managed care organization prior to the merger or acquisition. Requires the Department to contract with an independent research organization to conduct a study and submit a report on those managed care organizations that are contracted to provide services to recipients. Requires the report to include an analysis of pharmacy access for medical assistance recipients with the aim of identifying "pharmacy deserts"; an analysis of the costs and benefits of having managed care organizations administer health care services, including pharmacy services, to recipients; and other matters. Prohibits the Department from entering into any new contract with a managed care organization before the report has been received and analyzed by the Department and posted on its website. Effective immediately. Balanced Budget Note (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 591 as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. Judicial Note (Admin Office of the Illinois Courts) Based on a review of the bill, it has been determined that the proposed legislation would neither increase nor decrease the number of judges needed in the State of Illinois. Pension Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 591 will not have any impact on any public pension fund or retirement system in the State of Illinois. State Debt Impact Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 591 would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Housing Affordability Impact Note (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. Home Rule Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not pre-empt home rule authority. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State Mandate. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Healthcare & Family Services) The bill would require the Department to accept claims from any provider licensed under the Pharmacy Practice Act for services provided to recipients under the Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) program or through a contractual managed care organization (MCO) entity. There would be a significant impact to liability for the MCO capitation rates. This bill has a total fiscal impact of $186 million.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits unlawful use of an animal (currently, this provision only covers elephants) in a traveling animal act when he or she knowingly allows for the participation of an animal in a traveling animal act. Unlawful use of an animal in a traveling animal act is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines "animal". Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act to provide that, during the pendency of a disaster proclamation that is a result of a public health emergency or epidemic, provisions concerning ineligibility as a result of unemployment insurance fraud shall not apply to individuals residing in the counties affected by the gubernatorial disaster proclamation who are otherwise entitled to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Repeals provisions allowing the taking of bobcats by hunting or trapping in this State. Makes conforming changes.

Repeals the Rent Control Preemption Act. Housing Affordability Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) The anticipated fiscal impact seen by local governments in performance of this bill will be that of administering a referendum. The Department believes costs associated with administering a referendum to be minimal and should be covered by funds budgeted for normal election activities.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires perinatal doula services and evidence-based home visiting services to be covered under the medical assistance program for persons who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance. Provides that perinatal doula services include regular visits beginning in the prenatal period and continuing into the postnatal period, inclusive of continuous support during labor and delivery, that support healthy pregnancies and positive birth outcomes. Provides that perinatal doula services may be embedded in an existing program, such as evidence-based home visiting. Provides that perinatal doula services provided during the prenatal period may be provided weekly, services provided during the labor and delivery period may be provided for the entire duration of labor and the time immediately following birth, and services provided during the postpartum period may be provided up to 12 months postpartum. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to adopt rules. Requires the Department, during the rulemaking process, to consider the expertise of and consult with doula program experts, doula training providers, practicing doulas, and home visiting experts, along with State agencies implementing perinatal doula services and relevant bodies under the Illinois Early Learning Council. Requires the Department to seek any State plan amendments or waivers necessary to implement the amendatory Act and to secure federal financial participation for expenditures made by the Department for perinatal doula services and evidence-based home visiting services. Effective July 1, 2022.

Creates the Commission on Interstate and Intrastate Trafficking of Firearms Act. Creates the Commission on Interstate and Intrastate Trafficking of Firearms within the Illinois State Police to assess the current needs relating to firearms trafficking and advise the Governor and General Assembly on necessary strategies to reduce illegal firearms trafficking. Provides for the membership of the Commission. Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act if an applicant is applying for or renewing a Firearm Owner's Identification Card he or she must submit evidence to the Illinois State Police that he or she has completed at least 8 hours of handgun safety training approved by the Director of the Illinois State Police. Provides that notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, each local law enforcement agency shall issue a firearm permit to an applicant who seeks the purchase of a firearm to verify the identity of the purchaser and shall complete a full criminal background check of the applicant that includes obtaining fingerprints from the prospective firearm purchaser. Provides that each local law enforcement agency shall keep records of those permits and make them available to the Illinois State Police through the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). Provides that the duration of the permit shall be 10 days after its issuance. Provides that the local law enforcement agency may deny a permit to purchase a firearm to an applicant if the agency, in its discretion, believes it is in the interest of public safety. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to make conforming changes. Makes other changes.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for testing for the detection or the diagnosis of COVID-19 without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement or a prior authorization requirement on the coverage provided if the purpose of the testing is for individualized diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19, in accordance with the requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Provides that a testing site that provides services for testing for the detection or the diagnosis of COVID-19 shall collect accident and health insurance information from patients.