Rep. Kevin Olickal

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2025, and for subsequent years thereafter, the Prospective Payment System rates for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) shall be increased by $100,000,000 using an alternative payment method acceptable to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and a trade association representing a majority of FQHCs operating in Illinois, including a rate increase that is an equal percentage increase to the rates paid to each FQHC. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a business providing customer support that uses an automated telephone answering system or an automated text interface that simulates conversation shall, during the normal hours of operation of the business, provide the customer with the option of communicating with a human representative at the beginning of the phone call or text interaction.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Dental Care Patient Protection Act, and the Dental Service Plan Act. Provides that no insurer, dental service plan corporation, professional service corporation, insurance network leasing company, company offering a managed care dental plan, company offering a point-of-service plan, or any company that amends, delivers, issues, or renews an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance that provides dental insurance in this State may deny coverage for replacement of teeth to any insured on the basis of those teeth having been extracted or otherwise lost prior to the person becoming covered under the plan.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Creates the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure program. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall provide grants to petroleum marketers, petroleum terminal operators, and any other companies that the Department of Agriculture determines are eligible for grant funding. Provides that eligible expenditures include tank modifications, tanks, piping, and fuel dispensers. Provides that an eligible grant recipient shall not receive more than $1,000,000 in grant funding. Provides that no funding under the program shall be made available to a public body. Creates the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that, from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026, the Comptroller shall order transferred, and the Treasurer shall transfer, $3,000,000 each calendar quarter from the Underground Storage Tank Fund to the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Fund, unless the Underground Storage Tank Fund has a balance at or below $75,000,000. Creates the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Task Force. Sets forth membership and duties of the Task Force. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for each individual who (i) serves as a first responder for at least 10 months during the taxable year and (ii) incurs unreimbursed qualified wellness expenses during the taxable year. Provides that the amount of the credit is equal to 50% of the unreimbursed qualified wellness expenses incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year, up to a maximum of $250 per eligible taxpayer. Sets forth limitations on the aggregate amount of credits that may be awarded under the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Authorizes an authorized representative to sign the disclosure required under the Act before any contract relating to the ownership or use of real property is entered into by the State or a unit of local government disclosing the interest of an owner or beneficiary in the real property. Authorizes disclosure by providing a copy of a proxy statement or other official corporate document filed with the federal Securities Exchange Commission or similar federal regulatory body within the previous calendar year disclosing the overall ownership of the limited liability company, corporation, or general partnership. Removes the requirement for additional disclosure for contracts for the ownership or use of real property for highway purposes by the Department of Transportation for any entity that is wholly or partially owned by another entity. Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Allows a party authorized to take property to file a complaint in circuit court if the owner is unable or unwilling to provide documentation required by the acquiring party to obtain sufficient title to the property, consummate the transaction, or comply with all legal requirements for the transaction. Eliminates the requirement that the Illinois Department of Transportation obtain Illinois Commerce Commission approval before bringing an action to acquire property needed for highway projects owned by utilities and railroads. Allows notice to property owners to be sent by entities other than the United States Postal Service if a company provides the same function as certified mail with return receipt. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with a population of more than 700,000 residents and fewer than 725,000 residents, upon motion of any party and provided that other parties to the appeal do not object, hearings upon appeal to the Property Tax Appeal Board shall be heard online with parties to the appeal participating in the hearing remotely. Requires the Property Tax Appeal Board to amend its rules of practice and procedure within 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act to accommodate the remote hearings. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Authorizes the Property Tax Appeal Board to adopt emergency rules to implement the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to prepare and submit to the General Assembly a report on the state of artificial intelligence education and development in public and private institutions of higher education. Sets forth what information the report must contain. Repeals the provisions 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person found legally accountable for the conduct of another when either before or during the commission of an offense, by taking deliberate action (deletes and with the intent) to promote or facilitate that commission, he or she solicits, aids, abets, agrees, or attempts to aid that other person in the planning or commission of the offense shall be sentenced pursuant to the Unified Code of Corrections, except when: (1) the person initiated the commission of the offense; or (2) the person expressly directed another person to engage in conduct that constituted an element of the offense. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person convicted under such an accountability theory shall be sentenced according to the provisions of the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that no separate sentence shall be imposed for the offense in which the conduct of another person satisfied an element of the offense for which the individual has been found guilty. Establishes penalties for being legally accountable for the conduct of another under such an accountability theory. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Includes LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the topics covered in the required 4-hour training for every voting member of a school board of a school district. Lists information that must be included in the LGBTQ+ inclusivity training. Requires the State Board of Education to develop a training program in collaboration with individuals or organizations that affirm LGBTQ+ people and have recognized expertise in supporting LGBTQ+ young people or adopt a training program previously developed by such individuals or organizations.