Rep. Robyn Gabel

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a prosecution for a criminal offense defined in the Sex Offense Article of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse when the alleged victim of the offense was under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, the court may exclude from the proceedings while the victim is testifying, regardless of the alleged victim's age at the time of the victim's courtroom testimony, all persons, who, in the opinion of the court, do not have a direct interest in the case, except the media. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that for the purposes of excluding disinterested parties, the court shall enter its finding that parties are disinterested and the basis for that finding into the record. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Provides that when the court publishes to the trier of fact videos, photographs, or any depiction of a minor under 18 years of age engaged in a sex act, the court may exclude from the proceedings all persons, who in the opinion of the court, do not have a direct interest in the case, except the media.

Creates the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act. Provides for licensure of professional music therapists and clinical music therapists by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Establishes the Music Therapy Advisory Committee. Establishes the powers and duties of the advisory committee, including advising the Department on all matters pertaining to licensure, education, and continuing education requirements for licensees. Establishes the powers and duties of the Department, including prescribing rules defining what constitutes an appropriate curriculum for music therapy, reviewing the qualifications of applicants for licenses, investigating alleged violations of the Act, conducting hearings on disciplinary and other matters, and establishing a schedule of fees for the administration and enforcement of the Act. Establishes qualifications for licensure as a professional music therapist and clinical music therapist. Establishes grounds for discipline of a license. Provides for civil and criminal penalties for violations of the Act. Creates provisions concerning formal hearings, including transcripts of proceedings, appointment of hearing officers, subpoenas and depositions, and rehearings. Provides for judicial review of all final administrative decisions of the Department. Preempts home rule. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Removes all references to licensed clinical music therapists. Changes references to the "Music Therapy Advisory Committee" and "Advisory Committee" to "Music Therapy Advisory Board" and "Advisory Board". Changes the definition of "music therapy". Adds provisions concerning applicants' and licensees' addresses of record and email addresses of record. Makes changes concerning composition and powers and duties of the Music Therapy Advisory Board. Makes changes in provisions concerning exemptions from the Act, collaboration with audiologists and speech-language pathologists, the practice of psychotherapy by licensed music therapists, the powers and duties of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, qualifications for licensure, license renewal, grounds for discipline, violations, investigations, hearings, and findings. Removes provisions concerning restrictions and limitations. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 2 with the following changes. Provides that "music therapy intervention" as defined occurs during a therapist-client relationship and includes collaborating with and educating the client and the family, caregiver of the client, or any other appropriate person regarding the needs of the client that are being addressed in music therapy and the manner in which the music therapy treatment addresses those needs in compliance with state and federal law. Provides that the Music Therapy Advisory Board shall advise the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on all matters pertaining to disciplinary actions for practice of music therapy in the State. Removes a provision that provides that nothing in the Act may be construed to prohibit the practice of a person whose training and national certification attests to the individual's preparation and ability to practice the individual's certified profession or occupation. Provides that the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation shall issue a license to an applicant for a professional music therapist license if the applicant is of good moral character. Provides that in determining moral character under the provisions of qualifications for licensure, the Department may take into consideration whether the applicant has engaged in conduct which would constitute grounds for discipline under the Act. Removes as a ground for discipline the failure to file a return, or to pay the tax, penalty, or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of tax, penalty, or interest, as required by a tax Act administered by the Department of Revenue. Adds that whenever the Secretary believes substantial justice (rather than only justice) has not been done in the revocation, suspension, or refusal to issue or renew a license or the discipline of a licensee, the Secretary may order a rehearing. Removes provisions concerning: the suspension of a license for failure to pay restitution; the surrender of a license; and any conflict with the Act and any other law. Makes other and conforming changes. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 80/4.38 Repeals the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act on January 1, 2028.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning bond. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 15 ILCS 505/1 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 1305/1-75 new 30 ILCS 105/5.970 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the First Responders Child Care Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer an Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program to provide grants to licensed child care facilities to expand their program of services to include off hours, night, or sleep time child care for first responders and third shift workers who, on account of their work schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed child care facilities typically operate. Provides that services funded under the grant program must address the child care needs of first responders. Provides that grants provided under the program may also be used to cover any capital and operating expenses related to the provision of off-hours, night, or sleep time child care for first responders. Requires child care facilities seeking funding under the grant program to apply to the Department in a form and manner prescribed by the Department. Requires the Department to implement the grant program by the date the Child Care Advisory Council submits its final report to the General Assembly as provided under Senate Resolution 862 of the 102nd General Assembly or by December 31, 2022, whichever is earlier. Permits the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement the program. Defines "first responders" to mean emergency medical services personnel as defined in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and, as determined by the Department, any other workers who, on account of their work schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed child care facilities typically operate. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 15 ILCS 505/1 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 1305/1-75 new 30 ILCS 105/5.970 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the First Responders Child Care Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer an Off-Hours Child Care Program to help first responders and other workers identify and access off-hours, night, or sleep time child care. Provides that services funded under the program must address the child care needs of first responders. Provides that funding provided under the program may also be used to cover any capital and operating expenses related to the provision of off-hours, night, or sleep time child care for first responders. Requires the Department to implement the program by July 1, 2023. Permits the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement the program. Defines "first responders" to mean emergency medical services personnel as defined in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and, as determined by the Department, any other workers who, on account of their work schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed child care facilities typically operate. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Provides that that amendatory Act shall be referred to as the Off-Hours Child Care Act (rather than the First Responders Child Care Act). In a provision concerning legislative intent, provides that only 435 of the State's group day care homes (rather than group home care programs) provide night care.

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that notwithstanding a positive test for the presence of cannabis within the petitioner's body from a drug test taken within 30 days before the filing of the petition for expungement or sealing or the failure of the petitioner to take such test, the petitioner may petition for the sealing or expungement of his or her felony records for a violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act, or the Cannabis Control Act or felony records of a qualified probation for a felony drug offense. Defines "cannabis" and "felony drug offense". House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court shall not deny a petition for expungement or sealing because the petitioner has submitted a drug test taken within 30 days before the filing of the petition for expungement or sealing that indicates a positive test for the presence of cannabis within the petitioner's body. Defines "cannabis".

Creates the Legislative Accessibility Act. Provides that the General Assembly shall make all efforts to increase the accessibility of the General Assembly for people with disabilities. Provides that the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall each appoint an accessibility coordinator who, in consultation with the Architect of the Capitol, shall be responsible for addressing accessibility needs for his or her corresponding house. Provides that the Illinois General Assembly website shall include either an email address, webform, or other similar mechanism to request reasonable accommodations to meet the accessibility needs of people with disabilities attending legislative events. Establishes the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force. Provides for the membership and meetings of the Task Force. Provides that members and ex officio members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Provides administrative support for the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall examine issues concerning accessibility of persons with a disability. Requires the Task Force to make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning General Assembly accessibility no later than December 31, 2021. Repeals specified provisions January 1, 2023. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Removes provision requiring the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force to be convened by the Department of Central Management Services in coordination with the Secretary of State. Modifies the appointment of members to the Task Force. Provides that the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the Senate, and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint 2 members to the Task Force (rather than the Governor appointing 15 members). Provides for the appointment of the Task Force chair. Provides that appointees shall include persons who self-identify as having a disability or advocates for such persons. Provides for specified State officials to serve on the Task Force as ex officio members. Provides that the Architect of the Capitol (rather than the Department of Central Management Services) shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to issue its recommendations to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2023 (rather than December 31, 2021). Repeals the Task Force on January 1, 2025 (rather than January 1, 2023). Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Further amends the Legislative Accessibility Act. Provides that the Illinois General Assembly website shall include an email address, web form, or other similar mechanism to meet the accessibility needs of persons attending legislative meetings, hearings, floor proceedings, and press conferences at the Capitol Complex (rather than persons attending legislative events, including, but not limited to, all hearings and floor proceedings). Makes a technical change.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the chief county assessment officer in a county of more than 3,000,000 residents, and in any other county where the county board has authorized such action by ordinance or resolution, may automatically renew the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities without application for any person who applied for the exemption and presented a Disability Identification Card stating that the claimant is under a Class 2 disability. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds provisions to the introduced bill providing that an applicant for the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities may be examined by an optometrist if the person qualifies because of a visual disability. Provides that provisions of the introduced bill concerning automatic renewal (i) apply for taxable years 2021 through 2026 and (ii) apply if the person presents proof of eligibility (in the introduced bill, a Disability Identification Card stating that the claimant is under a Class 2 disability). Provides that the chief county assessment officer shall not automatically renew the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities if the physician, advanced practice registered nurse, optometrist, or physician assistant who examined the claimant determined that the disability is not expected to continue for 12 months or more. House Committee Amendment No. 3 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 2505/2505-805 new 35 ILCS 200/9-275 35 ILCS 200/15-10 35 ILCS 200/15-169 35 ILCS 200/15-170 35 ILCS 200/15-172 35 ILCS 200/15-175 35 ILCS 200/18-185 35 ILCS 200/18-190.7 new 105 ILCS 5/17-1.3 new 105 ILCS 5/17-2A from Ch. 122, par. 17-2A 320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for levy years 2022 and later, the taxing district's aggregate extension base is the greater of (A) the district's last preceding aggregate extension limit or (B) the district's last preceding aggregate extension, subject to certain adjustments. Provides that the term "aggregate extension limit" means the district's last preceding aggregate extension if the taxing district had utilized the maximum limiting rate permitted without referendum for each of the 5 immediately preceding levy years. Provides that the maximum reduction under the General Homestead Exemption is $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties (currently, $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties). Provides that the maximum reduction under the senior citizens homestead exemption is $8,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $5,000 in all other counties (currently, $8,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $5,000 in all other counties). In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities, makes changes concerning the surviving spouse. Provides that the interest rate under the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act is reduced from 6% to 4%. Amends the School Code. Contains provisions concerning interfund transfers and disclosure of cash reserve balances. Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois to require the Department of Revenue to conduct a study concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 5 Makes changes to the bill as amended by House Amendment No. 3 to provide that the maximum amount of the general homestead exemption is $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, $8,000 in counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, and $6,000 in all other counties (rather than $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties).

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In provisions concerning the Council on Aging, provides that at least 7 citizen members shall represent underrepresented communities, including, but no limited to: one member who is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer individual; one member who is a transgender or gender-expansive individual; one member who is an African-American or Black individual; and one member who is an Asian-American or Pacific Islander individual. Creates the Illinois Commission on LGBTQ Aging to investigate, analyze, and study the health, housing, financial, psychosocial, home-and-community-based services, assisted living, and long-term care needs of LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to improve access to benefits, services, and supports for LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers. Requires the Commission to: examine the impact of State and local laws, policies, and regulations on LGBTQ older adults and make recommendations to ensure equitable access, treatment, care and benefits, and overall quality of life; and examine strategies to increase provider awareness of the needs of LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers and to improve the competence of and access to treatment, services, and ongoing care, including preventive care; and carry out other duties. Contains provisions concerning: members appointed to the Commission; Commission meetings and reports; an LGBTQ Older Adult Advocate to advocate for LGBTQ older adults and older adults living with HIV who experience barriers to accessing and utilizing services; an LGBTQ Older Adult Curriculum and Training Program; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the registration fee paid by any vehicle owner who is eligible under the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act or who is the spouse of such a person shall be $10 instead of $24.

Amends the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health or its delegate agency shall (rather than may) conduct a follow-up inspection of any dwelling unit for which a mitigation notice was issued.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions requiring coverage for newborn infants, provides that coverage for congenital defects shall include treatment of cranial facial anomalies. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall cover charges incurred and services provided for outpatient and inpatient care in conjunction with services that are provided to a covered individual related to the diagnosis and treatment of a congenital anomaly or birth defect. Provides that the required coverage includes any services to functionally improve, repair, or restore a body part involving the cranial facial area that is medically necessary to achieve normal function or appearance. Provides that any coverage provided may be subject to coverage limits, such as pre-authorization or pre-certification, as required by the plan or issuer that are no more restrictive than the predominant treatment limitations applied to substantially all medical and surgical benefits covered by the plan. Provides that coverage for a congenital anomaly or birth defect shall include expenses for specified services and items up to the age of 19. Provides that coverage shall not be denied solely on the grounds that the treatment is for cosmetic purposes or is not for a functional defect or impairment. Provides that the coverage does not apply to a policy that covers only dental care. Defines "treatment". Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Effective January 1, 2024. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions requiring coverage for newborn infants, provides that coverage for congenital defects shall include the treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for the medically necessary care and treatment of cleft lip and palate for children under the age of 19. Provides that coverage for cleft lip and palate care and treatment may impose the same deductible, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing limitation that is imposed on other related surgical benefits under the policy. Provides that the coverage does not apply to a policy that covers only dental care. Defines "medically necessary care and treatment". Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Effective January 1, 2024.