Rep. Lisa Hernandez

Directs the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Board of Higher Education to establish a joint advisory council to study how Illinois can maximize the number of students completing credit-bearing certificate programs and two-year or four-year degree programs and enter into high-skill, high-wage occupations and to develop a plan to increase those numbers. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes everything. Replaces it with similar language directing the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Board of Higher Education to establish a joint advisory council to study how Illinois can maximize the number of students completing credit-bearing certificate programs and two-year or four-year degree programs and enter into high-skill, high-wage occupations and to develop a plan to increase those numbers. Changes the original membership of the advisory council. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes everything. Replaces it with similar language directing the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Board of Higher Education to establish a joint advisory council to study how Illinois can maximize the number of students completing credit-bearing certificate programs and two-year or four-year degree programs and enter into high-skill, high-wage occupations and to develop a plan to increase those numbers. Changes the membership of the advisory council.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, the Cigarette Tax Act, the Cigarette Use Tax Act, the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act, the Motor Fuel Tax Law, the Telecommunications Excise Tax Act, and the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that the vendor discount amount under those Acts shall be 1.75%. Provides that the vendor discount may not exceed $1,000 per vendor in any calendar year. Effective immediately.

Urges the State of Illinois to divest from any for-profit companies that contract to shelter migrant children.

Urges the U.S. Congress to pass legislation that provides the right to visas for the undocumented parents of U.S. citizen children or DACA eligible children and TPS recipient parents with U.S. citizen children or children brought here before the age of sixteen which allows them and their children to stay and work legally in this country to provide for the economic, physical, and spiritual security and development of those children. Urges the U.S. Congress to pass a clean DACA bill that gives eligible recipients immediate security and a road to citizenship.

Amends the Downstate Teachers and State Universities Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires an employer to make an additional employer contribution for a participant whose earnings for any academic year used to determine the final rate of earnings exceed the amount of his or her earnings with the same employer for the previous academic year by more than 6% (instead of 3%). Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes language providing that Medicaid rates for supportive living facilities effective on July 1, 2018 must be equal to the rates in effect for supportive living facilities on June 30, 2018. Provides that the Medicaid rates for supportive living services on and after July 1, 2019 must be equal to 60% of the average total nursing facility services per diem for the geographic areas defined by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Provides that for supportive living facilities specializing in dementia care, the rate must be 72% instead of 60%. Requires the Medicaid rates for supportive living services to be updated whenever the total nursing facility service per diems are updated. Requires the Department to delink the per diem rate paid for supportive living facility services from the per diem rate paid for nursing facility services, effective for services provided on or after May 1, 2011 through June 30, 2019 (rather than effective for services provided on or after May 1, 2011). Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover charges incurred, and anesthetics provided, in conjunction with dental care that is provided to an individual in a hospital or an ambulatory surgical treatment center if the individual is otherwise eligible for medical assistance and any of the following applies: (1) the individual has a medical condition that requires hospitalization or general anesthesia for dental care; or (2) the individual is a person with a disability. Defines "person with a disability" to mean a person, regardless of age, with a chronic disability if the chronic disability meets specified conditions. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover charges incurred, and anesthetics provided by a dentist with a permit provided under the Illinois Dental Practice Act or by a physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act to practice medicine in all of its branches, in conjunction with dental care that is provided to an individual in a dental office, oral surgeon's office, hospital, or ambulatory surgical treatment center if the individual, regardless of age, is otherwise eligible for medical assistance and has been diagnosed with (i) an autism spectrum disorder as defined in the Autism Spectrum Disorders Reporting Act or (ii) a developmental disability. Defines "developmental disability". Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to reimburse providers of services covered under the amendatory Act at the same rates as the Medicare program's rates for similar services.

Declares March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020 as "Cesar Chavez Day in Illinois".

Declares April 1, 2019 as Census Awareness Day.

Declares September 7, 2019 as Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Appreciation Day in Illinois.