Rep. Lisa Hernandez

Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Provides that a license to practice under the Act shall not be denied an applicant because of the applicant's real or perceived immigration status. Provides that every application for an original license under the Act shall include the applicant's Social Security Number or individual taxpayer identification number. Provides that the Social Work Examining and Disciplinary Board may grant additional examination time to an applicant for whom English is the applicant's second language. Provides that to qualify for consideration, the applicant must submit a request for additional time stating that English is the applicant's second language, and provide additional information. Sets forth what additional information may be provided. Provides that if approved, the applicant shall be allotted extra time when taking the required board-administered examination. Provides that the allowance of the extra time for a required national examination is subject to availability from the exam-administering entity. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may not revoke, suspend, summarily suspend, place on prohibition, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against a license or permit issued under the Act based solely upon an immigration violation by the licensed clinical social worker. Provides that the Department may not revoke, suspend, summarily suspend, place on prohibition, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against the license or permit issued under the Act to practice as a licensed clinical social worker based upon the licensed clinical social worker's license being revoked or suspended, or the licensed clinical social worker being otherwise disciplined by any other state, if that revocation, suspension, or other form of discipline was based solely upon an immigration violation by the licensed clinical social worker. Amends the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act and Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act to make similar changes.

Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Adds definitions. Provides that the minimum ratio for each provider type shall be no less than any such ratio established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Provides that the maximum travel time and distance standards and appointment wait time standards shall be no greater than any such standards established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Makes changes to provisions concerning network adequacy, notice of nonrenewal or termination, transition of services, network transparency, administration and enforcement, provider requirements, and provider directory information. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning notice of nonrenewal or termination and transition of services. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to authorize the Department of Insurance to adopt emergency rules implementing federal standards for provider ratios, time and distance, or appointment wait times when such standards apply to health insurance coverage regulated by the Department of Insurance and are more stringent than the State standards extant at the time the final federal standards are published. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Creates a process that Illinois residents may use to seek an Illinois judicial order making findings of fact to change a government-issued document from another state or country so that they may petition the issuing jurisdiction to change such a document.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Instead of requiring consumer education to be taught and studied, provides that beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2024-2025 school year, pupils in the public schools in grade 11 or 12 shall be taught and be required to complete a stand-alone, one-semester or equivalent course covering personal finance, which shall include, but is not limited to, instruction covering behavioral economics; banking and bill payment; investing; types of credit; managing credit; including credit scores; paying for college; insurance; taxes; budgeting; consumer skills; retirement planning, including tax-advantaged retirement plans; home ownership and financing; and personal transportation, including car ownership and leasing. Provides that the State Board of Education shall devise or approve the personal finance education standards for the course. Provides that the school board shall oversee implementation of the personal finance course for each high school student prior to graduation. Specifies the oversight duties of the school board. In provisions regarding required high school courses, provides that the personal finance education course may be counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation requirements. Makes other changes.

Appropriates $6,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department on Aging for distribution to Area Agencies on Aging to provide services as allowed under the Family Caregiver Act and pursuant to Title III E of the Older Americans Act. Effective July 1, 2024.

Appropriates $9,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Public Health for continued funding to the Illinois Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. Effective July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 681 is a technical amendment to the Criminal Code that updates the short title of a specific section. This change does not alter any criminal laws or affect the behavior of individuals. The bill involves only a clerical adjustment to the document's naming convention rather than introducing new rules or penalties.

Creates the Firefighter Paid Family Leave Act. Provides that a firefighter shall receive 6 weeks of paid family leave that may be used: (1) for the birth of a child in order to care for the child; (2) to care for a newly adopted child under 18 years of age, a newly placed foster child under 18 years of age, or a newly adopted or placed foster child older than 18 years of age if the child is incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability; and (3) to care for a family member with a serious health condition. Provides that the paid family leave requirements shall be provided to a firefighter regardless of the employer's leave policies and shall be provided to a firefighter who has been employed by the employer for at least one year. Provides that a firefighter may voluntarily waive his or her right to paid family leave. Provides that the Department of Labor may adopt any rules necessary to implement the Act.

Amends the Township Code. When the electors in a township in a county with a population of 1,000,000 or more authorize the township board to contract with one or more municipalities in the township or with the county within which the township is located to furnish police protection in the unincorporated area of the township, requires using funds levied under the provisions to furnish the police protection. Provides that a township board's authority to declare the unincorporated area of the township a special police district is to provide and maintain police protection in the unincorporated area of the township. Allows the township board to use the special police district funds levied under the provisions for public safety services, including, but not limited to, crime prevention measures and community safety measures, such as license plate readers, graffiti abatement, and anti-gang and anti-violence community support and intervention programs.

Amends the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971. Defines "sign" as any outdoor sign, display, device, notice, figure painting, drawing, message, placard, poster, billboard, or other thing, which is operated or owned by a person or entity where any person or entity is paying or earning remuneration directly or indirectly for (i) the existence or placement of the outdoor sign or (ii) the placement of the message on the outdoor sign (rather than any outdoor sign which is designated, intended, or used to advertise or inform, and of which any part of the existing or intended advertising or informative content) is capable of being visible from any place on the main-traveled way of any portion of any Interstate or primary highway and which is within 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way of such highway. Provides that for purposes of the definition of "erect", attaching a vinyl substrate medium to a sign structure or wall surface shall constitute normal maintenance or repair of a sign or sign structure. Defines "remuneration". Removes the definitions of "on premise sign", "off premise sign", and "real estate sign". Removes language providing that registration must be made of each sign and shall be accompanied by a registration fee of $5. Removes provisions concerning directional and other official signs, real estate signs, on premise signs, off premise signs, and signs affixed by public utilities. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.