Rep. Theresa Mah

Amends the Registered Surgical Assistant and Registered Surgical Technologist Title Protection Act. Provides that all applicants and registrants shall: (1) provide a valid address and email address to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which shall serve as the address of record and email address of record, respectively, at the time of application for registration or renewal of a registration; and (2) inform the Department of any change of address of record or email address of record within 14 days after such change. Provides that the Secretary (rather than the Department) shall observe the rehearing proceedings. Provides that in a denial for a rehearing, the Secretary may enter an order in accordance with the recommendations of the hearing officer (rather than the Department). Provides that the hearing officer shall report the hearing officer's findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations to the Secretary (rather than the Department). Removes a provision providing that exhibits shall be certified without cost. Makes corresponding and other changes. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Repeals the Registered Surgical Assistant and Registered Surgical Technologist Title Protection Act on January 1, 2029 (rather than January 1, 2024). Provisions amending the Regulatory Sunset Act are effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act must provide coverage for medically necessary hearing instruments and related services for all individuals (rather than all individuals under the age of 18) when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument to augment communication. Makes conforming changes, including repealing provisions concerning optional coverage or optional reimbursement for hearing instruments and related services. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Provides that it is unlawful for an employer with 15 or more employees to fail to include the pay scale for a position in any job posting. Provides that if an employer with 15 or more employees engages a third party to announce, post, publish, or otherwise make known a job posting, the employer shall provide the pay scale to the third party and the third party shall include the pay scale in the job posting. Defines "pay scale". Makes conforming changes to provisions concerning violations of the Act and fines and penalties. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "automated license plates reader" (ALPR). Establishes that an ALPR user shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information, except to another local law enforcement agency, a local law enforcement agency of the State, the federal government, or a state other than Illinois, and only to the extent necessary to locate a vehicle or person reasonably suspected of being involved in the commission of a crime as defined by State or federal laws. Provides that an ALPR user shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information to any state that has enacted laws that deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose or obtain an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or when the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman for the purposes of investigation or enforcement of that law. Provides that an ALPR user shall only share information obtained through the use of an ALPR with the federal government or a state other than Illinois if the entity requesting the information first discloses to the State entity a criminal predicate necessitating a lawful purpose and that the criminal predicate would be a violation of the laws of the State. Provides that ALPR information shall be retained for a period of only 30 days, after which it must be destroyed, unless particularized information is the subject of a criminal investigation. Provides that ALPR information shall be held confidentially to the fullest extent permitted by law, and an ALPR user shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information for any commercial purpose and shall not disclose ALPR information to any entity for the purposes of public disclosure. Makes a conforming change in the Freedom of Information Act.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish a hunger-free campus grant program. Provides that the hunger-free campus grant program shall provide grants to public institutions of higher education that have one or more campuses designated by the Board as hunger-free campuses. Provides for requirements for being designated a hunger-free campus. Provides that the Board shall determine the amount of each grant that shall be used by the public institution of higher education to further address food insecurity among students enrolled in the public institution of higher education. Provides that the Board shall prioritize grants to public institutions of higher education with campuses that serve primarily minority and low-income students and have a high percentage of Pell Grant recipients. Provides that the Board shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than 2 years after the establishment of the grant program. Provides for rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.

Amends the Health Care Professional Credentials Data Collection Act. Provides that "recredentialing" and "single credentialing cycle" must be undertaken for a period not to exceed 3 years (rather than once every 2 years). Provides that forms established by the Department of Public Health under the provisions shall be available in both paper and electronic formats upon request and in the format requested (rather than just in both paper and electronic formats). Repeals provisions establishing the Health Care Credentials Council and makes conforming changes.

Amends the Uniform Racial Classification Act. Provides that when a State agency is required by law to compile or report statistical data using racial or ethnic classifications, that State agency shall also include people who are Middle Eastern or North African.

Amends the Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act. Changes references from "Indian" to "Native American" and "Historic Preservation Agency" to "Department of Natural Resources". Provides that the Director of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the Illinois State Museum, may create a cemetery on existing State lands for the reburial of repatriated Native American remains and materials. Provides that the cemetery shall not be used by the public and shall be protected by the State of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Natural Resources shall cooperate with the State Archaeologist and the Illinois State Museum to coordinate reinterment in the cemetery.

Amends the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article of the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Educations shall analyze and assess teacher evaluation data from each school in the State. Provides that the State Board analysis and assessment shall include: (1) rating data for the last evaluation cycle and current evaluation cycle for all probationary teachers and teachers in continued contractual service broken down by race and ethnicity of teachers, and (2) rating data for the last evaluation cycle and current evaluation cycle for all probationary teachers and teachers in continued contractual service broken down by race, ethnicity, and free and reduced-price lunch status of the students in the school where the teacher works. Provides that each probationary teacher and each teacher in continued contractual service rated "needs improvement" or "unsatisfactory" shall be provided a peer mentor or coach to assist in improving their practice as educators. Provides for a continuing appropriation for the teacher mentoring programs established under Article 21A of the School Code.

Amends the Pharmacy Benefit Managers Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a pharmacy benefit manager shall not prohibit a pharmacist or pharmacy from, or indirectly punish a pharmacist or pharmacy for, making any written or oral statement or otherwise disclosing information to any federal, State, county, or municipal official, including the Director of Insurance or law enforcement, or before any State, county, or municipal committee, body, or proceeding under specified circumstances. Provides that the provisions apply to contracts entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2023 (rather than July 1, 2022).