Rep. Theresa Mah

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer a teacher reimbursement grant program for the purpose of reimbursing public school teachers for up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters of the tuition and mandatory fees paid to a public institution of higher learning in this State to obtain a Professional Educator License and teach in this State. Provides that eligible applicants shall receive a grant in the form of annual reimbursement payments over a period of up to 10 consecutive years. Sets forth provisions concerning eligibility, the grant amount, disbursement and use of a grant, application for a grant, and rulemaking. Repeals the provisions on July 1, 2040. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds provisions allowing persons who are enrolled or are planning to enroll in a State-approved educator preparation program at a public institution of higher learning in this State to be eligible to receive a grant. Provides that employment in a full-time teaching position may be in any grade or subject. Requires a public institution of higher learning to provide billing information to the recipient of a grant, and requires the recipient to give the provided billing information to the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall organize and update a database every year of grant recipients and payments made. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4139, as amended by HA 1, will not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in the State of Illinois. State Debt Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4139, as amended by House Amendment 1, would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Balanced Budget Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 4139, (H-AM 1) as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Illinois Student Assistance Commission) It is estimated that if the program were to serve everyone who is eligible, HB4139 would require about $1.4 billion over 18 years to rebate the tuition and fees paid of an estimated 65,160 Illinois teachers, including an estimated 53,460 current teachers. Potential costs would be an estimated $88.3 million in FY23 and $93.5 million in FY24, growing each year until annual costs peaked in years 9 and 10 at about $140.2 million each year and declining thereafter. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate.

Creates the Faith Behind Bars Act. Provides that a person committed to a correctional institution or facility has a constitutional right to practice his or her faith in the correctional institution or facility absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Provides that a committed person belonging to a faith group in a correctional institution or facility shall have access to pastoral and spiritual care absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Provides that a correctional institution or facility shall provide reading materials for diverse faith groups, including, but not limited to, spiritual, religious texts, prayer manuals, prayer mats, and other requested material from committed persons. Provides that all correctional institutions and facilities in the State shall provide committed persons the ability to pray by facilitating time and clean location, fast by allowing a committed person to abstain from food when appropriate, and respect for dietary restrictions absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections by making a conforming change.

Amends the Naprapathic Practice Act. Provides that naprapathic practice means the diagnosis and treatment (rather than the evaluation) of persons with connective tissue disorders through the use of naprapathic case history and palpation or treatment. Makes other changes to the definition of naprapathic practice. Provides that a person may be qualified to receive a license as a naprapath if he or she is at least 21 years of age (rather than 18 years of age) and, for licenses granted on or after January 1, 2028, has graduated from a 4-year college level program or its equivalent approved by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Creates the Board of Naprapathy. Provides for membership of the Board and duties of the Board. Provides that as part of an investigation the Board shall review the report of the hearing officer and present its findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations to the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation. Makes changes in provisions concerning definitions; grounds for disciplinary action, refusal, revocation, and suspension of licenses; findings of facts, conclusions of law, and recommendations; hearing officers; service of reports, rehearings, and orders; and orders or certified copies as prima facie proof. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Extends the repeal date of the Naprapathic Practice Act from January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the energy transition assistance charge shall not exceed 1.3% of the amount paid per kilowatthour by eligible retail customers during the year ending May 31, 2009.

Amends the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act. Provides for licensure of audiology assistants, including qualifications for licensure, minimum requirements for audiology assistant programs, the scope of responsibility of audiology assistants, and requirements for supervision of audiology assistants.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning notices of cancellation. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 215 ILCS 5/143.15 Adds reference to: 225 ILCS 60/22 from Ch. 111, par. 4400-22 225 ILCS 65/70-5 was 225 ILCS 65/10-45 225 ILCS 95/21 from Ch. 111, par. 4621 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, and the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall not revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against the license or permit issued under the Acts to a physician, registered nurse, advance practice registered nurse, or physician assistant based solely upon the license of a physician, registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant being revoked or disciplined by any state or territory for the provision of, authorization of, or participation in any health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion on the basis that such health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion is unlawful or prohibited in that state or territory, if the provision of, authorization of, or participation in that health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion is not unlawful or prohibited in the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Loan Repayment Assistance for Physicians Act. To address the shortage of obstetrical services in rural communities, provides that a physician who provides obstetrical care and works at a privately owned rural health clinic in this State may qualify for assistance under the Act if all other established criteria are met. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Repeals provisions that prohibit a person that is serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution from voting until his or her release from confinement. Effective January 1, 2022.

Amends the Alternative Health Care Delivery Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.

Creates the Rebuild Illinois Mental Health Workforce Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to preserve and expand access to Medicaid community mental health care in Illinois to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and avoid the criminalization of mental health conditions. Establishes add-on payments for the following community mental health services to be paid beginning with State Fiscal Year 2023 and continuing for each State fiscal year thereafter: individual therapy services; community support-individual services; case management services; and assertive community treatment services. Requires monthly directed payments to community mental health providers of community support team services or assertive community treatment services. Provides that such directed payments shall be based on the number of Medicaid users, as defined, who receive services from the provider in the base year. Provides that the add-on payments established under the Act shall apply to Medicaid services provided by a contracted managed care organization or entity and services paid for directly by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Provides that no base Medicaid rate or Medicaid rate add-on payment or any other payment for the provision of Medicaid community mental health services in place on July 1, 2021 shall be diminished or changed to make the reimbursement changes required under the Act. Requires the Department to apply for federal approval to implement the Act. Provides that implementation of the add-on payments is conditioned on the receipt of federal financial participation for such payments. Effective immediately.