Rep. Theresa Mah

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning no later than October 1, 2019, and for each State fiscal year thereafter, the monthly personal needs allowance required under Title XIX of the Social Security Act for any person residing in a facility licensed under the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act who is determined to be eligible for medical assistance under the Code and who is enrolled in the State's Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Program for adults with developmental disabilities shall be no less than 15% of the individual's monthly Supplemental Security Income benefits or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, or both, for the previous calendar year. Establishes a similar personal needs allowance amount for any person residing in a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act who is determined to be eligible for medical assistance under the Code beginning no later than October 1, 2019 and for each State fiscal year thereafter. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to annually include information about the Child Care Assistance Program and the federal dependent care allowance in the language that schools are required to provide to students eligible for Monetary Award Program grants. Specifies the information that must be included. Provides that an institution of higher learning that participates in the Monetary Award Program shall provide, at a minimum, the information to all students who are enrolled, or who are accepted for enrollment and are intending to enroll, and who have been identified by the Commission as Monetary Award Program-eligible at the institution. Provides that an institution of higher learning shall also provide the information to any student identified by the institution of higher learning as a student with dependents. Provides that an institution of higher learning may designate a public benefits liaison or single point person to assist students in taking the necessary steps to obtain public benefits if eligible. Requires the Commission to adopt rules to implement the provisions on or before October 1, 2020. Effective immediately.

Amends the Blind Vendors Act. Renames the Act the Vending Facilities Act. Provides that priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of 50% of the vending facilities on State property (rather than priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of vending facilities on State property). Requires each State agency controlling State property or parts thereof where vending machines or vending facilities are located to implement an aspirational goal of awarding contracts representing 50% of the vending machines or vending facilities under its control to minority-owned or women-owned businesses. Provides that each State-operated facility that has 6 or more vending machines under its control shall award at least 2 contracts for vending, where practical. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act apply to written contracts or agreements entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act; and that any written contract or agreement in place prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act between a State agency and the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind shall be maintained and fully adhered to including any moneys paid to individual vending facilities. Defines terms. Provides that to ensure adequate competition and to encourage new participants, all written contracts or agreements for vending machines or vending facilities shall be limited to a 5-year term. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Contains a declaration of policy and intent. Requires the Department of Human Services, in partnership with specified State agencies, to develop and implement a plan to phase out, by July 1, 2024, authorizations under the Minimum Wage Law to pay an employee with a disability less than the minimum wage. Requires the Department to consult with specified organizations when implementing the phase-out plan. Requires the Secretary of Human Services to submit reports to the Governor and the General Assembly on the benchmarks and status of achieving the outcomes included in the phase-out plan and recommendations for funding levels or other resources necessary to implement the phase-out plan. Amends the Department of Labor Law. Prohibits the Director of Labor from authorizing a work activities center or other sheltered workshop to pay an employee who has a disability less than the minimum wage unless certain requirements are met. Amends the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities Law. Requires the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities to commission an independent study of the phase-out plan; determine whether the plans are having their intended effects; and make recommendations for possible changes in State law or policy regarding the employment of individuals with disabilities. Requires the Council to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by July 1, 2023. Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides that the State of Illinois shall not fund any entity that pays individuals less than the minimum wage under a certificate issued by the United States Department of Labor that authorizes Community Rehabilitation Programs to pay individuals less than the wage otherwise required for the individuals under federal law. Effective immediately, except that the provisions amending the Minimum Wage Law take effect July 1, 2024.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that cable or video providers shall cease charging customers for modems and routers, whether rented together or separately, when the customer has paid to the provider the wholesale cost of the modem or router, or modem and router if rented together, plus a reasonable mark-up not to exceed 5% of the modem, router, or modem and router wholesale cost to the provider. Provides that the cable and video provider shall provide notice regarding the discontinuance of rental charges to the customer in each billing statement. Provides that the notice shall include a disclosure of rights and responsibilities relating to the maintenance of modems and routers.

Amends the Collection Agency Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may discipline a licensee if a finding is made by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection that a licensee violated the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act or its rules.

Creates the Pharmaceutical Recovery Act. Requires covered manufacturers to, no later than July 1, 2021 or 6 months after becoming a covered manufacturer, whichever is later, participate in an approved drug take-back program or have established and implemented a drug take-back program independently or as part of a group of covered manufacturers. Provides requirements for the drug take-back program and for manufacturer program operators. Requires each manufacturer program operator to submit a proposal for the establishment and implementation of a drug take-back program to the Environmental Protection Agency for review and approval. Contains provisions regarding changes or modifications to drug take-back programs, promotion of drug take-back programs, annual reports, funding, and reimbursement. Requires covered manufacturers and manufacturer program operators to submit an annual $5,000 registration fee. Provides civil penalties. Creates the Pharmaceutical Take-Back Reimbursement Program Fund and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Contains other provisions. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that proprietary information submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency under the Pharmaceutical Recovery Act is exempt from inspection and copying under the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a home rule municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000 may restructure the rates of an existing real estate transfer tax to specified amounts. Provides that if the municipality increases the real estate transfer tax rates as provided in this subsection, then of the entire proceeds received from the real estate transfer tax, 75% shall be dedicated to the city's general budget and 25% shall be dedicated to housing and services to combat homelessness.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on July 1, 2020, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits are exempt from the taxes imposed under those Acts. Effective immediately.

Creates the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides requirements concerning disclosure and review of prior authorization requirements, denial of claims or coverage by a utilization review program, and the implementation of prior authorization requirements or restrictions. Provides requirements concerning a utilization review program's obligations with respect to prior authorizations in nonurgent circumstances, urgent health care services, and emergency health care services. Provides that a utilization review program shall not require prior authorization under specified circumstances. Provides requirements concerning the length of prior authorizations. Provides that health care services are automatically deemed authorized if a utilization review program fails to comply with the requirements of the Act. Provides that the Director of Insurance may impose an administrative fine not to exceed $250,000 for violations of the Act. Defines terms. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act to provide that an insurer that provides prescription drug benefits must comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides that if prior authorization for covered post-stabilization services is required by a health care plan, the plan shall comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide that all managed care organizations shall comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2021.