Rep. Kam Buckner

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission must implement and administer a program to award Early Childhood Workforce Free College grants to all eligible child care workers seeking an associate or bachelor's degree from a public institution or a regionally accredited, online-only early childhood education degree program; defines terms. Specifies grant eligibility and renewal requirements. Creates the Early Childhood Workforce Advisory Committee to advise the Commission on all matters relating to the Early Childhood Workforce Free College grant program and on the ways to improve and expand the early childhood workforce in this State. Provides for the membership and support of the Committee and requires the Committee to (i) study and make recommendations to the Commission that are related to the implementation of the Early Childhood Workforce Free College grant program, (ii) conduct an analysis from data received by the Commission to ensure the program is at full utilization, (iii) address access issues to the program, including, but not limited to, geographic, financial, cultural, and workplace settings, and (iv) address ways to expand the early childhood workforce in this State. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Early Childhood Workforce Free College Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Act. Changes the name of the Act and Authority to the Metropolitan Public Exposition Authority Act and the Metropolitan Public Exposition Authority. Provides that the Authority may enter into installment payments contracts or lease purchase agreements for specified purposes. Limits the applicability of provisions concerning persons engaged in the business of providing ground transportation and livery vehicles. Requires imposition of a $1 occupation tax on specified persons engaged in the business of providing a transportation network service in the metropolitan area at the McCormick Square campus or a commercial service airport. Increases specified bonding authority of the Authority from $2,850,000,000 to $3,450,000,000. Increases the minimum contract amount requiring a contract to be competitively bid or require a request for proposal. Makes other changes relating to minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses and contractors, contracts for professional services, and contracts entered into pursuant to the Governmental Joint Purchasing Act. Amends various Acts, Laws, and Codes making conforming changes concerning the Act's title and Authority's name. Amends the State Finance Act, Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, and Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Increases the amounts that may be deposited into the McCormick Place Expansion Project Fund through the year 2036 (currently, through 2032), allowing for increases each fiscal year thereafter that bonds are outstanding, but not after fiscal year 2070 (currently, 2060). Effective immediately.

Creates the Uniform Dental Electronic Transactions Act. Provides that the Act applies to all dental plan carriers. Requires all dental plan carriers and dental care providers to exchange claims and eligibility information electronically using the transactions, companion guides, implementation guides, and timelines required under the Act in order to be compensable by the dental plan carrier. Provides that no dental plan carrier or provider may add to or modify the uniform companion guides. Grants the Director of Insurance the right to investigate complaints filed under the Act. Provides the required specifications of any complaint filed. Provides that the Director may impose a civil monetary penalty if the Director determines that there has been a violation of the Act. Requires the Department of Insurance to adopt rules. Defines terms. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Insurance) The Department of Insurance anticipates having to utilize the procurement process, seeking a qualified vendor to assist in effectively developing these standardized forms to be used in the billing and reimbursement of dental care, as well as coordinating the analysis and implementation of the electronic data interchange associated vvith dental care expenses and reimbursement. Current Department personnel would assist in overseeing this process, however, anticipated contractual and associated costs to implernent the requirements contained within this legislation would total approximately $75,000. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate.

Amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Expands the scope of the Act to apply to all employees (rather than only low-wage employees). Prohibits all covenants not to compete. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Dept of Labor) This legislation has no fiscal impact on the Department. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate.

Amends the registrant violation provisions of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any person knowingly to use or possess a prescriber's Illinois controlled substance license or United States Drug Enforcement Administration registration number: (A) other than for: (i) prescribing or dispensing controlled substances; (ii) insurance processing related to controlled substances; (iii) professional employment; (iv) collecting credentials data under the Health Care Professional Credentials Data Collection Act; or (v) licensure purposes; (B) without authorization; (C) to fraudulently obtain any medication or to fraudulently create a prescription or order; or (D) except as authorized by law. Provides that a violation is a Class 4 felony for the first offense and a Class 3 felony for each subsequent offense. The fine for the first offense shall be not more than $100,000. Provides that the fine for each subsequent offense shall not be more than $200,000.

Declares April 2, 2019 as Pay Equity Day.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, if the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation refuses to issue a license or certificate or grant registration to an applicant based upon a criminal conviction or convictions, the Department shall include in its notification to the applicant an explanation of how the conviction directly relates to and would prevent the person from effectively engaging in the position for which a license, registration, or certificate is sought. Provides that the Department shall post on its website a list of all State and federal licensing restrictions that would prohibit an applicant from working in a position for which a license is sought. In provisions concerning an annual report summarizing statistical information relating to new license, certification, or registration applications during the preceding calendar year, requires the Department to include the types of criminal convictions that contributed to the denial of a license, certificate, or registration.

Creates the Cannabis Legalization Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Creates the Intergenerational Poverty Mitigation Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and maintain a system to track intergenerational poverty. Provides that the system shall identify groups that have a high risk of experiencing intergenerational poverty; identify incidents, patterns, and trends that explain or contribute to intergenerational poverty; collect data on child poverty rates; and other matters. Creates the Illinois Intergenerational Welfare Reform Commission (Reform Commission) to collaborate in sharing and analyzing data and information regarding intergenerational poverty in the State, to examine such data, to implement data-driven policies and programs addressing poverty, and other matters. Creates the Intergenerational Poverty Advisory Committee to make recommendations on how the Reform Commission and the State can effectively address the needs of children affected by intergenerational poverty. Contains provisions concerning membership on both commissions, reporting requirements, and other matters. Creates the Intergenerational Poverty School Readiness Scholarship Program to provide children who have not enrolled in kindergarten access to a high-quality school readiness program. Contains provisions on eligibility requirements, coordination between the Department of Human Services and the State Board of Education to designate providers as high-quality school readiness programs, and other matters. Creates the Intergenerational Poverty Plan Implementation Pilot Program to provide funding for counties to implement local solutions to address intergenerational poverty. Effective January 1, 2020.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person may drive a motor vehicle if in possession of a digitized driver's license. Defines "digitized driver's license". Provides that a person shall not be issued a citation for driving a motor vehicle without a physical driver's license in his or her possession if the person presents a digitized driver's license to a law enforcement officer in connection with a traffic stop or checkpoint. Provides that the display of a digitized driver's license shall not serve as consent or authorization for a law enforcement officer, or any other person, to search, view, or access any other data or application on the mobile device, and that the fee to install the application to display a digitized driver's license shall not exceed $6. Effective immediately.