Rep. Nick Smith

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides for the election (rather than appointment) of the board of trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago beginning with the 2023 consolidated election. Provides that the City of Chicago shall be subdivided into 20 trustee districts by the General Assembly for seats on the board of trustees, in addition to one at-large trustee. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act and the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall establish and maintain an email and text message notification system for persons who are applying for or possess Firearm Owner's Identification Cards or concealed carry licenses. Provides that in addition to receiving a mail notification of the status of a person's application for, renewal, suspension, or revocation of his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license, the person may request email or text message, or both, notifications of the status of his or her application, renewal, suspension, revocation, and other notifications concerning his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall notify a person who possesses a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card or concealed carry license of the expiration of his or her Card or license at least 90 days before its expiration. Provides that that if a person is issued a concealed carry license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, the person may be issued a Firearm Owner's Identification Card that is valid for the person to whom it is issued for a period of 5 years and which expires upon the expiration of the person's concealed carry license. Provides that if the only reason for the revocation of a person's concealed carry license is the expiration of the licensee's Firearm Owner's Identification Card, the person does not have to submit a form to the Illinois State Police to conduct an investigation of the person's suitability for the issuance of a concealed carry license.

Amends the School Code. Requires school districts with a population of 3,000 or more students to interview a minimum percentage of minority candidates for teaching positions. Exempts teaching positions within an English as a Second Language program from the requirement. Sets forth the formula for the school district to use to calculate the minimum percentage required. Provides that if the school district is unable to interview the required minimum percentage of minority candidates for 2 consecutive years, the school district must implement a program for school district employees interested in obtaining a Professional Educator License. Effective immediately.

Amends Public Act 102-1015. Provides that if the Village of Hopkins Park ceases to use for public purposes certain real property located in Kankakee County conveyed to it by the Department of Corrections, then the property shall revert to the State of Illinois (rather than the State of Illinois, Department of Corrections). Effective immediately.

Creates the Second Chance State Behavioral Health Workforce Development Act. Contains findings. Provides that each institution of higher education shall annually allow for the admission of at least one returning resident (a person who is a resident of and domiciled in Illinois, has graduated from high school or the equivalent, has been convicted of a felony by a specified court, was sentenced to incarceration pursuant to that conviction, and is no longer incarcerated) in an undergraduate or graduate academic program that will lead to the qualification of the returning resident as a behavioral health care professional. Provides that the returning resident shall not be required to pay any tuition, fee, or other charge for any class the returning resident takes if the State appropriates funds for reimbursement. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall contract with community-based organizations and legal service providers to provide specified services to returning residents. Provides that certain criminal convictions and dispositions are not cause for a licensing agency to deny an individual a license, permission, or authorization to be a behavioral health care professional. Provides that a licensing agency shall consider specified mitigating factors when considering an application for a license, permission, or other authorization to be a behavioral health care professional. Provides that, if a licensing agency refuses to issue a license, permission, or other authorization to perform a behavioral health care profession based upon a conviction, the licensing agency shall notify the individual of the denial with specified information included in the notice of denial. Provides that neither the Commission nor a community-based organization providing services under the Act shall enter into a contractual or other financial, service, or volunteer relationship with and shall not pay any money or provide any other form of consideration to specified persons or entities. Provides that institutions of higher education shall strictly comply with the Act and the Commission shall take actions necessary to obtain compliance and enforce the Act. Contains provisions concerning judicial proceedings, certifications, adoption of rules, notices, conflicts, severability, and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section granting a homestead exemption to veterans with disabilities, provides that property that is used as a qualified residence by a veteran who was a member of the United States Armed Forces during World War II is exempt from taxation regardless of the veteran's level of disability. Provides that a veteran who qualifies as a result of his or her service in World War II need not reapply for the exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act by reinstituting the pharmaceutical assistance program that was eliminated by Public Act 97-689 and changing the short title to the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. Makes conforming changes in various Acts.

Amends the Community Benefits Act. Provides that the Act applies to all nonprofit and public hospitals licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act or operated under the University of Illinois Hospital Act (rather than not applying to a hospital operated by a unit of government, a hospital located outside of a metropolitan statistical area, or a hospital with 100 or fewer beds). Requires community benefits plans to describe activities the hospital is undertaking to address health equity, reduce health disparities, and improve community health. Provides that, in order to increase transparency and accessibility of charity care and financial assistance data, the Attorney General shall post on the Attorney General's website: all community benefits plans contained in reports submitted by hospitals; and a compiled report that summarizes information from completed community benefits plans. Provides that an electronic version of the compiled report shall be sent to the Governor and each member of the General Assembly. Provides a late filing fee for nonprofit hospitals for community benefits plans of $2,500 per month that the report is late (rather than $100). Makes other changes. Amends the Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act. Provides that a hospital, other than a rural hospital or a Critical Access Hospital, shall provide a discount from its charges to specified uninsured patients for all medically necessary health care services exceeding $150 (rather than $300) in any one inpatient admission or outpatient encounter. Provides for civil monetary penalties of $1,000 to $5,000 (rather than $500) for a violation. Requires the Attorney General to publish an annual report that outlines complaints received related to hospital uninsured discount programs and financial assistance applications. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act to prohibit the Board of Higher Education from awarding any grant funds to a private institution of higher education that is operated for profit. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act to remove a for-profit educational organization from the definition of "institution of higher learning", "qualified institution", and "institution". Removes a provision allowing Monetary Award Program grants to be made to applicants enrolled at qualified for-profit institutions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that if a generic equivalent for a brand name drug is approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, plans that provide coverage for prescription drugs through the use of a drug formulary that are amended, delivered, issued, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2022 shall comply with specified requirements. Provides that the Department of Insurance may adopt rules to implement provisions concerning notice of change of drug formulary. In provisions concerning a contract between a health insurer and a pharmacy benefit manager, provides that a pharmacy benefit manager must update and publish maximum allowable cost pricing information according to specified requirements, must provide a reasonable administrative appeal procedure to allow pharmacies to challenge maximum allowable costs, and must comply with specified requirements if an appeal is denied. Sets forth provisions concerning pharmacy benefit manager contracts; specified requirements that a pharmacy benefit manager shall comply with; and specified requirements that an auditing entity shall comply with when conducting a pharmacy audit. Provides that a violation of specified provisions is an unfair method of competition and unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance. Sets forth provisions concerning applicability of the Pharmacy Benefit Managers Article of the Illinois Insurance Code, and provisions concerning fiduciary responsibility of a pharmacy benefit manager. Defines terms. Makes other changes. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Sets forth provisions concerning reimbursement of professional dispensing fees and acquisition costs for pharmacy providers.