Rep. Margo McDermed

Amends the Illinois Public Accounting Act. Provides that when a licensee under the Act has failed to satisfactorily complete a peer review, the licensee may provide additional evidence in his or her favor. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to review that evidence, if it is provided, in addition to the rest of the record presented. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides an exemption for the offense of unlawful use of weapons for carrying or possessing a concealed firearm upon any public street, alley, or other public lands, or for the offense of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a non-resident active duty member of the United States Armed Forces if certain requirements are met. The non-resident active duty member of the United States Armed Forces must be eligible to possess and carry a firearm in public under the laws of his or her state or territory of residence; possess a valid equivalent of an Illinois Firearm Owner's Identification Card issued by his or her state or territory of residence if required by his state or territory of residence; possess valid military identification; and comply with various provisions of the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Makes conforming changes in the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mechanics Lien Act. Provides that, with specified exceptions, an owner, contractor, or subcontractor may not, by contract or otherwise, waive, affect, or impair any other claimant's rights unless the claimant executes and delivers a waiver and release under specified conditions and in conformance with specified statutory form language.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a driver or passenger of a motor vehicle with a model year prior to 1965 who is under 18 years of age shall be required to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat safety belt when the motor vehicle is operating upon a street or highway in this State, unless the motor vehicle is used in connection with a parade or other similar activity.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that each school bus manufactured on or after the effective date of this bill and purchased for use in this State shall be equipped with a 3-point seat belt or any other federally approved restraint system in a number sufficient to allow each passenger being transported to use a separate belt or restraint system.

Amends the Environmental Barriers Act. Provides that a public facility or multi-story housing, the construction of which commences after the effective date of the amendatory Act, shall have a detectable warning at the bottom step and top step of each stair run. Exempts stairs in dwelling units, stairs in enclosed stair towers, and stairs set to the side of the path of travel. Defines "detectable warning".

Amends the School Code. Provides that an approved waiver from or modification to a physical education mandate may remain in effect for a period not to exceed 2 school years (rather than 5 school years like other mandate waivers) and may be renewed no more than 2 times upon application by an eligible applicant. Provides that an approved waiver from or modification to a physical education mandate may be changed within the 2-year period by the school board or regional superintendent of schools, whichever is applicable, following the procedure set forth in the Code for the initial waiver or modification request. Provides that a school board may determine the schedule or frequency of physical education courses, provided that an elementary school pupil engage in a course of physical education for a minimum of 150 minutes per week and a high school pupil engage in a course of physical education for a minimum of 225 minutes per week (rather than engaging in a course of physical education for a minimum of 3 days per 5-day week). Effective July 1, 2018.

Mourns the death of Bradley Veerman.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Defines "Pre-Hospital Physician Assistant" or "PHPA". Includes Pre-Hospital Physician Assistants in the definition of "Emergency Medical Services Personnel". Adds PHPAs to provisions concerning licensing and educational requirements. Provides than an EMS Medical Director may immediately suspend a PHPA for specified reasons. Adds a PHPA to the State Emergency Medical Services Disciplinary Review Board. Adds PHPAs to provisions concerning misrepresentation. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to reimburse psychiatrists, federally qualified health centers as defined in the Social Security Act, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, advanced practice registered nurses certified in psychiatric and mental health nursing, and mental health professionals and clinicians authorized by Illinois law to provide mental health services to recipients via telehealth (rather than psychiatrists and federally qualified health centers). Requires the Department to reimburse any Medicaid certified eligible facility or provider organization that acts as the location of the patient at the time a telehealth service is rendered, including substance abuse centers licensed by the Department of Human Services' Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.