Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that insurers shall cover all services for pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care that are rendered by perinatal doulas or licensed certified professional midwives, including home births, home visits, and support during labor, abortion, or miscarriage. Provides that the required coverage includes the necessary equipment and medical supplies for a home birth. Provides that coverage for pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care shall include home visits by lactation consultants and the purchase of breast pumps and breast pump supplies, including such breast pumps, breast pump supplies, breastfeeding supplies, and feeding aids as recommended by the lactation consultant. Provides that coverage for postpartum services shall apply for at least one year after birth. Provides that certain pregnancy and postpartum coverage shall be provided without cost-sharing requirements. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that post-parturition care benefits shall not be subject to any cost-sharing requirement. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover home visits for lactation counseling and support services. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover counselor-recommended or provider-recommended breast pumps as well as breast pump supplies, breastfeeding supplies, and feeding aids. Provides that nothing in the provisions shall limit the number of lactation encounters, visits, or services; breast pumps; breast pump supplies; breastfeeding supplies; or feeding aids a beneficiary is entitled to receive under the program. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In provisions concerning the Community Care Program (program), removes from the list of program services clearinghouse information provided by senior citizen home owners who want to rent rooms to or share living space with other senior citizens. In a provision requiring the Department on Aging to perform certain actions to increase the effectiveness of the program, removes a requirement that the Department ensure the determination of need tool is accurate in determining program participants' level of need. In a provision concerning pre-service certification for in-home workers who provide housekeeping or home aide services, requires employing agencies to pay wages to in-home workers for pre-service and in-service training. Provides that the Department may authorize (rather than shall delay) program services until an applicant is determined eligible for medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes a provision requiring the Department to implement co-payments under the program. Requires the Department to make annual (rather than quarterly) reports on care coordination unit performance and adherence to service guidelines. Removes expired rate levels. Requires the Department to pay an enhanced rate under the Community Care Program to those in-home service provider agencies that offer health insurance coverage as a benefit to their direct service worker employees. Provides that all final administrative decisions of the Department are subject to judicial review. Makes other changes.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that a voluntary recipient admitted to a mental health facility who gives a written notice to the treatment staff that the recipient wishes to be discharged from the facility may be involuntarily held at the facility if within 5 days after giving the notice, a copy of the notice and a petition and the 2 certificates executed by a physician, qualified examiner, psychiatrist, advanced practice psychiatric nurse, or clinical psychologist which states that the recipient is subject to involuntary admission on an inpatient basis and requires immediate hospitalization are filed with the court (rather than only the petition and 2 certificates).

Amends the Customized Employment for Individuals with Disabilities Act. Changes the name of the Customized Employment Pilot Program to the Customized Employment Demonstration Program. Provides that the program shall consist of components consistent with specified standards published by the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center and the Youth Technical Assistance Center under grants from the federal Department of Education. Provides that the Division of Rehabilitation Services of the Department of Human Services shall collect data concerning the successes and challenges of the program and shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on March 1st of each year beginning in 2026 until the program terminates. Defines "customized employment".

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that "clinical observation" means the ongoing observation of a patient's medical or mental health condition by a licensed health care professional utilizing a medical skill set while continuing assessment and care. Provides that the EMS Medical Directors on the EMT Training, Recruitment, and Retention Task Force may be active or retired. Provides that an education plan within a resource hospital may include classes performed outside of the region in which the resource hospital is located. Provides that "paramedic" means a person who has successfully completed a course in advanced life support care as approved by the Department of Public Health or accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP), is licensed by the Department, and practices with an Advanced Life Support EMS System. Provides that the Department shall have the authority to adopt rules governing the curriculum, practice, and necessary equipment applicable to emergency medical responders and shall allow curriculum in addition to the National Registry curriculum. Provides that a fee for EMS personnel examination, licensure, and license renewal shall be reasonable. Provides that a lead instructor is permitted to oversee a paramedic with at least 3 years of experience to teach EMT classes in high schools with a licensed teacher. Provides that pass rates for classes taught in high schools shall not adversely impact the lead instructor or affiliated EMS system, resource hospital, or provider. Provides that the Department may not include any additional criteria for approval of a staffing waiver utilizing an EMR other than the criteria outlined. Provides that the EMR pilot program shall not be implemented before Department approval which must be granted upon EMS System Medical Director approval.

Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Adds definitions. Provides that the minimum ratio for each provider type shall be no less than any such ratio established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Provides that the maximum travel time and distance standards and appointment wait time standards shall be no greater than any such standards established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Makes changes to provisions concerning network adequacy, notice of nonrenewal or termination, transition of services, network transparency, administration and enforcement, provider requirements, and provider directory information. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning notice of nonrenewal or termination and transition of services. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to authorize the Department of Insurance to adopt emergency rules implementing federal standards for provider ratios, time and distance, or appointment wait times when such standards apply to health insurance coverage regulated by the Department of Insurance and are more stringent than the State standards extant at the time the final federal standards are published. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code, Township Code, and Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a veteran with a disability or the veteran's caregiver shall not be charged any building permit fee for improvements to the residence of the veteran with a disability if the improvements are required to accommodate a disability of the veteran. Provides that the applications, forms, and other paperwork required to obtain a building permit must still be submitted. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force Act. Requires the Task Force to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before December 31, 2024 (rather than July 1, 2024).

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, on or before July 1, 2025, the Department of Transportation shall create and implement a Type II Noise Suppression Program to provide noise abatement on existing highways in the State. Provides that, on or before July 1, 2025, the Department shall provide notice to the General Assembly that the Noise Suppression system has been activated. Effective July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new fund called the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Fund by allocating $1,000,000 from the state's General Revenue Fund. The money is intended to support initiatives that reduce hunger on college campuses, though the specific uses of the funds are not detailed in this text. The legislation became effective on July 1, 2023, and is currently being reviewed by the Rules Committee.