Rep. Janet Yang Rohr

Urges public and private schools and the Illinois State Board of Education to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that can be addressed with appropriate intervention and supports. Further urges public and private schools to utilize the resources from the Illinois State Board of Education's Reading Improvement Advisory Group and the Illinois State Board of Education Dyslexia Handbook to assist them in addressing the needs of students with dyslexia.

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.

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, 2021, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits are exempt from the taxes imposed under those Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for the purposes of calculating a credit against withholding taxes for employers with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2022 and ending on or before December 31, 2024, the maximum credit is 25% of the difference between the amount of compensation paid in Illinois to employees who are paid not more than the required minimum wage reduced by the amount of compensation paid in Illinois to employees who were paid less than the current required minimum wage during the reporting period prior to each increase in the required minimum wage on January 1 (currently: 17% in calendar year 2022; 13% in calendar year 2023; and 9% in calendar year 2024). Effective immediately.

Approves the waiver request made by Indian Prairie Unit School District #204, identified in the Report on Waivers of School Code Mandates as request M-300-6892. Approves the waiver request made by Naperville Unit School District #203, identified in the Report on Waivers of School Code Mandates as request M-300-6897. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes everything. Reinserts the same language approving the waiver requests made by Indian Prairie Unit School District #204 and Naperville Unit School District #203. Adds a new clause stating that the resolution is binding on the Illinois State Board of Education.

Creates the Carpet Stewardship Act. Provides that within 60 days after the effective date of the Act, the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency shall appoint specified members to a clearinghouse to administer and implement a carpet stewardship program. Specifies the duties of the clearinghouse. Requires the clearinghouse to be incorporated as a nonprofit. Provides that for all carpet sold in this State, the clearinghouse shall implement, and producers shall finance, a statewide carpet stewardship program that manages the product by reducing the product's waste generation, promotes its carpet recovery and reutilization, and provides for negotiation and execution of agreements to collect, transport, process, and market the old carpet for end-of-life carpet recovery or carpet reutilization. Requires the clearinghouse to submit, by July 1, 2023 and by July 1 every 3 years thereafter, a 3-year plan to the Agency for approval. Specifies the requirements for the plan. Establishes requirements for review of the plan and requirements for producers, retailers, and distributors of carpet. Requires the clearinghouse to submit annual reports to the Agency and pay specified administrative fees. Includes enforcement provisions for the Act. Establishes requirements for State procurement of carpet in the future. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately. State Debt Impact Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4356 would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Balanced Budget Note (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 4356, as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency shall (rather than shall attempt to) appoint members of the clearinghouse that reflect the racial and gender diversity of this State. Requires the clearinghouse to hold meetings that are open to the public with reasonable notice of the meeting made publicly available. Requires the clearinghouse's funding mechanism to: (i) be sufficient (rather than to be approved by the Agency as sufficient) to cover the annual costs of the clearinghouse program; and (ii) not charge specified fees to consumers. Provides that the clearinghouse shall remit to the Agency an annual fee of $250,000 to be used for administrative costs (rather than pay the Agency an annual administrative fee of not less than $200,000 and not more than $500,000). Adds a severability provision. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Home Rule Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) HB 4356 does not pre-empt home rule authority. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) HB 4356 does not create a State Mandate. Fiscal Note (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency) HB 4356 requires the clearinghouse to pay the Illinois EPA an annual administrative fee between $200,000 and $500,000 for expenses consistent with the Agency's responsibilities under the Act. Illinois EPA anticipates that this administrative fee would cover the resources needed by the Agency. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4356, as amended by HA 1, will have no impact upon any public pension fund or retirement system in the State of Illinois. State Debt Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4356, as amended by House Amendment 1, would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Land Conveyance Appraisal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Transportation) No land conveyances are included in House Bill 4356 House Amendment #1; therefore, there are no appraisals to be filed. Housing Affordability Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. Balanced Budget Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 4356, [as amended by House Amendment l] as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. Judicial Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Admin Office of the Illinois Courts) Based on a review of the bill, the legislation will not increase or decrease the number of judges needed in the state of Illinois. Correctional Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept of Corrections) This amendment has no fiscal impact or population impact on the department. Home Rule Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not pre-empt home rule authority. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State Mandate under the State Mandates Act Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency) House Amendment #1 to HB 4356 (Gabel) requires the clearinghouse to remit to the Illinois EPA an annual fee of $250,000 to be used for administrative costs pursuant to the Carpet Stewardship Act. Illinois EPA anticipates that this administrative fee would cover the resources needed by the Agency to carry out its responsibilities under the Act.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024 and that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall provide coverage for vaginal estrogen, and that coverage for vaginal estrogen shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement. Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024 and that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall include coverage for one or more therapeutic equivalent versions of vaginal estrogen in its formulary (rather than provide coverage for vaginal estrogen), and that a policy is not required to include all therapeutic equivalent versions of vaginal estrogen in its formulary so long as at least one is included and covered without cost sharing and in accordance with the provisions. Provides that if an individual's attending provider recommends a particular vaginal estrogen product or its therapeutic equivalent version approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration based on the provider's determination, the issuer must cover that service or item without cost sharing. Provides that coverage for vaginal estrogen shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided, except to the extent such coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account pursuant to specified federal law. Defines "therapeutic equivalent version".

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that of the federal funds received by the State for purposes related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, 25% of any such funds shall be allocated as grants to businesses with less than 50 employees. Provides eligibility requirements for businesses seeking to receive such grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall award grants in the amount of $5,000 to eligible businesses. Provides that a business shall only be eligible for one such grant. Requires the Department to publish the names of the businesses that are awarded grants on its Internet website. Provides for the adoption of rules.

Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Provides that a contract may be entered into by the corporate authorities acting as the governing body of a forest preserve district, without advertising for bids, if authorized by a vote of two-thirds of all the aldermen, trustees, or commissioners then holding office.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Reduces the trailer flat weight tax for maximum loads of 3,000 pounds and less from $118 to $18. Effective immediately.