Rep. Fred Crespo

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that, for the Chicago school district only, any meetings held by the school board on special education policy changes must be conducted during a public hearing with an opportunity for public input. Requires the school board to advertise the hearing on its publicly available Internet website, in newspapers of general circulation in the district, and on social media posts. Requires the State Board of Education to approve the content and scope of the advertisements and to ensure that all public hearings have an opportunity for public input. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Executive Inspector General may make a summary report and response of the ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head available to the public if the Executive Ethics Commission does not do so. Provides that, prior to publication by the Executive Inspector General, the Executive Inspector General shall permit the respondents, the Commission, and the Attorney General to review the documents to be made public and offer suggestions for redaction or provide a response that shall be made public with the summary report.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires that on or before July 1, 2019, the Department of Insurance and Department of Healthcare and Family Services to jointly develop a uniform prior authorization form to be used by prescribing providers to request prior authorization for prescription drug benefits. Provides that on and after January 1, 2020, or 6 months after the uniform prior authorization form is developed, whichever is later, health insurers, managed care organizations, and fee-for-service medical assistance programs that provide prescription drug benefits shall utilize and accept the uniform prior authorization form and prescribing providers may use the uniform prior authorization form. Provides criteria for developing the uniform prior authorization form. Provides requirements and limitations of prior authorization requests.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that, before making any changes to its policy on criminal history records checks or other database checks or its policy on reporting and addressing sexual abuse or sexual assault by a member of school personnel, the school board must conduct a public hearing with an opportunity for public input. Requires the school board to advertise the public hearing, at a minimum, on its publicly available Internet website, in newspapers of general circulation within the district, and on social media posts. Requires the State Board of Education to approve the content and scope of the advertisements and to ensure that each hearing has sufficient opportunities for public input. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that if an officer or employee objects to a request for information by an Executive Inspector General based on any applicable rights or protections under State or federal law, the officer or employee may seek resolution of the objection by the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides that if an officer or employee refuses or fails to provide information requested by an Executive Inspector General, the Executive Inspector General may notify the Executive Ethics Commission and seek an order compelling the officer or employee to produce the information requested by the Executive Inspector General.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that if an officer or employee objects to a request for information by an Executive Inspector General based on any applicable rights or protections under State or federal law, the officer or employee may seek resolution of the objection by the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides that if an officer or employee refuses or fails to provide information requested by an Executive Inspector General, the Executive Inspector General may notify the Executive Ethics Commission and seek an order compelling the officer or employee to produce the information requested by the Executive Inspector General.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, for the Chicago school district only, the State Board of Education must employ at least one full-time staff member to monitor and oversee any corrective action taken by the school district on its policy regarding reporting and addressing sexual abuse or sexual assault by a member of school personnel. Provides that the monitor may control the school district's policy and any budget actions taken by the school district in relation to sexual abuse or sexual assault prevention or reporting. Requires the State Board to hire at least 3 full-time staff members to oversee the regional office of education duties of the school district. Provides that the school district's report cards must include the number of incidents of sexual abuse or sexual assault by a member of school personnel, segregated by the types of abuse or assault. Provides that the school board must designate at least one employee at each school to receive sexual abuse or sexual assault reports from a student attending that school. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to create the criminal offense of sexual relations with a student by an authority figure. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Requires the school board to post in English and Spanish the school district's policy handbook on its publicly available Internet website. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that if an officer or employee objects to a request for information by an Executive Inspector General based on any applicable rights or protections under State or federal law, the officer or employee may seek resolution of the objection by the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides that if an officer or employee refuses or fails to provide information requested by an Executive Inspector General, the Executive Inspector General may notify the Executive Ethics Commission and seek an order compelling the officer or employee to produce the information requested by the Executive Inspector General.

Creates the Big Empties Site Act. Provides that property located in the State consisting of one or more PINs but under common ownership at the time of the application, that contains at least one vacant and unused building of specified square footage, is qualified to be designated as a Big Empties Site. Provides that a county or municipality that has adopted an ordinance designating a qualified site as a Big Empties Site shall make written application to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to have that site certified by the Department as a Big Empties Site. Contains procedures for certification by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, and the Public Utilities Act to provide certain tax incentives for Big Empties Sites. Amends the Property Tax Code to provide that a taxing district may issue an abatement. Effective immediately.