Appropriates $3,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for English language learner support software for school district instruction. Effective July 1, 2021.
Amends the School Code. Requires the school board of each school district to grant full-time employees of the district 5 mental health days each school year at full pay. Provides that the employee is not required to provide a medical note or other documentation to use the mental health day. Provides that used and uncompensated mental health days are not eligible for pensionable service credit under the Illinois Pension Code. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (State Board of Education) HB 4742 does not have a fiscal impact to the State Board of Education. There will be increased costs to school districts; however, that amount is not known. The State Board of Education strongly recommends the sponsors consult with IMRF and TRS regarding fiscal impact to the State. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does create a State mandate.
Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that on and after January 1, 2023, any fixed route public transportation services provided by or through the Commuter Rail Board shall be provided at a 50% discounted fare off the non-discounted adult fare to all students who present a valid student ID card issued within the previous 12 months by a college or university, or under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the Commuter Rail Board.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that no person shall knowingly release or cause or organize the release of balloons into the air unless the balloons are (1) used by an institution of higher education or a governmental agency, or pursuant to a governmental contract, for bona fide scientific or meteorological purposes or (2) released indoors and remain indoors. Provides that persons who violate the amendatory Act's provisions shall be subject to a civil penalty of $500 for each offense, and that the release of 50 balloons or fewer at one time is a single offense. Effective January 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 415 ILCS 5/42 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1042 Removes language providing that the release of balloons must be done knowingly. Provides that any person who violates the amendatory provisions shall be liable for a warning from the Agency for the first violation and a civil penalty of up to $500 for the second violation and a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for a third or subsequent violation. Provides that the release of more than 50 balloons shall constitute a separate violation for every 50 balloons released. Provides that the amendatory provisions do not apply to the release of a helium balloon used for the safe operation of a hot air balloon.
Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. In provisions regarding cottage food operations: makes changes to definitions; requires cottage food operations to comply with specified requirements (rather than providing that specified entities may regulate the transaction of food or drink by a cottage food operation if the requirements are met); adds requirements for the sale of low-acid canned foods and fermented or acidified foods; provides that food and drink produced by a cottage food operation shall be sold directly to consumers for their own consumption and not for resale; removes language requiring State-certified local public health departments to regulate the service of food by a cottage food operation and allowing them to require a cottage food operation to submit specified canned foods to a commercial laboratory to verify specified information; requires local health departments to register eligible cottage food operations and issue certificates of registration; adds an exemption for a person who produces or packages a non-potentially hazardous baked good for sale by a religious, charitable, or nonprofit organization for fundraising purposes; preempts home rule; and makes other changes. Repeals provisions regarding home kitchen operations.
Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not set the annual eligibility level for energy assistance higher than 60% of the State median income as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Requires the Department to ensure that households with children under the age of 6 years old are offered a priority application period. Provides that the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is not subject to sweeps, administrative charge-backs, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that would in any way transfer any amounts from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund into any other fund of the State. Contains provisions concerning certain unspent funds being utilized for weatherization expenses; allowances to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses; incremental changes to the monthly energy assistance charges billed to utility customers; Department reports on monies collected and allocated to utilities for implementation of their Percentage of Income Payment Plans; and other matters. Provides that all energy assistance programs under the Act shall be available to eligible residents regardless of immigration status.
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.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
