Rep. Nicolle Grasse

Amends Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. In provisions regarding a Safety-Net Hospital Health Equity and Access Leadership (HEAL) Grant Program, changes references to safety-net hospitals to references to community safety-net hospitals. Updates references to dates in those provisions. Defines "community safety-net hospital", "health system", and "medically underserved area". Makes changes to required provisions in the report to the General Assembly regarding criteria for a community safety-net hospital to be eligible for the program, deletes required provisions in the report to the General Assembly regarding potential projects eligible for grant funds, and adds required provisions in the report to the General Assembly regarding an application process and criteria, as well as policies, standards, and procedures to administer the program and ensure accountability.

Declares the month of March 2026 as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month in the State of Illinois to bring awareness to those living with cerebral palsy and prioritize disability inclusion and education. Celebrates the 20th anniversary of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness day.

Declares March 25, 2026 as Women's Civic Day in the State of Illinois to celebrate and promote the vital role of women in public service and encourage the development of future women leaders in public affairs.

Declares May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Calls upon all Illinoisans to engage in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.

Commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Marquette Park March. Honors the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Albert Raby. Reaffirms the commitment to continuing the fight for fair housing and economic justice for all Illinoisans.

Declares July 11, 2026 as Unplug Illinois Day in the State of Illinois. Encourages all citizens to participate in this opportunity by unplugging from their electronic devices and visiting their local parks, recreation sites, and conservation areas.

Declares January 2026 as Blood Donor Month in the State of Illinois. Urges all citizens to celebrate the cause of blood donation and to recognize the lifesaving contributions of volunteer blood donors. Urges all eligible blood donors to donate regularly and for businesses and organizations throughout the State of Illinois to sponsor community blood drives with ImpactLife, Rock River Valley Blood Center, Versiti, and Vitalant, among other blood centers, providing the residents of the State the opportunity to save lives.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Transportation Choices Act. Requires, by January 1, 2027, the Environmental Protection Agency, after consultation with the Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), to establish a schedule of greenhouse gas targets for greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in the State. Requires the Department and MPOs to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions analysis and determine if their applicable planning document will result in meeting their greenhouse gas targets. Requires the Department and MPOs to perform a greenhouse gas emissions analysis prior to including a roadway capacity expansion project in an applicable planning document. Requires, by January 1, 2029 and every 3 years thereafter, the Department to prepare a comprehensive report on statewide transportation greenhouse gas reduction accomplishments and challenges and to make recommendations for any legislative action that would assist the Department and MPOs in meeting their greenhouse gas targets. Requires the Department and MPOs to calculate a climate equity accessibility score prior to including any project that has an anticipated cost of $30,000,000 or more in an applicable planning document or as a greenhouse gas mitigation measure. Requires the Department and MPOs to provide early and continuous opportunities for public participation in the transportation planning process. Requires, beginning June 30, 2026, the Department and MPOs to establish a social cost of carbon and use the social cost of carbon in their planning documents and planning activities. Establishes the Greenhouse Gas in Transportation Working Group. Provides that the specified requirements of the provisions shall commence with projects included in applicable planning documents filed on or after January 1, 2028. Makes other changes. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency to calculate a social cost of carbon and makes other changes.

Creates the Preventing Crisis Cost Shifting to Medicaid Act. Provides that the General Assembly finds that (i) behavioral health crisis services, including crisis call centers, mobile crisis response, and crisis stabilization and receiving services, function as essential public health infrastructure and must be available statewide without regard to insurance status; and (ii) commercial health insurance policies issued or administered in the State generally do not provide comprehensive coverage for the full continuum of behavioral health crisis services, resulting in the cost of such services being disproportionately borne by Medicaid, local governments, and taxpayers. Requires specified entities (surcharge payors) that are authorized to issue or administer a policy or contract of accident and health insurance or a health maintenance organization contract in the State to pay a behavioral health crisis assessment to the Department of Human Services for deposit into the Statewide 9-8-8 Trust Fund. Exempts Medicaid managed care organizations from paying the behavioral health crisis assessment. Permits the Department to update the total behavioral health crisis assessment amount as necessary to ensure the continued availability, quality, or geographic equity of the statewide behavioral health crisis system. Requires the Department to establish an appropriate mechanism for enforcing a surcharge payor's liability, which may include accrued interest on unpaid liabilities at a rate not to exceed 18% per annum and late fees or penalties at a rate not to exceed 5% per month. Provides that the enforcement mechanism may also include notification to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to offset payments on the surcharge payor's claims. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall not direct the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to offset claims payments unless the surcharge payor has maintained an outstanding liability to the Statewide 9-8-8 Trust Fund for a period longer than 45 days and has received proper notice of pending enforcement.

Creates the Comprehensive Charitable Food System Coordination Act. Provides that, in administering or appropriating State or State-managed federal grant funds for hunger relief, each State agency must: (1) consult and coordinate with specified actors in the charitable food system; (2) ensure that grant solicitations and funding criteria reflect the interconnected roles of food providers, distributors, producers, facilitators, and data systems; and (3) consider proposals that strengthen coordination, efficiency, resiliency, and equity across the charitable food system. Provides that State agencies are encouraged to establish advisory groups or working groups comprised of actors in the charitable food system. Requires certain reports. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall make grants from the Hunger Relief Fund to food banks and providers (currently, food banks only). Effective July 1, 2026.