Rep. Michelle Mussman

Amends the School Code. Provides that on or before October 1, 2024, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Team, the Office of the Governor, and relevant stakeholders as needed shall release a strategy that includes a tool for measuring capacity and readiness to implement universal mental health screening of students. Provides that the State Board of Education shall issue a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on school district readiness and plan for phased approach to universal mental health screening of students on or before April 1, 2025. Repeals the Wellness Checks in Schools Program Act. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall implement guidance to managed care organizations and similar care coordination entities contracted with the Department, so that the managed care organizations and care coordination entities respond to lead indicators with services and interventions that are designed to help stabilize the child. Amends the Children's Mental Health Act. Provides that the Children's Mental Health Partnership shall advise the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative on designing and implementing short-term and long-term strategies to provide comprehensive and coordinated services for children from birth to age 25 and their families with the goal of addressing children's mental health needs across a full continuum of care, including social determinants of health, prevention, early identification, and treatment. Provides that the Department of Public Health (rather than the Department of Healthcare and Family Services) shall provide technical and administrative support for the Partnership. Deletes provision that the Partnership shall employ an Executive Director and set the compensation of the Executive Director and other such employees and technical assistance as it deems necessary to carry out its duties. Amends the Interagency Children's Behavioral Health Services Act. Provides that the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Team in collaboration with the Department of Human Services shall develop a program to provide one-on-one in-home respite behavioral health aids to youth requiring intensive supervision due to behavioral health needs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Bans the sale and use of ester formulations of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish a program of paid internships for students enrolled in educator preparation programs in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment program to develop and maintain interest in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a school support personnel educator preparation scholarship program to annually award up to 250 scholarships for school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology. Sets forth provisions concerning the scholarship program. Provides that, to encourage Illinois students to enter the fields of school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology and to continue to work in those fields in public schools in this State, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under a School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Sets forth provisions concerning the Program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person shall not distribute, or enter into an agreement with another person to distribute, materially deceptive media if: (1) the person knows the media falsely represents a depicted individual; (2) the distribution occurs within 90 days before an election; (3) the person intends the distribution to harm the reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate in an election and the distribution is reasonably likely to cause that result; and (4) the person intends the distribution to change the voting behavior of electors in an election by deceiving the electors into incorrectly believing that the depicted individual in fact engaged in the speech or conduct depicted, and the distribution is reasonably likely to cause that result. Sets forth exceptions to the provision and penalties for violations of the provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the Public Act may be referred to as the Safe Firearm Storage Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to store or leave a firearm outside of that person's immediate possession or control (rather than within premises under his or her control if the person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under the age of 14 years who does not have a Firearm Owners Identification Card is likely to gain access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor's parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, and the minor causes death or great bodily harm with the firearm) unless the firearm is secured in a manner that renders it inaccessible to anyone but the owner or another lawfully authorized user: (1) by a device or mechanism, other than the firearm safety, designed to render a firearm temporarily inoperable; or (2) locked box or container. Deletes provisions that the law does not apply: (1) if a minor under 14 years of age gains access to a firearm and uses it in a lawful act of self-defense or defense of another; or (2) to any firearm obtained by a minor under the age of 14 because of an unlawful entry of the premises by the minor or another person. Deletes a provision that the firearm may be placed in some other location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a minor under the age of 14 years. Effective January 1, 2025.

Creates the Work Without Fear Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to engage in, or to direct another person to engage in, immigration-related retaliation against any person or his or her family member or household member for the purpose of, or with the effect of, retaliating against any person for exercising any right protected under State employment laws or by any local employment ordinance. Sets forth the duties and powers of the Department of Labor under the Act. Allows the Attorney General to initiate or intervene in a civil action to obtain appropriate relief if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person has violated the Act. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to prevent any person from making complaint or prosecuting his or her own claim for damages caused by retaliation. Allows a person who is the subject of retaliation prohibited by the Act to bring a civil action for: (1) back pay, with interest, and front pay, or, in lieu of actual damages, liquidated damages of $30,000; (2) a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $10,000; (3) reasonable attorney's fees and court costs; and (4) equitable relief as the court may deem appropriate and just. Provides that a person that violates any provision of the Act shall be subject to an additional civil penalty in an amount of $25,000 for each violation, or $50,000 for each repeat violation within a 5-year period. Sets forth license suspension penalties for violations of the Act. Effective January 1, 2025.

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, 2025 shall provide coverage for continuous glucose monitors, related supplies, and training in the use of continuous glucose monitors for any individual who is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and meets other requirements, including that the prescriber had an in-person or covered telehealth visit with the individual to evaluate the individual's diabetes control and has determined that the eligibility criteria is met. Provides that to qualify for a continuous glucose monitor, a patient is not required to have a diagnosis of uncontrolled diabetes; have a history of emergency room visits or hospitalizations; or show improved glycemic control. Provides that an individual who is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and meets the requirements shall not be required to obtain prior authorization for coverage for a continuous glucose monitor, and coverage shall be continuous once the continuous glucose monitor is prescribed. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall adopt rules to implement the changes made by the amendatory Act. Specifies that the rules shall, at a minimum contain certain provisions concerning the ordering provider, continuous glucose monitors not being required to have certain functionalities, eligibility requirements for a beneficiary, and not requiring prior authorization. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the State Parks Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with representatives of federally recognized indigenous tribes, shall create land acknowledgments for each of the State parks. Provides that these land acknowledgments shall be physically displayed in a prominent place within the State park, as well as on the State park page of the website of the Department of Natural Resources.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, taxpayers of income-producing property shall submit income and expense data annually to the chief county assessment officer on or before July 1 of each year. Provides that, in counties of fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the county board may provide by ordinance or resolution that taxpayers of income-producing property shall submit income and expense data annually to the chief county assessment officer on or before March 31 of each year. Contains certain exceptions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Law of 2005 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, by December 1, 2023, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency shall adopt rules to implement the motor vehicle emission standards of the State of California, including, but not limited to the (1) zero-emission vehicle program, (2) low-emission vehicle program, (3) advanced clean trucks program, and (4) heavy-duty low NOx omnibus program, and shall amend the rules within 6 months of any changes to maintain consistency with the California motor vehicle emission standards and federal clean air laws. Provides that the rules may incorporate by reference the California motor vehicle standards established in final regulations issued by the California Air Resources Board and promulgated under the California Health and Safety Code. Effective immediately.