Rep. Michelle Mussman

Amends the School Code. Provides that every school district shall include safe gun storage information in schools' student handbooks. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.83 new 105 ILCS 5/34-18.78 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-17 from Ch. 122, par. 27-17 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Course of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that the safety education that school boards and other boards may provide instruction in includes safe gun storage.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an insured or any other person who may be the owner of rights under a policy of life insurance may make an irrevocable assignment of all or a part of his or her rights under the policy to a funeral home in accordance with a specified provision of the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act. Provides that a policy owner who executes a designation beneficiary form irrevocably waives and cannot exercise certain rights. Amends the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act. In a provision concerning pre-need contracts funded through the purchase of a life insurance policy or tax-deferred annuity contract, provides that nothing shall prohibit the purchaser from irrevocably assigning ownership of the policy or annuity to a person or trust or from irrevocably assigning the benefits of the policy or annuity to a funeral home for the purpose of obtaining favorable consideration for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, or another public assistance program. Requires the insured or any other person who may be the owner of rights under the policy of whole life insurance to sign a guaranteed pre-need contract with the provider that describes the cost of the goods and services to be provided upon the person's death, up to $6,774, except that any portion of a contract that clearly represents the purchase of burial space is exempt regardless of value. Amends the Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision requiring the Department of Human Services to exempt certain prepaid funeral or burial contracts from consideration when making an eligibility determination for medical assistance, provides that at any time after submitting an application for medical assistance and before the Department makes a final determination of eligibility, an applicant may use available resources to purchase one of the exempted prepaid funeral or burial contracts. Exempts up to $6,774 (rather than $5,874) in funds under an irrevocable prepaid funeral or burial contract when determining an individual's resources and eligibility for medical assistance. Contains provisions concerning exemptions; irrevocable designation of beneficiary forms; and other matters. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 215 ILCS 5/245.3 new 225 ILCS 45/2a 225 ILCS 45/2b new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision requiring the Department of Human Services to exempt certain prepaid funeral or burial contracts from consideration when making an eligibility determination for medical assistance, provides that at any time after submitting an application for medical assistance and before a final determination of eligibility has been made by the Department, an applicant may use available resources to purchase one of the exempted prepaid funeral or burial contracts. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 215 ILCS 5/245.3 new 225 ILCS 45/2a 225 ILCS 45/2b new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an insured or any other person who may be the owner of rights under a policy of life insurance may make an irrevocable assignment of all or a part of his or her rights under the policy to a funeral home in accordance with a specified provision of the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act. Provides that a policy owner who executes a designation beneficiary form irrevocably waives and cannot exercise certain rights. Amends the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act. In a provision concerning pre-need contracts funded through the purchase of a life insurance policy or tax-deferred annuity contract, provides that nothing shall prohibit the purchaser from irrevocably assigning ownership of the policy or annuity to a person or trust or from irrevocably assigning the benefits of the policy or annuity to a funeral home for the purpose of obtaining favorable consideration for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, or another public assistance program. Requires the insured or any other person who may be the owner of rights under an existing policy of life insurance to sign a guaranteed pre-need contract with the provider that describes the cost of the funeral goods and services to be provided upon the person's death, up to $7,248, except that any portion of a contract that clearly represents the purchase of burial space, as that term is defined for purposes of the Supplemental Security Income program, is exempt regardless of value. Provides that the form to effectuate the irrevocable assignment and thereby provide for the irrevocable designation of beneficiary of one or more life insurance policies shall be prepared by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services or such form, approved by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, that has been prepared by an insurance company licensed to operate in the State of Illinois. Contains provisions concerning disclosure statements under pre-need contracts with cash advances; the distribution of proceeds under a life insurance policy upon the death of the insured; and other matters. Amends the Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that at any time prior to or after submitting an application for medical assistance and before a final determination of eligibility has been made, an applicant may use available resources to purchase one of the prepaid funeral or burial contracts exempted under the Article. Provides that existing life insurance policies are exempt if there has been an irrevocable assignment in compliance with a specified provision under the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act. Requires a person to sign a contract with a funeral home, which is licensed under the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act, that describes the cost of the funeral goods and services to be provided upon the person's death, up to $7,248, except that any portion of a contract that clearly represents the purchase of burial space, as that term is defined for purposes of the Supplemental Security Income program, is exempt regardless of value. Provides that the amount shall be adjusted annually for any increase in the Consumer Price Index. Requires the licensed funeral home to which the life insurance policy benefits have been irrevocably assigned to retain copies for inspection by the Comptroller and to report annually to the Comptroller certain information. Provides that certain provisions under the amendatory Act shall be subject to federal approval. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to apply for any necessary federal waivers or approvals to implement certain changes made under the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that beginning January 1, 2023, the Department of Children and Family Services shall implement a 3-year pilot program of additional resources for families receiving Extended Family Support Program services from the Department for the purpose of supporting relative caregivers. Provides that these resources may include, but are not limited to: (i) wraparound case management services, (ii) home visiting services for caregivers with children under the age of 5, and (iii) parent mentors for caregivers with children over the age of 3. Provides that the resources provided by the pilot program are voluntary and refusing such resources shall not be used as evidence of neglect of a child. Requires the Department to arrange for an independent evaluation of the pilot program to determine whether the pilot program is successfully supporting families receiving Extended Family Support Program services and preventing entrance into the foster care system. Provides that the evaluation will support determining whether there is a long-term cost benefit to continuing the pilot program. Provides that at the end of the 3-year pilot program, the Department shall submit a report to the General Assembly with its findings of the evaluation. Requires the report to state whether the Department intends to continue the pilot program and the rationale for its decision. Grants the Department rulemaking authority. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes: Permits the Department of Children and Family Services to consult with independent partners to review Extended Family Support Program services and advise if additional services are needed prior to the start of the 3-year pilot program scheduled to be implemented on January 1, 2023. Provides that the services for the Extended Family Support Program are expanded given the program's inclusion in the Family First Prevention Services Act's targeted populations. Sets forth other targeted populations. Provides that funding through Title IV-E of the Social Security Act shall be spent on services to prevent children and youth who are candidates for foster care from coming into care and allow them to remain with their families. Provides that the Department shall arrange for an independent evaluation of the pilot program to determine whether the pilot program is successfully supporting families receiving Extended Family Support Program services or Family First Prevention Program services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Renames the School Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Expands the Program to require the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to, each year, receive and consider applications from eligible social workers working for an Illinois municipality who do not report directly to a police department (now the Program only accepts applications from social workers who are employed by a public elementary or secondary school in this State) to encourage a grant recipient to use the financial assistance for the repayment of educational loans.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a prosecution for a criminal offense defined in the Sex Offense Article of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse when the alleged victim of the offense was under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, the court may exclude from the proceedings while the victim is testifying, regardless of the alleged victim's age at the time of the victim's courtroom testimony, all persons, who, in the opinion of the court, do not have a direct interest in the case, except the media. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that for the purposes of excluding disinterested parties, the court shall enter its finding that parties are disinterested and the basis for that finding into the record. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Provides that when the court publishes to the trier of fact videos, photographs, or any depiction of a minor under 18 years of age engaged in a sex act, the court may exclude from the proceedings all persons, who in the opinion of the court, do not have a direct interest in the case, except the media.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that in order to maximize the accessibility of preventive prenatal and perinatal health care services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall amend its managed care contracts such that an managed care organization must pay for preventive prenatal and perinatal healthcare services rendered by a non-affiliated provider, for which the health plan would pay if rendered by an affiliated provider, at the same rate the Department would pay for such services exclusive of disproportionate share payments and Medicaid percentage adjustments, unless a different rate was agreed upon by the health plan and the non-affiliated provider. Effective January 1, 2023. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 210 ILCS 170/5 210 ILCS 170/25 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the bill as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1 with the following changes. Amends the Birth Center Licensing Act. Provides that a licensed certified professional midwife may attend or be delegated to attend to each person in labor from the time of admission through birth and throughout the immediate postpartum period. Defines "licensed certified professional midwife". Makes a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2023. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes: Further amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a managed care organization must pay for preventative prenatal services, perinatal healthcare services, and postpartum services rendered by a non-affiliated provider, for which the health plan would pay if rendered by an affiliated provider, at the rate paid (rather than at no less than the rate paid) under the Illinois Medicaid fee-for-service program methodology for such services. Provides that, in cases where a managed care organization must pay for preventive prenatal services, perinatal healthcare services, and postpartum services rendered by a non-affiliated provider, the payment rate requirements under the amendatory Act shall not apply if the services were not emergency services, as defined in a specified provision of the Code, and: (1) the non-affiliated provider is a perinatal hospital and has, within the 12 months preceding the date of service, rejected a contract that was offered in good faith by the health plan as determined by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services; or (2) the health plan has terminated a contract with the non-affiliated provider for cause, and the Department has not deemed the termination to have been without merit. Provides that the Department may deem that a determination for cause has merit if: (i) an institutional provider has repeatedly failed to conduct discharge planning; or (ii) the provider's conduct adversely and substantially impacts the health of Medicaid patients; or (iii) the provider's conduct constitutes fraud, waste, or abuse; or (iv) the provider's conduct violates the code of ethics governing his or her profession. Effective January 1, 2023.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that all youth in care shall be assigned a mental health provider to manage their mental health care needs. Requires a youth's mental health provider to visit the youth and conduct a well-being assessment within 30 days after the youth is removed from his or her home and placed in the temporary custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that additional follow-up visits and well-being checks shall be scheduled and conducted until the youth is no longer under the custody or guardianship of the Department. Provides that any mental health care services provided to the youth shall be in addition to any care or services the youth receives from his or her primary care provider. Grants the Department rulemaking authority. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Creates the Holistic Mental Health Care for Youth in Care Task Force. Requires the Task Force to review and make recommendations regarding mental health and wellness services provided to youth in care, including a program of holistic mental health services provided 30 days after the date upon which a youth is placed in foster care, in order to determine how to best meet the mental health needs of youth in care. Provides that the Task Force shall also assess the capacity of State licensed mental health professionals to provide preventive mental health care to youth in care; review the current payment rates for mental health providers serving the youth in care population; evaluate the recruitment and retention of mental health providers who are persons of color to serve the youth in care population; and perform other specified duties. Provides that the Task Force shall consist of 9 members and that members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Requires the Task Force to meet at least once each month beginning no later than July 1, 2022 and at other times as determined by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force may hold electronic meetings and a member of the Task Force shall be deemed present for the purposes of establishing a quorum and voting. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in conjunction with the Department of Children and Family Services, shall provide the Task Force with administrative support. Requires the Task Force to prepare and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly at the end of each quarter a report that summarizes its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Children & Family Services) There is no material cost to this legislation. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the engrossed bill with the following changes: Provides that the Task Force shall include: (i) a member appointed by the Governor from the Office of the Governor who has a focus on mental health issues, (rather than a member from the Office of the Governor who has a focus on mental health issues); (ii) one member who is a former youth in care, appointed by the Governor (rather than one member who is a former youth in care recommended by the Illinois Chapter of the Foster Care Alumni of America); and (iii) one representative from the managed care entity managing the YouthCare program, appointed by (rather than recommended by) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services. Requires the Task Force to submit its final report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024. Provides that upon submission of its final report, the Task Force is dissolved.

Creates the Legislative Accessibility Act. Provides that the General Assembly shall make all efforts to increase the accessibility of the General Assembly for people with disabilities. Provides that the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall each appoint an accessibility coordinator who, in consultation with the Architect of the Capitol, shall be responsible for addressing accessibility needs for his or her corresponding house. Provides that the Illinois General Assembly website shall include either an email address, webform, or other similar mechanism to request reasonable accommodations to meet the accessibility needs of people with disabilities attending legislative events. Establishes the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force. Provides for the membership and meetings of the Task Force. Provides that members and ex officio members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Provides administrative support for the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall examine issues concerning accessibility of persons with a disability. Requires the Task Force to make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning General Assembly accessibility no later than December 31, 2021. Repeals specified provisions January 1, 2023. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Removes provision requiring the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force to be convened by the Department of Central Management Services in coordination with the Secretary of State. Modifies the appointment of members to the Task Force. Provides that the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the Senate, and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint 2 members to the Task Force (rather than the Governor appointing 15 members). Provides for the appointment of the Task Force chair. Provides that appointees shall include persons who self-identify as having a disability or advocates for such persons. Provides for specified State officials to serve on the Task Force as ex officio members. Provides that the Architect of the Capitol (rather than the Department of Central Management Services) shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to issue its recommendations to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2023 (rather than December 31, 2021). Repeals the Task Force on January 1, 2025 (rather than January 1, 2023). Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Further amends the Legislative Accessibility Act. Provides that the Illinois General Assembly website shall include an email address, web form, or other similar mechanism to meet the accessibility needs of persons attending legislative meetings, hearings, floor proceedings, and press conferences at the Capitol Complex (rather than persons attending legislative events, including, but not limited to, all hearings and floor proceedings). Makes a technical change.

Amends the Homelessness Prevention Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall be mindful of preventing undue administrative burden in the application process for individual tenants in applying for assistance. Provides that program staff shall endeavor to lessen any administrative burden on landlords receiving assistance payments. Amends the Eviction Article of the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a defendant shall have an affirmative defense to any action where the plaintiff has made a demand for possession that is based on unpaid rent regardless of whether the owner has joined in the action a claim for rent if the defendant, a social services agency, or a government agency offered the owner an application for emergency housing assistance and the owner refused to complete the process to obtain the emergency housing assistance and the defendant would have been eligible for the emergency housing assistance program. Provides that the owner may overcome the affirmative defense only if the court makes a finding that the application for emergency housing assistance would impose a significant administrative burden on the owner. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Defines "source of income". Provides that if a landlord requires that a prospective tenant or current tenant have a certain threshold level of income, then the landlord shall subtract any source of income in the form of a rent voucher or subsidy from the total of the monthly rent prior to calculating if the income criteria have been met. Provides that a landlord shall not apply an income or asset requirement to a tenant with a non-wage source of income that the landlord does not apply to all tenants. Provides that if an income or asset requirement serves to generally exclude participants in a housing or benefits program, that requirement shall be considered presumptively discriminatory. Makes other changes. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Human Services) HB 2775 does not have a fiscal impact to the Department of Human Services. Housing Affordability Impact Note (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 310 ILCS 70/4 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1304 310 ILCS 70/10 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1310 735 ILCS 5/9-106.4 new 775 ILCS 5/3-102.2 new 775 ILCS 5/8B-104 from Ch. 68, par. 8B-104 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Declares that it is the public policy of the State to prevent discrimination based on source of income in real estate transactions. Defines "source of income" as the lawful manner by which an individual supports himself or herself and his or her dependents. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for various people to participate in specified discriminatory actions related to real estate transactions because of an individual's source of income.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the chief county assessment officer in a county of more than 3,000,000 residents, and in any other county where the county board has authorized such action by ordinance or resolution, may automatically renew the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities without application for any person who applied for the exemption and presented a Disability Identification Card stating that the claimant is under a Class 2 disability. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds provisions to the introduced bill providing that an applicant for the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities may be examined by an optometrist if the person qualifies because of a visual disability. Provides that provisions of the introduced bill concerning automatic renewal (i) apply for taxable years 2021 through 2026 and (ii) apply if the person presents proof of eligibility (in the introduced bill, a Disability Identification Card stating that the claimant is under a Class 2 disability). Provides that the chief county assessment officer shall not automatically renew the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities if the physician, advanced practice registered nurse, optometrist, or physician assistant who examined the claimant determined that the disability is not expected to continue for 12 months or more. House Committee Amendment No. 3 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 2505/2505-805 new 35 ILCS 200/9-275 35 ILCS 200/15-10 35 ILCS 200/15-169 35 ILCS 200/15-170 35 ILCS 200/15-172 35 ILCS 200/15-175 35 ILCS 200/18-185 35 ILCS 200/18-190.7 new 105 ILCS 5/17-1.3 new 105 ILCS 5/17-2A from Ch. 122, par. 17-2A 320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for levy years 2022 and later, the taxing district's aggregate extension base is the greater of (A) the district's last preceding aggregate extension limit or (B) the district's last preceding aggregate extension, subject to certain adjustments. Provides that the term "aggregate extension limit" means the district's last preceding aggregate extension if the taxing district had utilized the maximum limiting rate permitted without referendum for each of the 5 immediately preceding levy years. Provides that the maximum reduction under the General Homestead Exemption is $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties (currently, $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties). Provides that the maximum reduction under the senior citizens homestead exemption is $8,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $5,000 in all other counties (currently, $8,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $5,000 in all other counties). In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities, makes changes concerning the surviving spouse. Provides that the interest rate under the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act is reduced from 6% to 4%. Amends the School Code. Contains provisions concerning interfund transfers and disclosure of cash reserve balances. Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois to require the Department of Revenue to conduct a study concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 5 Makes changes to the bill as amended by House Amendment No. 3 to provide that the maximum amount of the general homestead exemption is $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, $8,000 in counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, and $6,000 in all other counties (rather than $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties).