Rep. Jonathan Carroll

Amends the Elementary, Secondary, and Higher Education Article of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Defines "anti-Semitism". Provides that an institution of elementary, secondary, or higher education commits a civil rights violation if it fails to treat anti-Semitism in an identical manner to discrimination motivated by race. Describes anti-Semitism. Provides that nothing in the new provisions infringes on the constitutional protections for free speech or may be construed to conflict with federal or State discrimination laws.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Permits a minor's parent or guardian to request that a security freeze be placed on the minor's credit file. Requires the security freeze request to be in writing and include (i) certain information about the parent or guardian making the request and (ii) certain information on the minor who is the subject of the security freeze request. Provides that a security freeze on a credit file for a minor may not be temporarily lifted. Defines "credit file".

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Requires a public utility to disclose certain property and rate information to a customer.

Amends the Domestic Violence Act of 1986. In cases in which a petitioner seeks a prohibition on firearm possession, removes a requirement that the respondent receive actual notice of and an opportunity to participate in a hearing. Provides that an order of protection shall include a remedy that prohibits a respondent from possessing any firearms for a minimum of 2 years (instead of for the duration of the order of protection). Provides that any Firearm Owner's Identification Card in the possession of the respondent shall be suspended and turned over to a law enforcement agency of the court's choosing (rather than a local law enforcement agency). Makes other changes.

Creates the Higher Education Mental Health Act. Provides for legislative findings and purposes. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish the Advisory Commission on Serving and Supporting Students with Mental Health Disabilities in Institutions of Higher Education; provides for the membership and meetings of the Commission. Requires the Commission to conduct a study and prepare reports for the Higher Education Committee of the House of Representatives and the Higher Education Committee of the Senate; specifies the report's requirements. Provides that the Commission is dissolved on the day after it submits its final report. Repeals the Act on June 1, 2025.

Urges public and private schools and the Illinois State Board of Education to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that can be addressed with appropriate intervention and supports. Further urges public and private schools to utilize the resources from the Illinois State Board of Education's Reading Improvement Advisory Group and the Illinois State Board of Education Dyslexia Handbook to assist them in addressing the needs of students with dyslexia.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Eliminates provision that permits a guilty minor to be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice for an offense that is a Class 3 or Class 4 felony violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act if the commitment occurs upon a third or subsequent judicial finding of a violation of probation for substantial noncompliance with court-ordered treatment or programming. Effective immediately.

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 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.