Rep. Dan Ugaste

Creates the High-Speed Railway Commission Act. Prescribes the membership of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall create a statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and feeder network connecting St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois that includes current existing Amtrak and Metra services, connects the cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria, and Decatur, and uses inter-city bus service to coordinate with the rail line. Provides that the Commission shall conduct a ridership study and shall make findings and recommendations concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service, and implementation of the plan. Provides that the Commission shall report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than December 31 of each year. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall provide administrative support to the Commission. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2027. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds language including representatives from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (rather than the Municipal Planning Organization), the Region 1 Planning Council, the McLean County Regional Planning Commission, and the East-West Gateway Council of Governments as members of the High-Speed Railway Commission.

Amends the Flag Display Act. Provides that no State institution or agency may purchase any American flags or Illinois State flags (currently, only American flags) except those manufactured in the United States of America.

Amends the Guardians For Adults With Disabilities Article of the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that a guardian shall consider the ward's current preferences to the extent the ward has the ability to participate in decision making when those preferences are known or reasonably ascertainable by the guardian. Provides that decisions by the guardian shall conform to the ward's current preferences unless the guardian reasonably believes that doing so would result in substantial harm to the ward's welfare or personal or financial interests. Provides that if the guardian is unable to ascertain the ward's preferences, then the decisions may be made by conforming as closely as possible to what the ward would have done or intended under the circumstances. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill, and makes the following changes: Deletes language providing that if the guardian is unable to ascertain the ward's preferences, then the decisions may be made by conforming as closely as possible to what the ward would have done or intended under the circumstances. Provides instead that decisions by the guardian shall conform to the ward's current preferences so long as such decisions give substantial weight to what the ward would have done or intended under the circumstances. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code to provide that an individual or group health care service plan contract that is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022 shall not require prior authorization for biomarker testing for an insured with advanced or metastatic stage 3 or 4 cancer, nor shall prior authorization be required for biomarker testing of cancer progression or recurrence in the insured with advanced or metastatic stage 3 or 4 cancer. Defines "biomarker testing". House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 375/6.11 55 ILCS 5/5-1069.3 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.3 105 ILCS 5/10-22.3f 215 ILCS 125/5-3 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1411.2 215 ILCS 130/4003 from Ch. 73, par. 1504-3 215 ILCS 165/10 from Ch. 32, par. 604 305 ILCS 5/5-16.8 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022 shall include coverage for biomarker testing. Provides that biomarker testing shall be covered and conducted in an efficient manner to provide the most complete range of results to the patient's health care provider without requiring multiple biopsies, biospecimen samples, or other delays or disruptions in patient care. Provides that biomarker testing must be covered for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management, or ongoing monitoring of an enrollee's disease or condition when the test is supported by medical and scientific evidence. Provides that when coverage of biomarker testing for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment, or ongoing monitoring of any medical condition is restricted for use by health insurers, nonprofit health service plans, or health maintenance organizations, the patient and prescribing practitioner shall have access to a clear, readily accessible, and convenient processes to request an exception, and the process shall be made readily accessible on the insurer's website. Defines "biomarker" and "biomarker testing". Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall reimburse epilepsy specialists, as defined by the Department by rule, who are authorized by Illinois law to provide epilepsy treatment services to persons with epilepsy or related disorders via telehealth. Provides that the Department shall establish, by rule, a method to reimburse providers for epilepsy treatment services provided by telehealth. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that if, at the time of enrollment, a dependent of United States military personnel is housed in temporary housing located outside of a school district, but will be living within the district within 6 months (instead of within 60 days), the dependent must be allowed to enroll and must not be charged tuition. Provides that United States military personnel shall provide proof within 6 months (instead of within 60 days) after the time of enrollment that the dependent will be living within the district. Effective immediately.

Amends the Guardians For Adults with Disabilities Article of the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that a petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian for an alleged person with a disability shall be filed at the time of or subsequent to the filing of a petition for adjudication of disability and appointment of a guardian. Provides that the petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian shall state specified facts. Provides that notice of the time and place of the hearing on a petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian or petition to revoke the appointment of a temporary guardian shall be given not less than 3 days before the hearing. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nuclear Safety Law of 2004. Provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency shall have primary responsibility for the coordination and oversight of all State governmental functions concerning the regulation of nuclear power, including environmental radiochemical analysis (currently, does not include environmental radiochemical analysis). Provides that the Agency shall implement a comprehensive radiochemistry laboratory program. Requires the Director of the Agency to employ and direct such personnel, and shall provide for such laboratory and other facilities, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the Act and other specified Acts. Amends the Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act. Provides that the Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Program shall consist of development and implementation of a radiochemistry laboratory capable of preparing environmental samples, performing analyses, quantification, and reporting for assessment and radiation exposure control due to accidental radioactive releases from nuclear power plants into the environment. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In a provision concerning the composition of the Direct Child Welfare Service Employee License Board, provides that, in addition to other specified members, the Board must include 5 licensed professionals from the field of human services with a human services, juris doctor, medical, public administration, or other relevant human services degree (rather than 5 licensed professionals from the field of human services with a human services degree or equivalent course work as required by rule of the Department of Children and Family Services). Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that calls to the toll-free number maintained by the Department of Children and Family Services to respond to requests from the public about its post-placement and post-adoption support services shall be answered no more than one business day after (rather than 24 hours from) receipt of the request.

Amends the Downstate Police and Downstate Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that at any time during the 6 months following the effective date of the amendatory Act, an active member of a downstate firefighters' pension fund may apply for transfer to that fund of up to 8 years of his or her creditable service accumulated in a police pension fund that is administered by another unit of local government if that active member was not subject to disciplinary action when he or she terminated employment with that police department. Makes conforming changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective January 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that at any time during the 6 months following the effective date of the amendatory Act, an active member of a downstate firefighters' pension fund may apply for transfer to that fund of up to 8 years of his or her creditable service accumulated in a police pension fund that is administered by a unit of local government (rather than another unit of local government) if that active member was not subject to disciplinary action when he or she terminated employment with that police department. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.