Rep. Suzanne Ness

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. In provisions concerning an exception to the prohibition on fee splitting for billing, administrative preparation, or collection services, requires any charges for multiple in-network services during the same appointment, including, but not limited to, an office visit that was added to a physical exam, to be disclosed to the patient during the appointment.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. In provisions requiring secondary schools to include training on how to properly administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation in their curriculum, provides that, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, cardiopulmonary resuscitation training shall include a minimum of one female manikin for every 2 male manikins through the attainment of female manikins or the attainment of chest covers for existing manikins. Provides that whenever manikins are in use for practice or instruction, both male and female manikins shall be present.

Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. Provides that an assisted living establishment or a shared housing establishment shall only make referrals to its residents for home services providers that are licensed under the Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing Agency Licensing Act. Establishes penalties for violating the referral requirement. Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the Community Living Facilities Licensing Act, and the Life Care Facilities Act to require that the Department of Public Health to distribute to each establishment or facility a one-page, 8.5 by 11 inch public safety announcement flyer in at least 12-point type and that the each establishment or facility post the flyer in a prominent location for all visitors to see. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Requires that a guardian ad litem in a petition seeking a guardianship of an adult with alleged disability to inquire with the respondent before the hearing on whether a supported decision-making agreement is an appropriate alternative to guardianship or a limited guardianship is an appropriate alternative to plenary guardianship. Requires that the court make the same inquiry at the hearing and advise the respondent of the right to modify an adjudication of disability using a limited guardianship or termination of guardianship with a supported decision-making agreement. Amends the Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act. Allows the existence of a supported decision-making agreement to be entered into evidence for purposes other than as evidence of capacity or incapacity. Requires that a support decision-making agreement must be written in plain language and include the following: (1) a list of the areas in which both the principal requests support and the supporter agrees to provide support; (2) the supporter's agreement that the supporter is not disqualified from acting as a supporter under the Act; (3) the supporter's agreement that the supporter will complete the training required by the Act; (4) a statement that a supporter is not authorized to make a decision for the principal; and ( 5) information about how to report suspicion that an adult with a disability is being abused, neglected, or exploited by the supporter. Requires that a supported decision-making agreement must be signed by the principal and each supporter. Provides that the principal may use reasonable modifications, such as assistive technology or physical assistant, to sign the agreement. Provides that a supported decision-making agreement should be reviewed by the principal and all supporters every 2 years and, updated as needed, in the same manner as an initial supported decision-making agreement is executed. Makes other changes.

Amends the Governmental Account Audit Act. Modifies the audit procedures for governmental units under the Act for the governmental units fiscal years 2028 and after, including: (1) modifying the definitions of "audit report" and "report", and adds a definition for "annual financial report"; (2) requiring the governing body of each governmental unit to conduct an audit every 2 years (rather than annually) of the accounts of the unit to be made by an auditor or auditors, and modifying the requirements of the audits; (3) allowing an exception for a governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $1,400,000 for any fiscal year, with the amount to increase or decrease by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index-U as reported on January 1 of each year, to provide a 4-year audit report and annual financial report or annual financial report under specified requirements (rather than a governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $850,000 for any fiscal year providing a 4-year audit report and annual financial report or annual financial report under specified requirements); and (4) modifying the requirements for signing, copying, and filing completed reports. Amends the Township Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Statute on Statutes and other various Acts. Changes all occurrences of "disabled person" to "person with a disability", changes all occurrences of "a person who is handicapped" to "a person who has a disability", changes all occurrences of "physically or mentally handicapped" to "having a physical or intellectual disability", and changes all occurrences of "visually handicapped" to "visually impaired". Replaces an outdated reference to the "Disabled Person Identification Card" with "the Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card". Amends the Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Changes "Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled program" to "Aid to the Aged, Blind or Persons with Disabilities program". Makes corresponding references in various Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. In provisions concerning assessment and service plan requirements, provides that a comprehensive assessment shall be completed by a physician, a physician assistant, or an advanced practice registered nurse (instead of only a physician). In provisions concerning Alzheimer and dementia programs, provides that an assessment must be approved by a resident's physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse (instead of only a physician) and shall occur prior to acceptance for residency, annually, and at such time that a change in the resident's condition is identified by a family member, staff of the establishment, or the resident's physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse (instead of only a physician).

Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Requires direct service workers employed by the Department of Human Services, or an agency contracted with the Department, to provide services under the Home Services Program to complete at least 2 hours of dementia training at the start of their employment and annually thereafter. Requires the training to cover subjects concerning Alzheimer's disease and dementia, safety risks, and communication and behavior. Requires the Department to provide contractors with dementia training curriculum on the required subjects. Provides that any other laws or rules that impose more rigorous dementia training for direct service workers under the Home Services Program shall apply. Exempts from the training requirements direct service workers who provide proof that they obtained equivalent dementia training in compliance with another law or rule. For personal assistants covered by a collective bargaining agreement, requires the Department to establish, in consultation with the joint training committee created under the collective bargaining agreement, different parameters and specific topics for curriculum covering dementia training.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. In a provision requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to provide specified persons with written notification of its final determination of an abuse or neglect report, requires such written notification to the alleged perpetrator to include a detailed list of all steps of the appeal process and a detailed checklist of what must be submitted for an appeal. Requires the Department to also send to the alleged perpetrator, parents, and personal or legal guardian of the alleged child victim, either electronically or by regular U.S. mail, a copy of all information in the case obtained by the Department during its investigation that is not otherwise prohibited from disclosure under State or federal law.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Sets forth certain protections that must be provided to the parent or guardian of a child at the center of an abuse or neglect investigation whenever the Department of Children and Family Services refers a child to a medical professional. Defines "medical professional". Provides that the medical professional must explain to the parent or guardian of the child, whenever the medical professional has direct contact with the child or the family of the child, that the medical professional is involved for the purpose of providing an opinion to the Department regarding whether the child's injury or condition is suspicious for child maltreatment. Provides that, in any investigation where a medical professional is providing a medical opinion to the Department, the Department shall inform the parent or guardian of the child at the center of an investigation: (i) of the right to request and receive a copy of the medical professional's opinion, including the basis for the opinion, and a copy of any written report the medical professional has provided to the Department; (ii) of the right to obtain, at the parent's or guardian's own expense, and submit to the Department a second medical opinion for consideration in the investigation at any time prior to the conclusion of the investigation; (iii) that any second medical opinion submitted to the Department prior to the Department rendering a final determination in the investigation will be considered as inculpatory or exculpatory evidence; and (iv) of the Department's time frames for the investigative process. Requires the Department to annually prepare and make available on the Department's Reports and Statistics webpage a report on the number of children or families referred by the Department to a medical professional as part of an investigation of abuse or neglect by the Department. Sets forth the information that must be contained in the annual reports. Provides that the first report must be posted within 9 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act.