Rep. Maurice West

Creates the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is authorized to institute the water and sewer assistance program. Provides that any person who is a resident of the State of Illinois and whose household income is not greater than an amount determined annually by the Department may apply for assistance. Provides that in determining the amounts of assistance to be provided to or on behalf of a qualified applicant, the Department shall ensure that the highest amounts of assistance go to households with the greatest need for financial assistance in relation to household income by considering specified factors. Provides that each water or sewer provider shall assess each of its customer accounts a monthly Water and Sewer Assistance Charge to be deposited into the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that specified water or sewer utilities shall be allowed to offer a financial assistance program designed for bill payment assistance for low-income customers in accordance with the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act. Provides that the costs of a financial assistance program offered by a water or sewer utility shall be reimbursed from the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that, in its use of federal funds under the Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not cause a disproportionate share of those federal funds to benefit customers of water or sewer providers that do not assess the Water and Sewer Assistance Charge. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: In provisions creating the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act, provides that in setting the annual eligibility level to receive financial assistance under the Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not set a limit higher than the eligibility limit for assistance under the Energy Assistance Act (rather than 150% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Provides that the process to allow a water or sewer provider to discontinue imposing assessments shall include review by the Illinois Commerce Commission of any water or sewer provider subject to the Public Utilities Act. Removes provisions concerning program eligibility for residents of rental properties. In provisions amending the Public Utilities Act, provides that the Commission shall render its decision within 90 days (rather than 60 days) after receiving a petition from a water or sewer utility to offer a financial assistance program. Removes language requiring the Commission to annually review and reconcile any amounts collected through tariffs to recover the costs of the financial assistance program. Makes corresponding changes.

Amends the State Property Control Act. Provides that "surplus real property" means property that is vacant and determined by the head of the owning agency to no longer be required for the State agency's needs and responsibilities and has no foreseeable use by the owning agency (currently, vacant, unoccupied or unused and having no foreseeable use by the owning agency). Makes changes concerning transfers of surplus real property to State agencies. Provides that surplus real property may be conveyed by the Administrator for less than fair market value if the Administrator makes a written determination that it is in the best interests of the State to establish a different value. Provides that the determination shall be published in the Illinois Procurement Bulletin and filed with the Executive Ethics Commission. Makes other changes concerning the sale and acquisition of surplus real property. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that in no event shall the Administrator sell surplus real property for less than 75% of fair market value and before such property has been offered to an interested unit of local government or made available at public auction. Provides for a notice period of 30 days (rather than 14 days) in which a State agency or governing body may notify the Administrator of its interest in acquiring surplus real property. Makes conforming changes. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/18-4.4 from Ch. 122, par. 18-4.4 Amends the School Code. Provides that when any State institution is located in a school district in which the State owns 40% (currently, 45%) or more of the total land area of the district, the State Superintendent of Education shall annually direct the State Comptroller to pay the amount of specified tax-equivalent grants, and the State Comptroller shall draw his or her warrant upon the State Treasurer for the payment of the grants. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Allows tax-equivalent grants to be awarded to school districts in which the State owns 40% or more of the total land area of the district.

Creates the Human Trafficking Task Force Act. Provides requirements regarding the composition and duties of the task force. Provides that the task force shall provide a report containing specified information to the General Assembly and Governor no later than June 30, 2024. Abolishes the task force and repeals the Act on July 1, 2024. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill, and makes the following changes: adds a statement of findings; and includes additional duties for the Task Force. Effective immediately.

Amends the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act. Adds student loan borrowers to the definition of "consumer". Adds to the definition of "debt settlement provider" any person or entity engaging in, or holding itself out as engaging in, or any person who solicits for or acts on behalf of such person or entity engaging in or holding itself out as engaging in, the business of student loan debt relief services in exchange for any fee or compensation assessed against or charged to a consumer. Excludes institutions of higher education from the definition of "debt settlement provider". Defines other terms. Requires a specified notice and disclosure to student loan borrowers to be included in advertising and marketing communications concerning student loan debt relief services. Requires providers of student loan debt relief services to provide a specified notice and disclosure before a student loan borrower signs a contract. Provides that any fees charged to a student loan borrower in exchange for student loan debt relief shall comply with a provision concerning fees. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 225 ILCS 429/145 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Provides that "debt settlement service" does not include the services of any other originator, guarantor, or servicer of federal education loans or private education loans (rather than federal education loans). Provides that "student loan borrower" includes a parent, grandparent, or other family member who has received or agreed to pay a student loan for a family member receiving the education or any co-signer who has agreed to share responsibility for repaying a student loan with the person receiving the education. Further amends the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act. Provides that a debt settlement provider shall not advise or represent, expressly or by implication, that consumers should stop communicating with their creditors, lenders, loan servicers, loan guarantors, or attorneys or government entities (rather than creditors). Provides that a debt settlement provider shall not advise or represent, expressly or by implication, that consumers should stop making payments to their creditors, lenders, loan servicers, loan guarantors, or attorneys or government entities (rather than creditors). Provides that a debt settlement provider shall not access or obtain a consumer's or student loan borrower's federal student aid information in violation of federal law. Effective immediately.

Amends the Expressway Camera Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 605 ILCS 140/1 Adds reference to: 620 ILCS 5/34 from Ch. 15 1/2, par. 22.34 620 ILCS 5/34a from Ch. 15 1/2, par. 22.34a 620 ILCS 5/38.01 from Ch. 15 1/2, par. 22.38a Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Aeronautics Act. Provides that the Division of Aeronautics of the Department of Transportation shall not render financial assistance in connection with the planning, construction, reconstruction, extension, development, or improvement of hangars or other airport buildings, or in connection with the subsequent operation or maintenance of such air navigation facilities unless such facilities are publicly used, publicly owned, and of public benefit. Provides that "of public benefit" includes aircraft hangars, fixed-based operator buildings, and aircraft maintenance buildings at nonprimary airports included within the State Airport Plan. Includes construction costs as costs eligible for financial assistance by the Division of Aeronautics of the Department of Transportation. Provides that the prohibition on a municipality or political subdivision from directly accepting, receiving, or disbursing any funds granted by the United States under the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 shall not prohibit any municipality or any political subdivision owning a primary commercial service airport serving at least 10,000 annual enplanements from accepting, receiving, or disbursing funds directly from the federal government. Provides that any federal money awarded to airports in the State under specified federal laws that include project applications approved by the Department where the Department is designated as the agent to accept, receive, and disburse such funds shall also include a State match to the local share of the application for all costs eligible.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities and community colleges in Illinois. At least 60 days before the start of a term, requires the governing board of a public university or community college district to notify an adjunct professor about whether a class he or she was hired to teach has been canceled. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities and community colleges in Illinois. At least 30 days before the start of a term and again 14 days before the beginning of a term, requires the governing board of a public university or community college district to notify an adjunct professor about the status of the class the adjunct professor was hired to teach. Requires the governing board to allow adjunct professors to have access to the electronic class roster that displays enrollment to assess the status of class enrollment. Provides that the provisions do not apply if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency or a natural disaster under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Exempts collective bargaining agreements that are in effect on the effective date of the amendatory Act from the provisions. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Removes the provisions allowing an adjunct professor to have access to the electronic class roster that displays class enrollment. In the provisions amending the Public Community College Act, provides that at least 30 days before the beginning of a semester or term and again at 14 days before the beginning of the semester or term, a community college must notify an adjunct professor about the status of class enrollment of the class the adjunct professor was assigned to teach (rather than at least 30 days before the beginning of a term and again at 14 days before the beginning of the term, the board of trustees must notify an adjunct professor about the status of class enrollment of the class the adjunct professor was hired to teach).

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules that permit recipients of benefits provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to use their benefits to purchase menstrual hygiene products. Requires the Department to apply for any waiver or State Plan amendment, if required, to implement the provisions of the amendatory Act. Provides that implementation shall be contingent on federal approval. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that if the United States Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service creates and makes available to the states a waiver permitting recipients of benefits provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to use their benefits to purchase diapers or menstrual hygiene products such as tampons, sanitary napkins, and feminine wipes, then the Department of Human Services shall apply for the waiver. Provides that if the United States Department of Agriculture approves the Department of Human Services' waiver application, then the Department of Human Services shall adopt rules and make other changes as necessary to implement the approved waiver.

Amends the School Code. To ensure that the content available on any third party online curriculum that is made available to enrolled students or the public by a school district through the Internet is readily accessible to persons with disabilities, provides that the State Board of Education shall require that the third party online curriculum comply with Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.182 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.75 new 105 ILCS 5/34-18.67 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the introduced bill, but provides that a school district must require (rather than the State Board of Education shall require) that the Internet website or web service comply with Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Adds an effective date of August 1, 2022.

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 Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that the duration of a civil no contact order is permanent if a judgment of conviction for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse is entered. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 725 ILCS 5/112A-23 from Ch. 38, par. 112A-23 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the bill as introduced, with the following changes: Provides that certain orders may be permanent at the victim's request. If a civil no contact order entered under a specified section of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 conflicts with an order issued pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 or the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, the conflicting order issued under the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 shall be void.