Rep. Maurice West

Amends the County Department of Corrections Law. In provisions about pregnant prisoners, modifies the definitions of "post-partum" and "correctional institution", including that "correctional institution" includes institutions in all counties (rather than only in counties more than 3,000,000 inhabitants). Modifies and removes provisions relating to security restraints on a prisoner who is pregnant or in postpartum recovery. Adds provisions relating to annual reports by sheriffs documenting the number of pregnant prisoners in custody each year and the number of people who deliver or miscarry while in custody, relating to county department of corrections providing informational materials concerning the laws pertaining to pregnant prisoners to any pregnant or postpartum prisoner, and relating to supplemental nutrition for prisoners who are pregnant or lactating. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections and the County Jail Act making similar changes. In the Unified Code of Corrections, also adds language relating to restraints of committed persons who are pregnant. Amends the Health Care Violence Prevention Act. In provisions relating to pregnant prisoners, removes a limitation on the provisions to pregnant prisoners in the custody of the Cook County. Provides that restraint of a pregnant prisoner shall comply with specified provisions of the Counties Code, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the County Jail Act (rather than only the Counties Code provisions).

Amends the Accident and Health Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual plan of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act must provide coverage for wigs or other scalp prostheses worn for hair loss caused by alopecia, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment for cancer or other conditions. Makes a conforming change in the Health Maintenance Organization Act and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the Language Equity and Access Act. Requires the Governor's Office of New Americans, in partnership with the Department of Human Services, to: prepare a Language Needs Assessment Report that identifies the languages spoken throughout the State; assist State agencies in the creation of language access plans; provide oversight and central coordination to State agencies in the implementation of language access requirements under this Act; ensure that each State agency develops an internal complaint and review process specific to the provision of language assistance services in addressing complaints in a timely manner; and perform other duties. Requires the Office and Department to work with State agencies to compile available United States Census data on language used across the State to inform the Language Needs Assessment Report. Provides that the report shall be updated every 10 years in conjunction with the decennial federal census. Requires each State agency to prepare and submit a language access plan to the Governor's Office of New Americans.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that insurers shall cover all services for pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care that are rendered by perinatal doulas or licensed certified professional midwives, including home births, home visits, and support during labor, abortion, or miscarriage. Provides that the required coverage includes the necessary equipment and medical supplies for a home birth. Provides that coverage for pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care shall include home visits by lactation consultants and the purchase of breast pumps and breast pump supplies, including such breast pumps, breast pump supplies, breastfeeding supplies, and feeding aids as recommended by the lactation consultant. Provides that coverage for postpartum services shall apply for at least one year after birth. Provides that certain pregnancy and postpartum coverage shall be provided without cost-sharing requirements. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that post-parturition care benefits shall not be subject to any cost-sharing requirement. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover home visits for lactation counseling and support services. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover counselor-recommended or provider-recommended breast pumps as well as breast pump supplies, breastfeeding supplies, and feeding aids. Provides that nothing in the provisions shall limit the number of lactation encounters, visits, or services; breast pumps; breast pump supplies; breastfeeding supplies; or feeding aids a beneficiary is entitled to receive under the program. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that no electric or gas public utility shall disconnect service for nonpayment of a bill or deposit to any residential customer or master metered apartment building if gas or electricity is used as the primary source of space heating or is used to control or operate the primary source of space heating equipment at the premises and the customer has provided documentation that he or she is applying for grants or financial resources to pay the utility bill until 75 days after the customer provides documented proof of the grant or financial resource application. Provides that during the grace period the electric or gas public utility shall waive any late fees. Provides that an electric or gas public utility is not required to provide a grace period for a 12-month period after the conclusion of the preceding grace period.

Amends the Blood Donation Act. Provides that persons 17 years of age or older may have their blood typed, if the donation is completely voluntary, without the necessity of obtaining the permission or authorization of their parents or guardians.

Creates the Workforce Direct Care Act. Establishes the Behavioral Health Administrative Burden Work Group within the Office of the Chief Behavioral Health Officer. Sets forth membership and responsibilities of the Work Group, including to review policies and regulations affecting the behavioral health industry to identify inefficiencies, duplicate or unnecessary requirements, unduly burdensome restrictions, and other administrative barriers that prevent behavioral health professionals from providing services and to analyze the impact of administrative burdens on the delivery of quality care and access to behavioral health services. Requires the Work Group to meet at least once a month and to prepare an administrative burden reduction plan with policy recommendations to improve access to behavioral health care.

Amends the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Provides that a licensed cosmetology teacher who submits to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation an application for licensure as a barber teacher must meet all requirements of the Act for licensure as a barber teacher, except that an applicant who has at least 3 years of experience as a licensed cosmetology teacher shall be given credit for hours of instruction completed for his or her cosmetology teacher license in subjects that are common to both barbering and cosmetology in the supplemental barber course. Provides that a licensed barber teacher who submits to the Department an application for licensure as a cosmetology teacher must meet all requirements of the Act for licensure as a cosmetology teacher, except that an applicant who has at least 3 years of experience as a licensed barber teacher shall be given credit for hours of instruction completed for his or her barber teacher license in subjects that are common to both barbering and cosmetology in the supplemental cosmetology course. Provides that a licensed esthetician teacher or licensed nail technician teacher who submits to the Department an application for licensure as a cosmetology teacher must meet all requirements of the Act for licensure as a cosmetology teacher, except that an applicant who has at least 3 years of experience as an esthetician teacher or licensed nail technician teacher shall be given credit for hours of instruction completed for his or her esthetician teacher or nail technician teacher license in subjects that are common to both esthetics or nail technology and cosmetology. Provides that the Department shall provide for the implementation of these provisions by rule.

Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Adds definitions. Provides that the minimum ratio for each provider type shall be no less than any such ratio established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Provides that the maximum travel time and distance standards and appointment wait time standards shall be no greater than any such standards established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Makes changes to provisions concerning network adequacy, notice of nonrenewal or termination, transition of services, network transparency, administration and enforcement, provider requirements, and provider directory information. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning notice of nonrenewal or termination and transition of services. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to authorize the Department of Insurance to adopt emergency rules implementing federal standards for provider ratios, time and distance, or appointment wait times when such standards apply to health insurance coverage regulated by the Department of Insurance and are more stringent than the State standards extant at the time the final federal standards are published. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act for a consumer reporting agency: (1) to make, create, or furnish any consumer report or credit report containing, incorporating, or reflecting any adverse information that the consumer reporting agency knows or should know relates to medical debt incurred by the consumer or a collection action against the consumer to collect medical debt; and (2) to maintain in the file on a consumer any information relating to medical debt incurred by a consumer or a collection action against the consumer to collect medical debt.