Rep. Maurice West

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Defines a guardian ad litem as either (i) an attorney licensed in Illinois to practice law; or (ii) a person who holds at a minimum a bachelor's degree in psychology, psychiatry, social work, education, or any other relevant child-related discipline involving determining a child's best interests. Provides that a guardian litem must receive training to ensure they have a fundamental working knowledge of abuser tactics and its effects on children in domestic violence cases as ordered by the Supreme Court. Requires a guardian ad litem to meet with a child who has been exposed to domestic violence in an age-appropriate manner for at least an hour before the issuance of any judicial decision affecting the parental rights of the child and to meet with the child for at least an hour every 3 months and provide a written update to the court at least every six months. Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person shall not distribute, or enter into an agreement with another person to distribute, materially deceptive media if: (1) the person knows the media falsely represents a depicted individual; (2) the distribution occurs within 90 days before an election; (3) the person intends the distribution to harm the reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate in an election and the distribution is reasonably likely to cause that result; and (4) the person intends the distribution to change the voting behavior of electors in an election by deceiving the electors into incorrectly believing that the depicted individual in fact engaged in the speech or conduct depicted, and the distribution is reasonably likely to cause that result. Sets forth exceptions to the provision and penalties for violations of the provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Parks Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with representatives of federally recognized indigenous tribes, shall create land acknowledgments for each of the State parks. Provides that these land acknowledgments shall be physically displayed in a prominent place within the State park, as well as on the State park page of the website of the Department of Natural Resources.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that in a community of manufactured homes, where the water system in the community is connected to a municipal public water supply system, potable water shall be provided at each manufactured home site. Provides that where a manufactured home community owner or operator bills the residents of the community using monthly line-item charges for utilities, including, but not limited to, water, those charges shall be based on either: (i) a resident's actual usage, as measured by submeters installed on each manufactured home site within the community; or (ii) a ratio utility billing system, in the absence of submeters, in which charges for water shall be divided by certain criteria, including, but not limited to, the number of occupants per household, the square footage of the manufactured home, or other factors. Provides that the ratio utility billing system shall not bill all residents of the community equally for a water utility bill issued to the manufactured home community owner or operator by the municipal public water supply system. Provides that where a manufactured home community does not have existing submeters, submeters shall be installed at the expense of the manufactured home community owner or operator. Provides that the community owner or operator shall be considered the water supplier and is the party responsible for the water distribution system up to the individual service line at each manufactured home site. Provides that the owner or operator shall be responsible for all maintenance and associated costs of any meters and submeters, within the community, installed outside and beneath a manufactured home. Provides that the amendatory Act shall not apply to any manufactured home community that has its own water source, including, but not limited to, a well.

Appropriates $16,358,900 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for grants to Independent Living Centers. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for the purpose of removing barriers to the timely treatment of serious mental illnesses, prior authorization mandates and utilization management controls shall not be imposed under the fee-for-service and managed care medical assistance programs on any FDA-approved prescription drug that is recognized by a generally accepted standard medical reference as effective in the treatment of conditions specified in the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. Provides that the following shall be permitted for prescription drugs covered under the amendatory Act: (i) clinically appropriate drug utilization review (DUR) edits, including, but not limited to, drug-to-drug, drug-age, and drug-dose; (ii) generic drug substitution if a generic drug is available for the prescribed medication in the same dosage and formulation; and (iii) any utilization management control that is necessary for the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to comply with any current consent decrees or federal waivers. Defines "serious mental illness".

Congratulates Arles Hendershott Love on being inducted into the Illinois State University TV-10 Broadcast Hall of Fame, recognizes her contributions to broadcast media, and applauds her ongoing commitment to serve her community.

Congratulates the Mu Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship initiative. Commends the members of the Mu Alpha Lambda Chapter for their continuous commitment to youth and their contributions to the success and prosperity of the State.

Creates the Illinois Strategic Action Plan for Aging Equity Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to appoint a planning commission to research and develop a comprehensive, cross-sector, long-term strategic action plan for aging equity that will lead to actionable goals and measurable outcomes for the years 2024 through 2036. Establishes the Strategic Action Planning Commission for Aging Equity. Provides that the planning commission shall be made up of State agency directors and appointed elected officials or their designees as ex officio members, and a group of voting individuals from the general public. Provides that the planning commission shall examine the effects, challenges, opportunities, and needs for planning related to the shifting age demographics toward an increasing portion of the State's and localities' populations being made up of older adults. Requires the planning commission to adopt guiding principles that include, but are not limited to: (i) advancing aging equity across the life course; (ii) developing cultural humility and being culturally responsive with inclusive policies, programs, and services; and (iii) harnessing the power of experience and knowledge of older persons in communities. Requires the Governor to appoint members to the planning commission within 3 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act; and to consult with the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the Director of Aging about member appointments to ensure that (1) the planning commission reflects the geographic diversity of the State; (2) the planning commission is inclusive and consists of members who reflect a diversity of age, gender, ability, race, cultural, socioeconomic, and national background; (3) the planning commission includes Illinois residents age 60 or older; and other matters. Contains provisions on the composition of the planning commission; commission meetings; the commission's authority to establish a subcommittee; the establishment of an advisory committee; duties of the planning commission; data analysis; planning commission recommendations and reporting requirements; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Officer Randall Paul on the occasion of his retirement from the Cherry Valley Police Department. Thanks him for his many years of dedicated service as a law enforcement officer. Wishes him happiness and great success in his future endeavors.