Rep. Chris Welch

Creates the Access to Affordable Insulin Act. Sets forth provisions concerning an insulin urgent-need program. Provides that each manufacturer shall establish procedures to make insulin available to eligible individuals who are in urgent need of insulin or who are in need of assistance to access an affordable insulin supply. Sets forth provisions concerning insulin urgent-need program exceptions, eligibility, forms, applications, claims and reimbursement, copayments, information sheets, navigators, and penalties. Defines terms. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning cost sharing in prescription insulin drugs, provides that an insurer that provides coverage for prescription insulin drugs under the terms of a health coverage plan the insurer offers shall limit the total amount that an insured is required to pay for a 30-day supply of covered prescription insulin drugs at an amount not to exceed $35 (rather than $100). Effective immediately.

Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Provides that an applicant may use an examination alternative to allow the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to ascertain the qualifications and fitness of candidates for a license to engage in the independent practice of clinical social work. Provides that the examination alternative shall consist of at least 2 years of supervised professional experience subsequent to obtaining the degree as established by rule. Provides that the examination alternative supervised professional experience shall be in addition to any other supervised clinical professional experience required for licensure. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, an applicant acquiring the examination alternative supervised professional experience must be a licensed social worker or licensed in this State for the practice of school social work prior to acquiring the supervised professional experience. Provides that the Department shall require that a qualified licensed clinical social work supervisor to complete at least 6 hours of continuing education training. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the School Code's construction.

Creates the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act. Establishes the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program within the Department of Human Services to help expand the availability of nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for Illinois' emergency food system. Provides that the program shall (1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to Illinois' emergency food system, and (2) provide grants to improve capacity of the emergency food system to allow for the proper transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural products to underserved areas. Provides that the program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Provides that foods shall be surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be safe for consumption. Provides that the program is subject to appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available funds to acquisition and distribution of food. Requires the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to engage a not-for-profit entity from Illinois' emergency food system to administer the program. Requires the administering entity to have statewide reach and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the Department. Contains provisions concerning the duties of the administering entity. Creates the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council to provide support to the program through facilitating relationship-building and partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and the emergency food system and other matters. Provides that the program may distribute food to those food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store, and distribute foods through the emergency food system and with the capacity to serve significant geographic areas within Illinois. Provides that the program shall distribute capacity-building grants for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments necessary to support the objectives of the program. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning kindergartens, provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, each school board must establish a kindergarten with full-day attendance (instead of allowing a school board to establish a kindergarten with half-day attendance or with full-day attendance); makes related changes. Repeals another provision concerning kindergartens on July 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Creates the Digital Forgeries Act. Provides that an individual depicted in a digital forgery has a cause of action against any person who, without the consent of the depicted individual, knowingly distributes a digital forgery, creates a digital forgery with intent to distribute, or solicits the creation of a digital forgery with the intent to distribute: (1) in order to harass, extort, threaten, or cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; (2) with reckless disregard for whether such a creation, distribution, reproduction, or manipulation will cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; or (3) in order to incite violence or interfere with an official proceeding. Allows a prevailing plaintiff to be awarded damages, costs, and additional relief. Allows the court to grant injunctive relief maintaining the confidentiality of a plaintiff using a pseudonym.

Amends the Illinois Works Job Program Act. Provides that contractors or subcontractors may be eligible to earn bid credits for employing apprentices who have completed the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program (previously bid credits were available for public works contracted by the State). Provides that contractors and subcontractors can use bid credits toward future bids for public works projects contracted or funded by the State or an agency of the State in order to increase the likelihood that the contractor and the subcontractors are selected as the contractor for the public works project. Provides that, for contracts and grant agreements executed after the effective date of the amendatory Act, of a specified goal at least half of the labor hours of each prevailing wage classification performed by apprentices shall be performed by graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may grant a reduction or waiver upon a determination that the contractor or subcontractor has demonstrated that insufficient graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program are available to meet the requirements. Provides that contractors and subcontractors must submit a certification to the Department and the agency that is administering the contract, or the grant agreement funding the contract, demonstrating that the contractor or subcontractor has not complied with the labor hour goals and did not receive a reduction or waiver. Provides the penalties for failing to comply with the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative. Effective immediately.

Amends provisions of the Lyme Disease Prevention and Protection Act concerning the Lyme Disease Task Force. Provides that one veterinarian appointed to the Task Force by the Director of Public Health must be a practicing Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Adds one medical entomologist appointed by the Director of Public Health to the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to meet not less than 4 (rather than 2) times each year.

Amends the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act. Provides that a pharmacist may sell fentanyl test strips over-the-counter to the public to test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance. Provides that a county health department may distribute fentanyl test strips at the county health department facility for no fee. Amends the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act. Provides that "drug paraphernalia" does not include equipment, products, or materials to analyze or test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance.