Rep. Chris Welch

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to receive the approval of the General Assembly prior to applying for any waiver to reduce or eliminate the State's responsibility to provide emergency or non-emergency ambulance services to Medicaid beneficiaries. Effective immediately.

Creates the 2020 Census Grant Program Act. Creates the 2020 Census Grant Program for the purpose of issuing matching grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to support the accurate counting of the population of the State and its local jurisdictions, and the collection of basic demographic and housing information of the population of this State for the 2020 Census. Creates the 2020 Census Grant Program Panel and provides for its membership. Provides administrative support for the Grant Panel. Provides for the awarding of funds under the Grant Program. Requires notice to be given to units of local government and nonprofit organizations concerning the Grant Program. Provides that for fiscal year 2020, the Governor shall include in the annual State budget for the 2020 Census Grant Program an appropriation of $33,000,000. Provides legislative findings. Defines terms. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2022. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Veterans Service Act. With regard to the requirement to advertise the office location and phone number of and Internet access to the Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel and Student Services, provides that the advertisement must also include the website and any social media accounts of the public college or university. Requires each public college and university to annually report to the Board of Higher Education on the efforts of the public college or university in attracting, recruiting, and retaining veterans and military personnel. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, taxpayers of income producing property shall submit income and expense data related to the property annually to the chief county assessment officer. Provides that, in counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the county board may provide by resolution that taxpayers of income producing property shall submit income and expense data annually to the chief county assessment officer. Provides that, when determining the value of property for assessment purposes, the assessor may consider all relevant information pertaining to the fair cash value of the property, including, but not limited to, income and expense data, sales data, property characteristics data, construction cost data, appraisals, and other valuation information. Effective immediately.

Amends the Inspection of Records Article of the Code of Civil Procedure. Expands the definitions of "health care facility" and "health care practitioner" to include entities that contract to provide copies of protected health information. Defines "patient", "patient's representative", and "protected health information". Changes references to "health care records" to "protected health information". Makes changes concerning who may be granted access to a patient's protected health information and the charges for copies of protected health information. Provides that a health care facility or health care practitioner shall provide the patient or patient's representative with access to the protected health information in the form and format requested. Deletes language providing for a $20 handling charge for processing a request for protected health information in a paper copy. Provides that each health care facility and health care provider shall adopt policies for the examination of protected health information that meets certain requirements. Provides that a health care facility or health care practitioner shall provide without charge one copy of a patient's protected health information for the purpose of supporting a claim for disability or medical assistance benefits. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to adopt a mass incident policy and procedure guide that outlines the procedures that must be followed if a mass incident occurs within a school; defines "mass incident". Provides that the guide must include a plan for treating a child's trauma after a mass incident. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that upon establishing the compensation of board of review employees fixed by the county board, the county shall, at all times, ensure that each of the commissioners on the board of review receives equitable resources and staffing. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that an additional tax shall be imposed at the rate of 1% of 94% of the gross rental receipts from the renting, leasing, or letting of hotel rooms. Provides that the proceeds from the additional tax shall be deposited into the Illinois Experience Fund. Provides that moneys in the Illinois Experience Fund shall be used to create, enhance, and promote artistic and cultural events and expositions in the State. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the nomination of candidates for the General Assembly.