Rep. Robert W. Pritchard

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall allow an applicant to provide his or her individual taxpayer identification number as an alternative to provide a social security number when applying for a license. Provides that no applicant shall be denied a license solely based on his or her immigration status or citizenship status. Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Removes language providing that an applicant for a registered pharmacist license shall provide evidence indicating that he or she is a United States citizen or legally admitted alien.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, by January 1, 2019, the State Board of Education shall implement a program and adopt rules to allow school districts to supplement their substitute teacher recruitment for elementary and secondary schools with the use of recruiting firms. Defines "recruiting firm". Specifies program requirements. Prohibits school districts from using recruiting firms to circumvent collective bargaining agreements or laws. Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the term "teacher" or "substitute teacher" does not include and service credit may not be granted to an individual employed by an entity that provides substitute teaching services under the program and is not a school district. Effective immediately.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that when a public institution of higher education proposes to discontinue operations, it shall file with the Board the original or legible true copies of all academic records of the institution. Provides for the specific contents of the records required to be filed. Provides that where it appears to the Board that any such records are in danger of being lost, hidden, destroyed, or otherwise made unavailable to the Board, the Board may seize and take possession of the records, on its own motion and without order of a court. Requires the Board to maintain a permanent file of all such records coming into its possession. Provides that, as an alternative to the deposit of records with the Board, the public institution of higher education may propose a different means for permanent retention of the records, subject to the approval of the Board. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, no later than 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the State Board of Education shall adopt rules as may be necessary to allow students of any high school in this State who are 16 years of age or older to participate in registered apprenticeship programs; defines "registered apprenticeship program". Provides that the rules shall include the waiver of all non-academic requirements mandated for graduation from a high school under the Code that would otherwise prohibit or prevent a student from participating in a registered apprenticeship program. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits a school board from limiting the number of dual credit courses a student may enroll in or the number of credits a student may receive from dual credit courses. Provides that if a school district establishes an online learning program for students (with exceptions), the school board may not limit (i) which students may participate in the program, (ii) the number of online courses a student may enroll in, or (iii) the number of credits a student may receive from online courses.

Amends the School Code. In the Article governing children with disabilities, provides that, amongst other meanings, a "school psychologist" means a person who holds a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential (rather than certificate). Removes from the definition of "school psychologist" the requirement that a psychologist have additional qualifications as may be required by the State Board of Education. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that each State agency entering into or maintaining a contract for the purchase of food under the Code shall adopt a policy that permits the donation of leftover food procured by State funds. Provides that the policy shall address any daily food operations run by the agency, including one-time events, and shall contain a list of nearby soup kitchens, food pantries, and other non-profit organizations where leftover food can be donated. Requires each State agency to circulate its policy to all agency employees, and submit its food donation policy to the Department of Central Management Services on an annual basis beginning December 31, 2018. Effective immediately.

Amends the Industrial Development Assistance Law. Allows local school districts and community colleges to apply for and receive grants under the Act for the acquisition of land, construction of facilities, and purchase of equipment, dedicated solely to the instruction of occupations in manufacturing. Provides additional eligibility requirements for local school districts and community colleges applying for grants under the Act. Modifies the term "industrial development agency" to include local school districts and community colleges.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires long-term care providers to submit all changes in resident status, including, but not limited to, death, discharge, changes in patient credit, third party liability, and Medicare coverage to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services through the Medical Electronic Data Interchange System, the Recipient Eligibility Verification System, or the Electronic Data Interchange System under a specified schedule. Requires the Department and other agencies to establish an expedited long-term care eligibility determination and enrollment system. Requires the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Secretary of Human Services and the Director of Aging, to hold meetings for provider associations representing facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act and certified as supportive living programs. Provides that the meetings shall be held every 6 weeks until all backlogged cases have been adjudicated and the application process has been reduced to the federal timeframe. Contains provisions concerning a 45-day extension of the federal eligibility application processing deadline in suspected cases of fraud; the identification of applicants who had full Medicaid benefits in the community for 6 months or more immediately before entering the long-term care facility; reporting requirements; public-private partnerships aimed at redeploying caseworkers to targeted high-Medicaid facilities for the purpose of expediting initial Medicaid and long-term care benefits applications; the establishment of a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant database; and other matters. Effective immediately.