Rep. Gregg Johnson

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Provides that a township official for a township with a population of less than 2,500 inhabitants, including, but not limited to, a trustee for the township, may serve as a member of a board of education, regional board of school trustees, board of school directors, or board of school inspectors. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Revenue Sharing Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to establish a payment, in excess to the Department's determined amount for the fiscal year, that is equal to 1% of a municipality's or county's allotment from the Local Government Distributive Fund to be awarded to any municipality or county that can document its use of diesel fuel containing in excess of the percentage of biodiesel necessary to qualify for exemption from the tax under specified provisions of the Use Tax Act for that year. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals a provision of the Code concerning the required use of biodiesel.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that with respect to a week of unemployment beginning on or after March 15, 2020 (rather than beginning on or after March 15, 2020, and before September 4, 2021 (including any week of unemployment beginning on or after January 1, 2021 and on or before June 25, 2021)) benefits shall be payable to an individual on the basis of wages for employment in other than an instructional, research, or principal administrative capacity performed for an educational institution or an educational service agency under specified circumstances, as long as the individual is otherwise eligible for benefits.

Amends the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code. Provides that any child who is (i) 17 years of age or older or (ii) projected to graduate from a high school at the completion of the current school year shall be excused from attendance for no more than one-half of each school day in order to participate in an unpaid apprenticeship program. Provides that the student shall be excused from any mandatory school events during the school day.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the school board of a school district that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 may provide to its students in grades 9 through 12 a unit of instruction studying the events of labor history. Provides that the instruction may also include information on the rights of workers and employment opportunities. Sets forth the events and information that may be included in the instruction. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines for development of the instruction. Provides that the instruction may be provided through an online program or course. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for individual taxpayers who participate in an apprenticeship program during the taxable year. Provides that the credit is equal to the unreimbursed expenses incurred by the taxpayer to purchase equipment that is necessary for participation in the apprenticeship program, not to exceed $1,000 per taxpayer. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the registration fee paid by any vehicle owner 65 years of age or older, or a spouse of such person, shall be $10 instead of the fee otherwise provided in the Code for specified vehicles.

Creates the Work Without Fear Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to engage in, or to direct another person to engage in, immigration-related retaliation against any person or his or her family member or household member for the purpose of, or with the effect of, retaliating against any person for exercising any right protected under State employment laws or by any local employment ordinance. Sets forth the duties and powers of the Department of Labor under the Act. Allows the Attorney General to initiate or intervene in a civil action to obtain appropriate relief if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person has violated the Act. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to prevent any person from making complaint or prosecuting his or her own claim for damages caused by retaliation. Allows a person who is the subject of retaliation prohibited by the Act to bring a civil action for: (1) back pay, with interest, and front pay, or, in lieu of actual damages, liquidated damages of $30,000; (2) a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $10,000; (3) reasonable attorney's fees and court costs; and (4) equitable relief as the court may deem appropriate and just. Provides that a person that violates any provision of the Act shall be subject to an additional civil penalty in an amount of $25,000 for each violation, or $50,000 for each repeat violation within a 5-year period. Sets forth license suspension penalties for violations of the Act. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage for continuous glucose monitors, related supplies, and training in the use of continuous glucose monitors for any individual who is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and meets other requirements, including that the prescriber had an in-person or covered telehealth visit with the individual to evaluate the individual's diabetes control and has determined that the eligibility criteria is met. Provides that to qualify for a continuous glucose monitor, a patient is not required to have a diagnosis of uncontrolled diabetes; have a history of emergency room visits or hospitalizations; or show improved glycemic control. Provides that an individual who is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and meets the requirements shall not be required to obtain prior authorization for coverage for a continuous glucose monitor, and coverage shall be continuous once the continuous glucose monitor is prescribed. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall adopt rules to implement the changes made by the amendatory Act. Specifies that the rules shall, at a minimum contain certain provisions concerning the ordering provider, continuous glucose monitors not being required to have certain functionalities, eligibility requirements for a beneficiary, and not requiring prior authorization. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that "State-regulated health plan" means any health insurance plan issued by an insurer regulated by the State or health insurance plan operated and administered by the State, including, but not limited to, the medical assistance program under the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code, fee-for-service plans, and managed care organizations. Provides that for every State-regulated health plan, an information packet on all insurance products offered to enrollees must be made available to the public, which must be viewable before choosing a health plan, that includes specified information concerning the plan's drug formulary and the costs for drugs. Provides that the information packet must be made available both online in any patient portal and in a printed format. Provides that the information packet must be updated within 7 days after any change to the drug formulary, and notice of the change to the drug formulary and change to drug costs must be sent to beneficiaries by mail or electronically.