Rep. Gregg Johnson

Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall coordinate with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Health, and members of the University of Illinois' INHS Medical Entomology Program to establish the Lyme Disease Innovation Program no later than one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that the Department shall contract with a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to raise awareness of tick-borne diseases with the public and the medical community to operate the Program. Provides that the Program's purpose is to raise awareness with the public and to assist persons at risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases with education and awareness materials and campaigns while developing evidence-based approaches that are cost-effective. Includes provisions relating to the Program's objectives. Provides that the Program shall be funded by the Lyme Disease Awareness Fund. Amends the Recreational Trails of Illinois Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall issue to an off-highway vehicle owner an Off-Highway Vehicle Usage Stamp, and the Stamp shall be $10 or $5 depending on the size of the vehicle's engine capacity. Provides that the proceeds from the Stamp must be deposited into the Lyme Disease Awareness Fund. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that for the purposes of computing service for academic years for any participant, one month of service means a calendar month during which the participant qualifies as an employee for any fraction of the month (instead of at least 15 or more days). Provides that the change applies to all service periods of a member who is a participant on or after January 1, 2024, except for certain service periods subject to purchases of service credit, repayment of a refund or distribution, or transfers of service if payment for such purchase, repayment, or transfer commenced prior to January 1, 2024. Provides that a provision concerning calculating a retirement annuity for a participant who has been employed at 1/2 time or less for 3 or more years shall not apply to a member who is a participant on or after January 1, 2024. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Equitable Restrooms Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, any multiple-occupancy restroom may be identified as an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom and designated for use by any person of any gender. Requires that an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom must include specified signage, stall dividers, and partitions for urinals. Provides that any multiple-occupancy restroom may be converted into an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom. Provides that, if a facility commences construction, or commences alterations exceeding 50% of the facility, and implements an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom, the all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom must satisfy or include specified requirements. Requires certain newly constructed or previously existing restrooms to be designated as all-gender multiple-occupancy restrooms. Provides that when plumbing fixtures in a facility must meet female-to-male ratio requirements, each individual fixture in an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom may be counted toward the required number of either female or male toilet stalls. Provides that if a fixture is counted toward the minimum required fixtures for females, that same fixture shall not also be counted toward the minimum required fixtures for males, and if a fixture is counted toward the minimum required fixtures for males, that same fixture shall not also be counted toward the minimum required fixtures for females. Provides that during any inspection of a facility by a health officer, health inspector, or building inspector, the health officer, health inspector, or building inspector may inspect the facility to determine whether it complies with the provisions. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules to implement the provisions. Defines "multiple-occupancy restroom". Contains other provisions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that specified Advisory Committees shall include one representative from the labor organization recognized as the exclusive representative of specified entities' employees. Provides that an EMS Medical Director may only suspend any EMS personnel, EMS Lead Instructor, individual, individual provider, or other participant considered not to be meeting the requirements of the Program Plan if the EMS Medical Director obtains agreement from the Department of Public Health. Allows arbitration meeting specified requirements as alternative dispute resolution procedures for EMS System licensing and makes conforming changes throughout the Act. Provides that a member of a fire department's or fire protection district's collective bargaining unit shall be eligible to work under a silver spanner program for another fire department EMS System that is not the full time employer of that member, for a period not to exceed 12 months, without being required to test into the EMS System of the fire department or fire protection district. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act must provide coverage for medically necessary hearing instruments and related services for all individuals (rather than all individuals under the age of 18) when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument to augment communication. Makes conforming changes, including repealing provisions concerning optional coverage or optional reimbursement for hearing instruments and related services. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that an animal control facility shall not charge an adoption fee for a dog or cat if the person adopting the dog or cat presents to the animal control facility a current and valid driver's license, Illinois Identification Card, or Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card with the word "veteran" printed on its face. Provides that an animal control facility may limit the number of dogs or cats adopted from that animal control facility pursuant to this Section to one dog or cat each 6-month period.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. With regard to the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship program, the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program, and special education teacher scholarships, provides that if a recipient of one of those scholarships who is in a repayment plan with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission subsequently teaches at a school meeting certain descriptions under those scholarship programs, the Commission may reduce the amount owed by the recipient in proportion to the amount of the teaching obligation completed. Effective immediately.

Creates the Municipal Design-build Contracts Division in the Illinois Municipal Code, which may be cited as the Municipal Design-build Authorization Act. Provides that a municipality may enter into design-build contracts. Includes scope and performance criteria for design-build contracts, a two-phase procedure for selection of contracts, requirements for submission of proposals, procedures for awarding contracts, and requirements of reports and evaluation of contracts. Provides that, if the total overall cost of a project is estimated to be less than $12,000,000, the municipality may combine the two-phase procedure for selection into one phase.

Amends the Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act. Defines terms. Makes changes of references to "hearing instruments" to "hearing aids" when referring to the instrument or device. Provides that all hearing instruments or hearing aids must be dispensed or sold in accordance with Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission regulations governing the dispensing and sale of personal sound amplification products or hearing aids. Provides that a person age 17 or younger must be evaluated in person by either a licensed audiologist or a physician before receiving a prescription for a hearing aid. Provides requirements for a hearing aid prescription for individuals age 17 or younger. Provides that a person age 18 or older must be evaluated by a hearing instrument professional in person or via telehealth before receiving a prescription for a hearing aid. Provides requirements for a hearing aid prescription for individuals age 18 or older. Provides that hearing aid dispensing technicians are exempt from licensure under this Act but are otherwise subject to the practices and provisions of this Act. Provides that a trainee may be supervised by more than one licensed hearing instrument professional. Provides that hearing aid dispensing technicians may be employed by a hearing instrument professional to assist in the dispensing and servicing of hearing instruments without a license. Provides for duties of a hearing aid dispensing technician. Provides that continuing education credit per licensing period must include a minimum of (1) 2 hours in Illinois law and ethics, (2) one hour in sexual harassment prevention training, and (3) one hour in implicit bias awareness (rather than just a minimum of 2 hours in Illinois law and ethics). Makes other changes. Makes a corresponding change to the Public Utilities Act. Effective January 1, 2024.

Creates the State Building and Residential Codes Act. Provides that the Capital Development Board, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources, shall adopt a Building Code that establishes minimum requirements for the construction of commercial buildings, that shall apply to the construction of, renovations to, and additions to all commercial buildings in the State. Provides that the Board, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, shall also adopt a Residential Code as the minimum and maximum requirements for the construction of residential buildings, that shall apply to the construction of, renovations to, and additions to all residential buildings in the State. Contains provisions concerning applicability; technical assistance; enforcement; rules; input from interested parties; and a prohibition on grants. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the Capital Development Board Act to make conforming changes. Repeals the Illinois Residential Building Codes Act. Effective immediately.