Rep. Norma Hernandez

Amends the Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Act. Provides that requests for grant assistance shall include, but not be limited to, those activities that will implement or enhance: (1) current Illinois Forest Action Plans objectives; (2) local Forestry Program management objectives as determined by an urban and community forestry management plan; (3) build tree canopy capacity in underserved and disadvantaged areas of communities or counties; or (4) improve urban and community forest canopy in Illinois communities and counties. Makes changes in provisions duties of the Department of Natural Resources; the concerning grants. amounts. Defines terms.

Amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Provides that any covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not be enforceable with respect to the provision of reproductive health care or maternity care by a health care professional in the State if the enforcement of the covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit is likely to reduce the availability of reproductive health care or maternity care. Provides that in an action to enforce a covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a party seeking to enforce the covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit has the burden of proving that it will not reduce the availability of reproductive health care or maternity care in the State. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Contains provisions concerning procurements made by or on behalf of public institutions of higher education for food. Provides that, in the case of certain contracts for the procurement of food, the chief procurement officer must consider (i) good food purchasing core values and (ii) good food purchasing equity, accountability, and transparency. Amends the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Good Food Purchasing Law. Provides that each State agency and State-owned facility shall develop and adopt a multi-year action plan with benchmarks to align food purchasing processes with Good Food Purchasing equity, transparency, and accountability and food purchases with Good Food Purchasing core values. Creates a Good Food Purchasing Task Force. Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. Makes changes concerning food packaging that may include the designation "Illinois-grown", "Illinois-sourced", or "Illinois farm product".

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning PDPM STRIVE staffing ratio calculations for nursing facilities, provides that beginning January 1, 2025, the staffing percentage used in the calculation of the per diem staffing add-on shall be its PDPM STRIVE Staffing Ratio which equals: its Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day as published in the most recent federal staffing report (the Provider Information file), divided by the facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target. Provides that each facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target is equal to .76 times the facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case-Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day. Provides that a facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case-Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day is equal to its Nursing Case-Mix (as published in the most recent federal Provider Information file) divided by 1.4627 times 3.79 (which is the Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day for the Nation as reported in the January 2024 State US Averages file). Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of an offense or offenses, other than first degree murder, shall be eligible for sentencing review after serving 10 years or more of his or her sentence or cumulative sentences. Provides that a person under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of first degree murder shall be eligible for sentencing review after serving 20 years or more of his or her sentence or cumulative sentences, except for those subject to a term of natural life imprisonment under the Code or any person subject to sentencing for first degree murder for killing certain victims committed when the person was under 18 years of age, who shall be eligible for sentencing review after serving 30 years or more of his or her sentence or cumulative sentences. Establishes procedures for filing petitions for sentencing review and the manner in which hearings on those petitions are held. Provides that the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council shall report on the impact of resentencing motions on the prison population contingent on having sufficient reliable data to support the analysis. Provides that the report shall be due 3 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Adds infection preventionists, minimum data set assessment nurses, other social workers, certified nursing assistant interns, and medication aides to the list of direct care staff used to compute staff to resident ratios. Provides that, except as otherwise provided by law, 100% of the hours worked by the specified staff shall be counted toward the staff to resident ratio. Provides that no monetary penalties shall be imposed unless the variance between a facility's minimum staffing ratios and the Department of Public Health's computations exceeds 20%. Removes a provision prohibiting waiver of a monetary penalty for non-compliance. In provisions concerning reporting requirements for facilities that violate the minimum staffing requirements, provides that the facility must have a variance that exceeds 20% of the requirements. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Comptroller Act. Provides an exception for vendors to receive payment by non-electronic means. Provides that outstanding liabilities as of June 30, payable from appropriations which have otherwise expired and interest penalties payable on those liabilities under the State Prompt Payment Act, may be paid out of the expiring appropriations during the 4-month period ending at the close of business on October 31 of each year, without regard to the fiscal year in which the payment is made. Amends the Prompt Payment Act. Removes provisions concerning payments made under the Public Aid Code. Provides that when a State official or agency responsible for administering a contract receives a bill or invoice from a contractor, that State official or agency shall electronically confirm the date on which the bill or invoice was received within 5 business days of receipt, and shall transmit any approved amount to the Comptroller within 30 days of receipt. Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act to make conforming changes. Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that all claims against the State founded upon any contract entered into with the State of Illinois, except that undisputed individual claims below $2,500 resulting from lapsed appropriations do not fall under the jurisdiction of Court of Claims. State agencies may pay undisputed individual claims below $2,500 resulting from lapsed appropriations from current fiscal year appropriations. Sets forth that the provisions are not intended to prohibit more frequent reporting to assess items such as service needs, gaps, or capacity. Sets forth other provisions concerning grant agreement specifications, separate accounts for State grant funds, expenditures prior to grant execution and reporting requirements.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that receives a low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption may continue to receive a partial exemption for each of the 4 succeeding taxable years even if the applicant for the exemption would not otherwise qualify for the exemption in the current taxable year because the applicant's household income for the current taxable year exceeds the maximum income limitation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that subject to federal approval, within 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, nutrition care services and medical nutrition therapy provided by a registered dietitian licensed under the Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act who is acting within the scope of his or her license shall be covered under the medical assistance program. Provides that the covered services may be aimed at prevention, delay, management, treatment, or rehabilitation of a disease or condition and include nutrition assessment, nutrition intervention, nutrition counseling, and nutrition monitoring and evaluation. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to submit a Title XIX State Plan amendment, if required, to implement the amendatory Act. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to implement the amendatory Act, including rules that ensure coverage for individuals with chronic conditions without prior authorization.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education provided by a qualified institution of higher learning, including a not-for-profit postsecondary institution that offers classes exclusively online and meets other criteria, for adults over the age of 25 pursuing careers in fields facing workforce shortages, as determined by the Commission. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall receive and consider applications for grant assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a grant if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that all grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Provides that the Commission shall determine the grant amount for each student, which amount must not exceed $5,000. Sets forth provisions concerning conditions on the grant amount, grant applications, the distribution of grant funds, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2025.