Rep. Norma Hernandez

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that insurers shall cover all services for pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care that are rendered by perinatal doulas or licensed certified professional midwives, including home births, home visits, and support during labor, abortion, or miscarriage. Provides that the required coverage includes the necessary equipment and medical supplies for a home birth. Provides that coverage for pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care shall include home visits by lactation consultants and the purchase of breast pumps and breast pump supplies, including such breast pumps, breast pump supplies, breastfeeding supplies, and feeding aids as recommended by the lactation consultant. Provides that coverage for postpartum services shall apply for at least one year after birth. Provides that certain pregnancy and postpartum coverage shall be provided without cost-sharing requirements. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that post-parturition care benefits shall not be subject to any cost-sharing requirement. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover home visits for lactation counseling and support services. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover counselor-recommended or provider-recommended breast pumps as well as breast pump supplies, breastfeeding supplies, and feeding aids. Provides that nothing in the provisions shall limit the number of lactation encounters, visits, or services; breast pumps; breast pump supplies; breastfeeding supplies; or feeding aids a beneficiary is entitled to receive under the program. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that a license under the Act shall be automatically granted to an individual who has graduated from an approved program of professional nursing education or an approved program of practical nursing education, as applicable to the license being granted; passed a criminal background check with the Illinois State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation; and completed and passed an examination specific to State laws that regulate the nursing profession as an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or registered nurse. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to adopt rules.

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 in this State shall provide coverage for medically necessary hormone therapy treatment to treat menopause (instead of to treat menopause that has been induced by a hysterectomy). Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. In the definition of "conviction", provides that "conviction" means a judgment of conviction and sentence entered upon a plea of guilty or upon a verdict or finding of guilty of an offense, rendered by a legally constituted jury or by a court of competent jurisdiction authorized to try the case without a jury (rather than a judgment of conviction or sentence). Provides that if judgment is withheld, the plea, verdict, or finding of guilty is not a conviction under Illinois law unless and until judgment is entered. Amends the Cannabis Control Act, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, and the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act. Provides that for the first-time offender provisions of those Acts, a sentence under those provisions shall not be considered a conviction under Illinois law unless and until judgment is entered for a violation of the terms of the probation. Provides that a sentence (rather than discharge and dismissal) is not a conviction for purposes of disqualification or disabilities imposed by law upon conviction of a crime unless and until judgment is entered. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Makes the same changes with respect to the Second Chance Probation Program and the First Time Weapon Offense Program.

Amends the School Construction Law. In provisions concerning school maintenance project grants, provides that the State Board of Education is authorized to make grants to school districts, regional offices of education, intermediate service centers, and special education cooperatives established by school districts (instead of school districts and special education cooperatives established by school districts). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no insurer, dental service plan corporation, professional service corporation, insurance network leasing company, or any company that amends, delivers, issues, or renews an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall require a dental care provider to incur a fee to access and obtain payment or reimbursement for services provided. Provides that a dental plan carrier shall provide a dental care provider with 100% of the contracted amount of the payment or reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Adds definitions. Provides that the minimum ratio for each provider type shall be no less than any such ratio established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Provides that the maximum travel time and distance standards and appointment wait time standards shall be no greater than any such standards established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Makes changes to provisions concerning network adequacy, notice of nonrenewal or termination, transition of services, network transparency, administration and enforcement, provider requirements, and provider directory information. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning notice of nonrenewal or termination and transition of services. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to authorize the Department of Insurance to adopt emergency rules implementing federal standards for provider ratios, time and distance, or appointment wait times when such standards apply to health insurance coverage regulated by the Department of Insurance and are more stringent than the State standards extant at the time the final federal standards are published. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

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 before January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage for medically necessary continuous glucose monitors for individuals who are diagnosed with any form of diabetes mellitus (instead of type 1 or type 2 diabetes) and require insulin for the management of their diabetes. 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, who requires at least one daily injection or infusion of insulin, and who has been prescribed a continuous glucose monitor by a physician, a certified nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant. Provides that an individual who is diagnosed with diabetes and meets the specified 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. 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 not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage required under the provisions. Effective July 1, 2024.

Appropriates $209,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for costs associated with the Healthy School Meals for All Program. Effective July 1, 2024.

Appropriates $3,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Secretary of State for a recurring, permanent grant program for Illinois academic libraries. These grants shall be applied toward Open Education Resources. Effective July 1, 2024.