Rep. Norma Hernandez

Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Sets forth requirements for carriers that offer a provider panel. Requires notice of the development of a provider panel to be filed with Department of Public Health prior to establishment. Provides that a carrier that uses a provider panel shall establish procedure for notifying an enrollee of the termination of a health care provider. Sets forth provisions permitting, under certain circumstances, a health care provider to continue to render health care services following termination from the carrier's provider panel. Requires a carrier to provide a list of members in the carrier's provider panel. Establishes notice requirements for benefit reductions and termination of health care providers from the carrier's provider panel. Requires any carrier requiring preauthorization for medical treatment to have personnel available to provide preauthorization at all times when the preauthorization is required. Provides that no contract between a health care provider and a carrier shall include provisions that require a health care provider to deny covered services that the provider knows to be medically necessary and appropriate that are provided with respect to a specific enrollee or group of enrollees with similar medical conditions. Sets forth prohibited provisions in a contract between a carrier and a health care provider. Defines terms. Makes other and conforming changes.

Creates the Let the People Lift the Ban Act. Includes legislative findings and purpose. Defines terms. Excludes specified types of residences and occupancies from the Act. Includes provisions relating to rental agreements, tenant and landlord rights and obligations, tenant and landlord remedies, security deposits, retaliatory conduct, lockouts, and conflict with other provisions of law. Amends the Rent Control Preemption Act. Provides that a prohibition on a unit of local government enacting, maintaining, or enforcing an ordinance or resolution that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property does not apply if the voters of the unit of local government have approved a referendum allowing rent control. Adds provisions about local rent control regulation, including regulation within a district, precinct, ward, or other similar subdivision of a unit of local government. Changes the home rule preemption of the Act to concurrent exercise of home rule powers by a unit rather than exclusive exercise by the State. Repeals the Retaliatory Eviction Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Equitable Restrooms Act. Provides that every public restroom open to the public shall include menstrual hygiene products at no cost to the users of that public restroom. Provides that all menstrual hygiene products shall be placed within the public restroom and be openly accessible to users of that public restroom. Provides that the entity providing the public restroom shall be responsible for ordering, stocking, and replenishing the supply of menstrual hygiene products in the public restroom. Provides that the provisions do not apply to mosques, temples, churches, or other places of worship. Includes provisions relating to inspection of public restrooms and rules that the Department of Public Health shall adopt. Provides that a violation of provisions relating to baby changing stations, all-gender single-occupancy restrooms, and menstrual hygiene products is a petty offense with a fine of not more than $100. Effective immediately.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Repeals the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporters Act of 1984 on January 1, 2029 (rather than January 1, 2024). Amends the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporters Act of 1984. Provides that all applicants and registrants shall: (1) provide a valid address and email address to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which shall serve as the address of record and email address of record, respectively, at the time of application for registration or renewal of a registration; and (2) inform the Department of any change of address of record or email address of record within 14 days after such change either through the Department's website or by contacting the Department's licensure maintenance unit. Provides that every application for an original licensee under this Act shall include the applicant's Social Security Number or individual taxpayer identification number. Provides that the report of findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations of the Board shall be the basis for the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation's (rather than the Department's) action regarding a certificate. Provides that within 20 days after service of a notice of report of refusal to issue or renew, the respondent may present to the Secretary (rather than to the Department) a motion in writing for a rehearing. Removes a provision providing that exhibits shall be certified without cost. Repeals a provision concerning a roster. Makes corresponding and other changes. Provisions amending the Regulatory Sunset Act are effective immediately.

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Recognizes the week of November 13-19, 2023 as National Apprenticeship Week.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that in the development of the individualized education program for a student who is 17 years of age or older, or will be during that academic year, the IEP team shall consider voter registration as an appropriate goal or competency to be included in the IEP plan, and, if appropriate, when and how voter registration shall be accomplished. Provides that any resulting decisions shall be included in the IEP plan.

Amends the Firearms Restraining Order Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the Legislative Employee Labor Relations Act. Authorizes legislative employees to bargain collectively through the representatives of their choosing on questions of wages, hours, and other conditions of employment. Specifies that the General Assembly is not required to bargain on specified matters of inherent managerial policy. Establishes the Office of State Legislative Labor Relations. Directs the Office of State Legislative Labor Relations to manage the interests of the General Assembly in collective bargaining with legislative employees. Grants the State Panel of the Illinois Labor Relations Board jurisdiction over collective bargaining matters between employee organizations and the General Assembly of the State of Illinois. Contains additional provisions concerning the following topics: the duty to bargain collectively; fair-share agreements; grievance procedures; election and recognition of labor organizations as exclusive representatives; unfair labor practices; mediation; fact-finding; exhaustion of nonjudicial remedies; strikes during session periods; and multiyear collective bargaining agreements. Specifies that the Open Meetings Act does not apply to collective bargaining negotiations and grievance arbitration proceedings under the Act. Sets forth definitions. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012, the State Lawsuit Immunity Act, and the Workplace Violence Prevention Act to make conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2026.

Congratulates Chef Atzimba Perez on her accomplishments as a chef and as a community advocate. Congratulates her on becoming a legal resident of the United States.