Rep. La Shawn Ford

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Secretary of State to provide a disabilities motor decal or device to an expectant mother during her third trimester. Provides that a decal or device provided to an expectant mother shall be valid for no more than 90 days, and shall clearly set forth the date that the decal or device expires. Provides that a decal or device shall be issued only upon a showing by adequate documentation that the expectant mother has entered her third trimester.

Creates the Forest Preserve District and Conservation District Design-Build Authorization Act. Provides that a forest preserve district or conservation district 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 forest preserve or conservation district may combine the two-phase procedure for selection into one phase. Amends the Conservation District Act, Downstate Forest Preserve District Act, and Cook County Forest Preserve District Act making conforming changes. Further amends those Acts increasing the minimum contract amount to $30,000 (currently $25,000) before competitive bidding is required. Effective June 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that the total project cost criteria weighing factor shall not exceed 30% (rather than 60%) of the forest preserve district's or conservation district's Phase II cost evaluation.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescription for a substance in Schedule II, III, IV, or V must be sent electronically, in accordance with provisions regarding the Prescription Monitoring Program. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 720 ILCS 570/401.3 new Adds reference to: 720 ILCS 570/311.6 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescription for a substance classified in Schedule II, III, IV, or V must be sent electronically. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescriber shall not be required to issue prescriptions electronically if he or she certifies to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that he or she will not issue more than 25 prescriptions during a 12-month period. Prescriptions in both oral and written form for controlled substances shall be included in determining whether the prescriber will reach the limit of 25 prescriptions. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall adopt rules for the administration of these provisions. Provides that these rules shall provide for the implementation of any such exemption to the requirements under these provisions that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may deem appropriate, including the exemption limiting a prescriber from issuing more than 25 prescriptions during a 12-month period. Effective January 1, 2023.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that Juneteenth National Freedom Day shall be observed on June 19 of each year as a holiday throughout the State (currently, not a holiday and is observed on the third Saturday of June of each year). Provides that when June 19 falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be held and considered the holiday. Amends the Election Code, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, and the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act to include Juneteenth National Freedom Day as a holiday. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Central Management Services) Senate Bill 1965 will not require additional resources. Salaries will be paid, whether on holiday or at work. What is lost is productivity. If that equates to the cost of salaries, then CMS Bureau of Personnel's estimate is $11.3M statewide.

Creates the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is authorized to institute the water and sewer assistance program. Provides that any person who is a resident of the State of Illinois and whose household income is not greater than an amount determined annually by the Department may apply for assistance. Provides that in determining the amounts of assistance to be provided to or on behalf of a qualified applicant, the Department shall ensure that the highest amounts of assistance go to households with the greatest need for financial assistance in relation to household income by considering specified factors. Provides that each water or sewer provider shall assess each of its customer accounts a monthly Water and Sewer Assistance Charge to be deposited into the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that specified water or sewer utilities shall be allowed to offer a financial assistance program designed for bill payment assistance for low-income customers in accordance with the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act. Provides that the costs of a financial assistance program offered by a water or sewer utility shall be reimbursed from the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that, in its use of federal funds under the Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not cause a disproportionate share of those federal funds to benefit customers of water or sewer providers that do not assess the Water and Sewer Assistance Charge. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: In provisions creating the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act, provides that in setting the annual eligibility level to receive financial assistance under the Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not set a limit higher than the eligibility limit for assistance under the Energy Assistance Act (rather than 150% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Provides that the process to allow a water or sewer provider to discontinue imposing assessments shall include review by the Illinois Commerce Commission of any water or sewer provider subject to the Public Utilities Act. Removes provisions concerning program eligibility for residents of rental properties. In provisions amending the Public Utilities Act, provides that the Commission shall render its decision within 90 days (rather than 60 days) after receiving a petition from a water or sewer utility to offer a financial assistance program. Removes language requiring the Commission to annually review and reconcile any amounts collected through tariffs to recover the costs of the financial assistance program. Makes corresponding changes.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities and community colleges in Illinois. At least 60 days before the start of a term, requires the governing board of a public university or community college district to notify an adjunct professor about whether a class he or she was hired to teach has been canceled. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities and community colleges in Illinois. At least 30 days before the start of a term and again 14 days before the beginning of a term, requires the governing board of a public university or community college district to notify an adjunct professor about the status of the class the adjunct professor was hired to teach. Requires the governing board to allow adjunct professors to have access to the electronic class roster that displays enrollment to assess the status of class enrollment. Provides that the provisions do not apply if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency or a natural disaster under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Exempts collective bargaining agreements that are in effect on the effective date of the amendatory Act from the provisions. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Removes the provisions allowing an adjunct professor to have access to the electronic class roster that displays class enrollment. In the provisions amending the Public Community College Act, provides that at least 30 days before the beginning of a semester or term and again at 14 days before the beginning of the semester or term, a community college must notify an adjunct professor about the status of class enrollment of the class the adjunct professor was assigned to teach (rather than at least 30 days before the beginning of a term and again at 14 days before the beginning of the term, the board of trustees must notify an adjunct professor about the status of class enrollment of the class the adjunct professor was hired to teach).

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Relocates a provision regarding special immigrant minors from the Abused, Neglected, or Dependent Minors Article to the General Provisions Article. Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that a petition for guardianship of the person of a minor who is 18 years of age or older, but who has not yet attained 21 years of age, may be filed by a parent, relative, or nonrelative person over the age of 21. Provides that a court making determinations concerning such a petition shall consider the best interest of the minor. Provides that an appointed guardian shall have responsibility for the custody, nurture, and tuition of the minor, and shall have the right to determine the minor's residence based on the minor's best interest. Provides that a minor who is the subject of a petition for guardianship or for extension of guardianship may be referred for psychological, educational, medical, or social services under certain circumstances. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 755 ILCS 5/11-5.6 new Adds reference to: 755 ILCS 5/11-5.5 Relocates the changes to the Probate Act of 1975 into a Section related to special immigrant minor findings. Provides that with the consent of the minor, the court shall appoint the petitioner as the guardian (rather than "shall appoint a guardian") of the person for a minor who is 18 years of age or older, but who has not yet attained 21 years of age, in connection with a motion for special findings.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 320 ILCS 25/1 Adds reference to: 320 ILCS 20/2 from Ch. 23, par. 6602 320 ILCS 20/3 from Ch. 23, par. 6603 320 ILCS 20/3.3 new 320 ILCS 20/3.5 320 ILCS 20/3.6 new 320 ILCS 20/4 from Ch. 23, par. 6604 320 ILCS 20/4.1 320 ILCS 20/4.2 320 ILCS 20/5 from Ch. 23, par. 6605 320 ILCS 20/7.1 320 ILCS 20/7.5 320 ILCS 20/8 from Ch. 23, par. 6608 320 ILCS 20/9 from Ch. 23, par. 6609 320 ILCS 20/13 320 ILCS 20/15 720 ILCS 5/3-5 from Ch. 38, par. 3-5 720 ILCS 5/17-56 was 720 ILCS 5/16-1.3 815 ILCS 515/3 from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 1603 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Expands the scope of the Act to include reports of abandonment. Requires the Department on Aging to offer, subject to appropriations, an annual trauma-informed training program that includes instruction on how trauma impacts caseworkers and other employees who respond to and prevent adult abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment. Requires the Department to develop and implement a demonstration project to allow for the use of a risk assessment tool to assist in identifying elderly persons who may be experiencing elder abuse, abandonment, neglect, or exploitation. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a prosecution for theft by deception of a victim age 60 or older or a person with a disability may be commenced within 7 years of the last act committed in furtherance of the crime. Concerning the offense of financial exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability, expands the scope of "person who stands in a position of trust and confidence" to include a friend or acquaintance of the elderly person or person with a disability who is in a position of trust. Amends the Home Repair Fraud Act. Provides that a person commits home repair fraud when he or she promises a performance that he or she knows will not be completed at any time during the performance of the service. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 815 ILCS 515/3 from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 1603 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Expands the scope of the Act to include reports of abandonment. Requires the Department on Aging to offer, subject to appropriations, an annual trauma-informed training program that includes instruction on how trauma impacts caseworkers and other employees who respond to and prevent adult abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment. Requires the Department to develop and implement a demonstration project to allow for the use of a risk assessment tool to assist in identifying elderly persons who may be experiencing elder abuse, abandonment, neglect, or exploitation. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a prosecution for theft by deception of a victim age 60 or older or a person with a disability may be commenced within 7 years of the last act committed in furtherance of the crime. Concerning the offense of financial exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability, expands the scope of "person who stands in a position of trust and confidence" to include a friend or acquaintance of the elderly person or person with a disability who is in a position of trust.

Amends the School Code. To ensure that the content available on any third party online curriculum that is made available to enrolled students or the public by a school district through the Internet is readily accessible to persons with disabilities, provides that the State Board of Education shall require that the third party online curriculum comply with Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.182 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.75 new 105 ILCS 5/34-18.67 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the introduced bill, but provides that a school district must require (rather than the State Board of Education shall require) that the Internet website or web service comply with Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Adds an effective date of August 1, 2022.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code to provide that an individual or group health care service plan contract that is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022 shall not require prior authorization for biomarker testing for an insured with advanced or metastatic stage 3 or 4 cancer, nor shall prior authorization be required for biomarker testing of cancer progression or recurrence in the insured with advanced or metastatic stage 3 or 4 cancer. Defines "biomarker testing". House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 375/6.11 55 ILCS 5/5-1069.3 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.3 105 ILCS 5/10-22.3f 215 ILCS 125/5-3 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1411.2 215 ILCS 130/4003 from Ch. 73, par. 1504-3 215 ILCS 165/10 from Ch. 32, par. 604 305 ILCS 5/5-16.8 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022 shall include coverage for biomarker testing. Provides that biomarker testing shall be covered and conducted in an efficient manner to provide the most complete range of results to the patient's health care provider without requiring multiple biopsies, biospecimen samples, or other delays or disruptions in patient care. Provides that biomarker testing must be covered for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management, or ongoing monitoring of an enrollee's disease or condition when the test is supported by medical and scientific evidence. Provides that when coverage of biomarker testing for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment, or ongoing monitoring of any medical condition is restricted for use by health insurers, nonprofit health service plans, or health maintenance organizations, the patient and prescribing practitioner shall have access to a clear, readily accessible, and convenient processes to request an exception, and the process shall be made readily accessible on the insurer's website. Defines "biomarker" and "biomarker testing". Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code.