Rep. Dee Avelar

Creates the Faith Behind Bars Act. Provides that a person committed to a correctional institution or facility has a constitutional right to practice his or her faith in the correctional institution or facility absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Provides that a committed person belonging to a faith group in a correctional institution or facility shall have access to pastoral and spiritual care absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Provides that a correctional institution or facility shall provide reading materials for diverse faith groups, including, but not limited to, spiritual, religious texts, prayer manuals, prayer mats, and other requested material from committed persons. Provides that all correctional institutions and facilities in the State shall provide committed persons the ability to pray by facilitating time and clean location, fast by allowing a committed person to abstain from food when appropriate, and respect for dietary restrictions absent harm and without undue burden to the State's correctional system. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections by making a conforming change.

Creates the Illinois Strategic Action Plan for Aging Equity Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to appoint a planning commission to research and develop a comprehensive, cross-sector, long-term strategic action plan for aging equity that will lead to actionable goals and measurable outcomes for the years 2023 through 2035. Establishes the Strategic Action Planning Commission for Aging Equity. Provides that the planning commission shall be made up of State agency directors and appointed elected officials or their designees as ex officio members, and a group of voting individuals from the general public. Provides that the planning commission shall examine the effects, challenges, opportunities, and needs for planning related to the shifting age demographics toward an increasing portion of the State's and localities' populations being made up of older adults. Requires the planning commission to adopt guiding principles that include, but are not limited to: (i) advancing aging equity across the life course; (ii) developing cultural humility and being culturally responsive with inclusive policies, programs, and services; and (iii) harnessing the power of experience and knowledge of older persons in communities. Requires the Governor to appoint members to the planning commission within 3 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act; and to consult with the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the Director of Aging about member appointments to ensure that (1) the planning commission reflects the geographic diversity of the State; (2) the planning commission is inclusive and consists of members who reflect a diversity of age, gender, ability, race, cultural, socioeconomic, and national background; (3) the planning commission includes Illinois residents age 60 or older; and other matters. Contains provisions on the composition of the planning commission; commission meetings; the commission's authority to establish a subcommittee; the establishment of an advisory committee; duties of the planning commission; data analysis; planning commission recommendations and reporting requirements; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Governor shall visit the institutions, facilities, and programs of the Department of Corrections as often as the Governor deems fit, for the purpose of enquiring (rather than examining) into the affairs and conditions of the Department. Provides that a member of the General Assembly may visit the institutions, facilities, and programs of the Department of Corrections, upon request of the member, for the purpose of enquiring into the affairs and conditions of the Department.

Amends the Litter Control Act. Provides that a hauler who overfills his or her hauling vehicle such that waste or construction material falls off the top of the hauling vehicle while in transit is subject to a civil penalty of $250. Requires moneys from civil penalties received under the provisions to be paid to the Department of Agriculture, which shall deposit the moneys into the Agriculture in the Classroom Fund.

Amends the Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal Act. Provides that any county or municipality shall (rather than may) authorize the use of its city hall, police department, or any other facility under the county's or municipality's control to display a container suitable for use as a receptacle for used, expired, or unwanted pharmaceuticals or sharps (rather than only pharmaceuticals). Defines "sharp". Effective January 1, 2022. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 415 ILCS 5/22.55 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal Act. Provides that any county shall (rather than may) and any municipality may authorize the use of its city hall, police department, or any other facility under the county's or municipality's control to display a container suitable for use as a receptacle for used, expired, or unwanted pharmaceuticals or sharps (rather than only pharmaceuticals). Defines "sharp" to mean any used or unused hypodermic, intravenous, or other medical needle or syringe with an original common medical purpose. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Adds sharps to the list of types of household wastes that household waste drop-off points may accept. Defines "sharp" to mean any used or unused hypodermic, intravenous, or other medical needle or syringe with an original common medical purpose. Effective January 1, 2022.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the requirements to change a candidate's name do not apply to name changes resulting from a civil union to assume a spouse's surname or dissolution of a civil union or declaration of invalidity of a civil union to assume a former surname or a name change that conforms the candidate's name to his or her gender identity. Makes conforming changes throughout the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for each employer taxpayer in an amount equal to $5,000 for each military spouse hired by the taxpayer during the taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning notices of cancellation. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 215 ILCS 5/143.15 Adds reference to: 225 ILCS 60/22 from Ch. 111, par. 4400-22 225 ILCS 65/70-5 was 225 ILCS 65/10-45 225 ILCS 95/21 from Ch. 111, par. 4621 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, and the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall not revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against the license or permit issued under the Acts to a physician, registered nurse, advance practice registered nurse, or physician assistant based solely upon the license of a physician, registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant being revoked or disciplined by any state or territory for the provision of, authorization of, or participation in any health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion on the basis that such health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion is unlawful or prohibited in that state or territory, if the provision of, authorization of, or participation in that health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion is not unlawful or prohibited in the State. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $35,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for the New Arrival Student Grant Program. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning conditions for basic maintenance grants of aid to the aged, blind, or disabled. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 305 ILCS 5/3-2 Adds reference to: 210 ILCS 50/3.10 305 ILCS 5/5-4.2 305 ILCS 5/5-30c new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to adjust the Department's criteria for determining the appropriateness of non-emergency transportation by striking any reference to prohibiting approval of ground ambulance services when the sole purpose of the transport is for the navigation of stairs or the assisting or lifting of a patient at a medical facility or during a medical appointment. Provides that it is the intent of the General Assembly to permit ground ambulance reimbursement for lifting, moving, or navigating stairs when a recipient exhibits extenuating circumstances related to the social determinants of health which would make an otherwise non-eligible ground ambulance transport eligible for reimbursement. Provides that such extenuating circumstances may be established through the completion of a Physician Certification Statement. Requires the Department to establish a methodology for providing reimbursement for: (i) bariatric transports at an amount of one additional base rate for each additional 2 personnel necessary to safely move the patient; and (ii) specialty care transports to include transports originating or terminating at a residence and for intra-facility transports. Provides that, to increase access to non-emergency transportation services, the Department shall increase the base rate for medi-car and stretcher van services to at least $50, and the rate of each attendant for medi-car and stretcher van services to at least $50. Provides that the reimbursement rate shall only apply to stretcher van providers licensed by the Department of Public Health in accordance with the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to establish a grant program for the purpose of building capacity among IMPACT-enrolled and BEP-certified providers of medi-car and stretcher van transportation services. Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Removes pre-hospital or inter-hospital transportation from the definition of "critical care transport". Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Further amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Changes the definition of "critical care transport" to mean transportation which includes the provision of pre-hospital or inter-hospital emergency care or non-emergency medical services to a critically injured or ill patient by a vehicle service provider, including the provision of medically necessary supplies and services, at a level of service beyond the scope of the Paramedic (rather than the pre-hospital or inter-hospital transportation of a critically injured or ill patient by a vehicle service provider, including the provision of medically necessary supplies and services, at a level of service beyond the scope of the Paramedic).