Rep. Tim Butler

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that December 3rd of each year is designated as Illinois Statehood Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day to commemorate December 3, 1818 as the day Illinois became the 21st State to join the Union. Provides that each year, within 10 days before Illinois Statehood Day, the Governor shall issue a proclamation announcing the recognition of Statehood Day, and designate the official events that shall be held in honor of Illinois obtaining statehood on December 3, 1818.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides for the issuance of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm license plates to any Illinois resident who has earned the Southwest Asia Service Medal from the United States Armed Forces. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency may not require an individual to obtain a permit in order to apply algicide, copper sulfate, copper sulfate based products, or copper sulfate chemical aids to a privately held water retention pond, provided that the products are commercially available at retail outlets and are not prohibited by federal law.

Amends the Flag Display Act. Provides that for the period of time spanning December 3, 2017 through December 31, 2018, a United States flag bearing 21 stars shall be flown from the flag pole of the Illinois State Capitol Building in celebration of Illinois' bicentennial as the 21st state to join the Union. Provides that the flag used shall conform to certain specified requirements. Repeals the Section on January 1, 2019. Effective immediately.

Amends various Acts to conform statutes to the agency reorganization under Executive Order Number 1 (2017), which abolished the Historic Preservation Agency and transferred its powers, duties, and functions to the Department of Natural Resources, except for functions transferred by law from the Historic Preservation Agency to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Agency. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires long-term care providers to submit all changes in resident status, including, but not limited to, death, discharge, changes in patient credit, third party liability, and Medicare coverage to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services through the Medical Electronic Data Interchange System, the Recipient Eligibility Verification System, or the Electronic Data Interchange System under a specified schedule. Requires the Department and other agencies to establish an expedited long-term care eligibility determination and enrollment system. Requires the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Secretary of Human Services and the Director of Aging, to hold meetings for provider associations representing facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act and certified as supportive living programs. Provides that the meetings shall be held every 6 weeks until all backlogged cases have been adjudicated and the application process has been reduced to the federal timeframe. Contains provisions concerning a 45-day extension of the federal eligibility application processing deadline in suspected cases of fraud; the identification of applicants who had full Medicaid benefits in the community for 6 months or more immediately before entering the long-term care facility; reporting requirements; public-private partnerships aimed at redeploying caseworkers to targeted high-Medicaid facilities for the purpose of expediting initial Medicaid and long-term care benefits applications; the establishment of a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant database; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission Act. Sets forth the appointment of the members, duties, and meeting requirements of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall plan and sponsor Route 66 centennial events, programs, and activities and shall encourage the development of programs to involve all citizens in Route 66 centennial events. Requires the Commission to deliver a final report of its activities to the Governor no later than June 30, 2027. Provides that the Commission shall be dissolved on June 30, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Deletes language repealing the Healthy Local Food Incentives Program on June 30, 2019.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that law enforcement officers, in an effort to assist the Department of Children and Family Services in child protective investigations in its response to reports of child abuse or neglect, must, upon request of a child protection investigator, accompany the child protection investigator. Provides that it is the responsibility of the accompanying officer to accompany the child protection investigator to any other police jurisdiction that is outside the accompanying officer's primary jurisdiction. Amends the Department of State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Counties Code, and the Illinois Municipal Code making conforming changes.

Designates the Interstate 55 overpass at Towanda, Exit 171 as the "Officer Patrick Michael Righi Barnard Memorial Overpass".