Rep. Norine Hammond

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable year 2024, the maximum income limitation for the senior freeze shall be $73,700 for all qualified property (currently, $65,000). Provides that the maximum income limitation shall be adjusted each year according to the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning surplus line insurance, changes the definition of "home state". Amends the Farm Mutual Insurance Company Act of 1986. Sets forth provisions concerning farm mutual insurance company investments in home office real estate. Makes other changes.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that the Department of Veterans Affairs shall create, and the Department of Labor shall make available, at no cost, a veterans and service members' benefits, services, and protections poster. Requires the poster to include, but not be limited to, information regarding free veterans' benefits and services provided by the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and other veterans service organizations, tax benefits, the Illinois veteran driver's license and non-driver veteran identification card, and Illinois protections for survivors of sexual violence in the military. Requires the poster to also include contact information for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs; and the Veterans Crisis Line. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Human Remains Protection Act. Provides that if remains that are over 100 years old are identified as veteran's remains, the Department of Natural Resources shall permit a veterans' organization to place a marker to designate that grave, if not already designated, as the grave of a veteran. Provides that if the grave is damaged or destroyed, the veterans' organization may fix, add, install, or refurbish the grave or replace a broken or damaged headstone. Before the veterans' organization may repair, refurbish, place a marker, or otherwise repair a broken headstone on the grave, the veterans' organization must make a good faith effort to contact the next of kin of the person whose grave has been identified and receive no response from the next of kin within a reasonable period of time as determined by the Department, by rule. Provides that the Department shall, by rule, determine what relationship to a person whose grave has been identified as a veteran's grave must be contacted by the veterans' organization.

Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. Provides that a person shall not be accepted for residency if that person requires level 3 or level 4 sterile wound care unless care is self-administered or administered by a licensed health care professional. Removes the prohibition on accepting a person for residency if that person requires insertion, sterile irrigation, and replacement of catheter, except for routine maintenance of urinary catheters, unless the catheter care is self-administered or administered by a license health care professional.

Amends the Department of Labor Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, not later than 270 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Director of Labor shall direct the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to issue non-mandatory guidance to employers on: (1) acquiring and maintaining opioid overdose reversal medication; and (2) training employees on an annual basis on the usage of such medication. Provides that, not later than 270 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Director of Labor shall direct the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to adopt rules to require each State agency to: (1) acquire and maintain opioid overdose reversal medication; and (2) train employees on an annual basis on the usage of such medication.

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Provides that physical therapy through telehealth services may be used to address access issues to care, enhance care delivery, or increase the physical therapist's ability to assess and direct the patient's performance in the patient's own environment. Provides that a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant working under the general supervision of a physical therapist may provide physical therapy through telehealth services pursuant to the terms and use defined in the Telehealth Act and the Illinois Insurance Code under specified conditions.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Provides that the allocation to road districts shall be made in the same manner and be subject to the same conditions and qualifications as are provided by Section 8 of the Motor Vehicle Tax Law with respect to the allocation to road districts of the amount allotted from the Motor Fuel Tax Fund for apportionment to counties for the use of road districts, but no allocation shall be made to any road district that has not levied taxes for road and bridge purposes in such a manner that is eligible for allotment of Motor Fuel Tax funding pursuant to the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Provides that any funds allocated to a county that are not obligated within 48 months shall be considered lapsed funds and reappropriated in the same fund. Provides that the lapsed funds shall be used to provide additional monetary assistance to townships and road districts that have insufficient funding for construction of bridges that are 20 feet or more in length under the Code. Requires the Department of Transportation to adopt rules to implement the provisions.

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that the governing board of each public institution of higher education shall adopt a policy to allow a student who is a member of the National Guard of any state, the District of Columbia, a commonwealth, or a territory of the United States or any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States to submit classwork and complete any other class assignments missed due to the student participating in a drill required as a member of the National Guard or the reserve component.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning no later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of State shall offer to qualified applicants the option to be issued an 8-year driver's license at a cost of $60. Provides that the Secretary shall submit proposed rules to implement the new provisions to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules no later than December 31, 2024. Makes corresponding changes.