Rep. Sue Scherer

Amends the Foster Parent Law. Provides that foster parents have a right to receive an initial payment of $480 per child to be made within 24 hours of a permanent placement. Provides that if the final monthly payment for a child amounts to $480 or more, the amount of $480 shall be deducted from the final monthly payment. Provides that if the final monthly payment amounts to less than $480, the final monthly payment shall not be made.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Defines terms. Provides that a group policy of accident and health insurance that provides coverage for hospital or medical treatment or services for illness on an expense-incurred basis and that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage, without imposing any cost-sharing requirement, for clinical genetic testing for an inherited gene mutation for individuals with a personal or family history of cancer that is recommended by a health care professional; and evidence-based cancer imaging for individuals with an increased risk of cancer as recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines. Provides that the requirements do not apply to coverage of genetic testing or evidence-based cancer imaging to the extent such coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

Amends the Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987. Makes a technical change in the Section concerning the short title of the Act.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the School Code's construction.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a security employee of the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice under the Tier 2 provisions is entitled to an annuity calculated under the alternative retirement formula, in lieu of the regular or minimum retirement annuity, only if the person has withdrawn from service with not less than 20 years of eligible creditable service and has attained age 55 (instead of age 60). With regard to Tier 2 members and participants under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), Chicago Municipal, Cook County, State Employees, and State Universities Article: changes the retirement age to age 60 with 20 years of service or age 67 with 10 years of service; changes the final average salary calculation to the total salary during the 60 months (instead of 96 months) of service within the last 120 months of service in which the total salary was the highest; rescinds an election for certain benefits for persons under the Chicago Municipal Article; provides that the automatic annual increase in retirement annuity shall be calculated at 3% or one-half the annual unadjusted increase in the consumer-price index-u, whichever is greater (instead of whichever is less) of the originally granted retirement annuity; and makes other changes. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act are intended to be retroactive to January 1, 2011 and are applicable without regard to whether a member or participant was in active service on or after the effective date. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Requires insurance policies to be written in language easily readable and understandable by a person of average intelligence and education. Provides the factors the Director of Insurance shall consider in making the determination that the policy is easily readable and understandable by a person of average intelligence and education.

Amends the School Boards and Chicago School District Articles of the School Code. Provides that school boards shall allow all educators to have daily continuous uninterrupted individual classroom planning time. Provides that the planning period shall be equal to one class period but no less than 45 minutes in duration. Provides that this time requirement applies to educators who are in contact with students for 50% or more of their contracted workday. Provides that, during this planning period, educators may not be forced to substitute in other areas of the building or district when another educator is absent or a vacancy exists and may not be forced to attend meetings, trainings, or conferences of any kind. Provides that if an educator chooses to substitute or attend a meeting, training, or conference during their guaranteed planning period of their own free will, the educator shall be compensated at a rate of pay that is negotiated between the local Board of Education and local association of a state teacher association.

Creates the Higher Education Violation Reporting Act. Provides that each public and private institution of higher education shall maintain a report publicly reporting actual findings of violations by any student organization, athletic team, or living group of the institution's code of conduct or anti-hazing policy or State or federal laws relating to hazing or alcohol, drugs, sexual assault, or physical assault. Provides that an institution of higher education shall provide hazing prevention education to employees. Provides that if an employee or volunteer at an institution of higher education has reasonable cause to believe that hazing has occurred, the employee or volunteer shall report the incident. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. In provisions concerning hazing, provides that a person commits hazing when he or she knowingly requires the performance of any act by a student or other person in a school, college, university, or other educational institution of this State for the purpose of induction or admission into or maintenance of membership in (instead of only for the purpose of induction or admission into) any group, organization, or society associated or connected with that institution if the act meets certain requirements; makes changes to the requirements. Provides that an act may be considered hazing regardless of whether the student or other person is willing to participate in the act. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a health plan shall limit the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription inhaler at an amount not to exceed $25 per 30-day supply and shall limit the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for all covered prescription inhalers at an amount not to exceed $50 in total per 30 days. Provides that coverage for prescription inhalers shall not be subject to any deductible. Provides that nothing in the provisions prevents a health plan from reducing a covered person's cost sharing to an amount less than the cap. Authorizes rulemaking and enforcement by the Department of Insurance. Effective January 1, 2025.

Creates the Local School District Mandate Note Act. Provides that, every bill that imposes or could impose a mandate on local school districts, upon the request of any member, shall have prepared for it, before second reading in the house of introduction, a brief explanatory statement or note that shall include a reliable estimate of the anticipated fiscal and operational impact of those mandates on local school districts. Provides that the sponsor of each bill for which a request has been made shall present a copy of the bill with the request for a local school district mandate note to the State Board of Education. Provides that the State Board of Education shall prepare and submit the note to the sponsor of the bill within 5 calendar days, except as specified. Sets forth provisions concerning the requisites and contents of the note; comments or opinions included in the note; and the appearance of State officials and employees in support or opposition of measure.