Rep. Sue Scherer

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must issue or deny a license no later than 30 days after completion of the application for practical nurse and registered professional nurse licensure. Provides that the Department must issue or deny a license no later than 30 days after receiving the required documentation for advanced practice registered nurse licensure. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024 and that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall provide coverage for vaginal estrogen, and that coverage for vaginal estrogen shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement. 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 Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024 and that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall include coverage for one or more therapeutic equivalent versions of vaginal estrogen in its formulary (rather than provide coverage for vaginal estrogen), and that a policy is not required to include all therapeutic equivalent versions of vaginal estrogen in its formulary so long as at least one is included and covered without cost sharing and in accordance with the provisions. Provides that if an individual's attending provider recommends a particular vaginal estrogen product or its therapeutic equivalent version approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration based on the provider's determination, the issuer must cover that service or item without cost sharing. Provides that coverage for vaginal estrogen shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided, except to the extent such coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account pursuant to specified federal law. Defines "therapeutic equivalent version".

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property may be granted the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption without reapplication if: (1) each member of the taxpayer's household provides written consent to the Department of Revenue and the chief county assessment officer allowing the Department of Revenue to share his or her income information with the chief county assessment officer; and (2) the taxpayer notifies the chief county assessment officer in writing that he or she is opting out of the reapplication process for future taxable years. Requires the chief county assessment officer to verify the taxpayer's household income with the Department of Revenue. Requires the titleholder of record or the transferee, as applicable, to notify the chief county assessment officer if the property ceases to qualify for the exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a neglected minor includes any minor under the age of 12 (rather than 14) years whose parent or other person responsible for the minor's welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of that minor. Provides that neglect does not include permitting a child, whose basic needs are met and who is of sufficient age and maturity to avoid harm or unreasonable risk of harm, to engage in independent activities, including: (1) traveling to and from school, including by walking, running, or bicycling; (2) traveling to and from nearby commercial or recreational activities; (3) engaging in outdoor play; (4) remaining in a vehicle unattended, except as otherwise provided by law; (5) remaining at home unattended; or (6) engaging in a similar independent activity. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits child abandonment when he or she, as a parent, guardian, or other person having physical custody or control of a child, without regard for the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of that child, knowingly leaves that child who is under the age of 12 (rather than 13) without supervision by a responsible person over the age of 14 for a period of 24 hours or more. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill, and makes the following changes: Changes the legislative findings. Provides that a neglected minor includes any minor (rather than a minor under 14 years) whose parent or other person responsible for the minor's welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of that minor. Provides that a minor shall not be considered neglected for the sole reason that the minor was engaged in independent activities, except if the person responsible for the minor's health, safety, or welfare willfully disregards danger that the independent activity poses to the physical or mental health of the minor under circumstances when the danger is sufficiently obvious that no reasonable person would cause or permit the minor to be unsupervised in such a situation given the minor's level of maturity, physical condition, or mental abilities. Provides that factors considered in determining if a minor's needs can be sufficiently met during an independent activity are whether the activity is generally accepted as suitable for minors of the same age or level of maturity, or are developmentally appropriate for a minor based on the development of cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities that are typical for the minor's age or age group. Provides that the determination for a specific minor shall also take into account the developmental stage of that minor's cognitive, emotional, and physical development and the minor's behavioral capacities. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to change the child abandonment statute. Provides that a person commits child abandonment when he or she, as a parent, guardian, or other person having physical custody or control of a child, without regard for the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of that child, knowingly permits a child to engage in independent activities that were unreasonable under the circumstances or for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the minor's mental or physical health, safety or well-being. Provides that for the purposes of this provision, no specific age shall be determinative of reasonableness. Provides that reasonableness shall be determined by the maturity of each individual child (rather than leaves that child who is under the age of 13 without supervision by a responsible person over the age of 14 for a period of 24 hours or more).

Declares March 15, 2022 as Equal Pay Day.

Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 320 ILCS 20/1 Adds reference to: 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 20/8 from Ch. 23, par. 6608 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Provides that any person may report information about the suspicious death of an eligible adult to an agency designated to receive such reports under the Act or to the Department on Aging. Provides that if a mandated reporter has reason to believe that the death of an eligible adult may be the result of abuse or neglect, the matter shall be reported to an agency designated to receive such reports under the Act or to the Department for subsequent referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency and the coroner or medical examiner. Prohibits an employer from discriminating against any employee who reports information about the suspicious death of an eligible adult in accordance with the Act. Provides that any mandated reporter who is required under the Act to report a suspicious death due to abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation shall testify fully in any administrative hearing resulting from such report. Provides that a referral to law enforcement may be made after a report of a suspicious death, depending upon the circumstances. Provides that all records concerning reports of suspicious deaths due to abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect and all records generated as a result of such reports shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed, with some exceptions. Effective January 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 320 ILCS 20/4 320 ILCS 20/4.1 320 ILCS 20/4.2 320 ILCS 20/5 320 ILCS 20/8 Adds reference to: 320 ILCS 20/2 from Ch. 23, par. 6602 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. In a provision listing mandated reporters, excludes the State Long Term Care Ombudsman and all representatives of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. Expands the definition of "mandated reporter" to include investment advisors and insurance adjusters. Defines "insurance adjuster" and "investment adviser". Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning a person's accountability for another person's conduct. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 720 ILCS 5/5-1 Adds reference to: 720 ILCS 5/14-3 720 ILCS 5/33G-9 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Provides that the exemption to an eavesdropping violation that with prior request to and written or verbal approval of the State's Attorney of the county in which the conversation is anticipated to occur, recording or listening with the aid of an eavesdropping device to a conversation in which a law enforcement officer, or any person acting at the direction of a law enforcement officer, is a party to the conversation and has consented to the conversation being intercepted or recorded in the course of an investigation of a qualified offense is inoperative on and after January 1, 2025 (rather than January 1, 2023). Extends the repeal of the RICO Article of the Code from June 11, 2022 to June 11, 2024. Effective immediately.

Amends the Messages Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 610/15 from Ch. 120, par. 467.15 Adds reference to: 35 ILCS 5/225 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the maximum amount of the credit for instructional materials and supplies from $250 for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2023 to $300 for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Authorizes the amendatory Act to be cited as the Truth in Politics Act. Includes legislative findings. Amends the Prohibitions and Penalties Article of the Election Code. Creates prohibitions against (i) false or misleading statements to affect a vote, (ii) unlawful attempts to affect the outcome of a campaign, (iii) distribution of materials intending to mislead people on a candidate's incumbency status, and (iv) libel and defamation in political advertising. Provides that, if a person violates the provisions, the person can be enjoined civilly. Provides that a violation of the provisions are Class A misdemeanors. Amends the Fair Campaign Practices Article of the Election Code. Requires (rather than allows) candidates and the chairs of political committees to sign and file the Code of Fair Campaign Practices. Requires a candidate to include in all of the candidate's campaign literature and advertising the following statement: "I am a candidate for (specify office), and I support the accuracy of this message." Provides penalties for failure to timely file a signed Code of Fair Campaign Practices and for violations of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices or other provisions of the Article. Defines terms.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Removes the requirement that educator licensure candidates pass a teacher performance assessment. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2021.