Creates the Illinois Harvest to Homes Pilot Program Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture, with meaningful input from stakeholders, shall develop an Illinois Harvest to Homes Pilot Program for a period of 5 years under which eligible entities may receive funding to provide agricultural surplus to communities of need. Creates an advisory council to support the Program. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to implement the program no later than 90 days after the effective date of the Act. Provides that aspects of the program that are eligible for funding may include: (1) reimbursement to growers for picking, packing, and processing agricultural surplus; (2) transportation to the food banks; (3) reimbursement to food banks for storage and distribution costs; (4) capacity building grants for food banks to invest in facility upgrades for processing agricultural surplus; (5) marketing and promotional activities related to the pilot program; and (6) program administration. Provides for reporting requirements. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. With regard to local school council members, provides that an individual is ineligible for election or appointment to a local school council if he or she appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Provides that if the general superintendent, upon a check, determines at any time that a local school council member or member-elect appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, the general superintendent must notify the local school council member or member-elect of such determination and the local school council member or member-elect must be removed from the local school council by the school board, subject to a hearing, convened pursuant to board rule, prior to removal. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a local school council member must comply with all applicable board rules and policies regarding employees or volunteers if he or she engages in school activities beyond the scope of his or her official duty as a council member. Removes provisions regarding ineligibility for election or appointment of a local school council member based on a criminal conviction.
Amends the General Provisions and State Employees Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the alternative retirement annuity under the State Employees Article applies to a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions. Provides that a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions may convert up to 8 years of service credit established before the effective date of the amendatory Act as a conservation police officer under the State Employees Article into eligible creditable service by filing a written election with the Board under that Article, accompanied by a specified payment. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care organization shall change an insured's eligibility or coverage during a contract period. Provides that during a contract period, insureds shall have the protection and continuity of their providers, medication, covered benefits, and formulary during the contract period. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code making conforming changes.
Declares March 28, 2019 as Celebrating Women in Public Office Day.
Amends the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act. Modifies the term "public agency" to include the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System and the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. Effective immediately.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that coverage required under a Medicaid managed care plan for custom prosthetic and orthotic devices shall be no less favorable than the terms and conditions that apply to substantially all medical and surgical benefits provided under the plan or coverage. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to set a rate of reimbursement payable by contracted managed care organizations to contracted, in-network providers for custom prosthetic and orthotic devices at a rate no less than the Medicare rate for the year minus 6%. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act shall not be construed to allow the Department or its contracted managed care organizations to enter into sole source contracts for the provision of custom prosthetic or orthotic devices to recipients of medical assistance or Medicaid managed care enrollees.
Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches may collaborate with a physician assistant (rather than may delegate care and treatment responsibilities to a physician assistant). Provides that a collaborative agreement shall be for services in the same area of practice or specialty as the collaborating physician in his or her medical practice. Deletes language providing that a physician may enter into collaborative agreements with no more than 7 full-time physician assistants. Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a physician assistant in a health professional shortage area with a score greater than or equal to 12 shall own his or her own medical practice. Provides that medical and surgical services provided by a physician assistant include: obtaining and performing comprehensive health histories and physical examinations; evaluating, diagnosing, and providing medical treatment; ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic studies and therapeutic procedures; educating patients on health promotion and disease prevention; providing consultation upon request; and writing medical orders. Includes other provisions regarding scope of practice. Deletes language requiring: a written collaborative agreement for all physician assistants to practice in the State; and a written collaborative agreement to describe the working relationship of the physician assistant with the collaborating physician and the categories of care, treatment, or procedures to be provided by the physician assistant. Creates the Physician Assistant Medical Licensing Board (rather than the physician assistant advisory committee). Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2020.
Amends the Freedom of Information Act to provide that in the case of sexual assault or sexual abuse by a school district employee or volunteer, nothing in the Act prohibits a school district from disclosing the disciplinary records of that person. Amends the School Code to require a school board to report all credible cases of sexual assault or sexual abuse by a licensed educator to the State Board of Education, to establish a hearing procedure for student victims, and to ensure that a licensed educator under investigation by the State Superintendent of Education is reassigned to non-classroom duty. Provides that, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, the State Board of Education must monitor all fingerprint-based criminal history records checks and any other database checks conducted by a school district or regional superintendent for applicants for employment with a school district. Makes changes concerning educator licensure and allegations of physical or sexual abuse. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to create the criminal offense of sexual conduct or sexual relations with a student by an authority figure. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 to require an arresting enforcement agency to share its reports pertaining to the arrest of a licensed educator with the superintendent of any school district that employs the educator (or, in the case of the arrest of a superintendent, with the school board of any school district that employs the superintendent). Amends the Personnel Record Review Act to provide that the Act does not prohibit a school district from divulging internal investigative findings and discipline to another school district. Effective immediately.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to conduct at least one workshop and issue a report concerning how the State can continue to encourage electric utilities in their efforts regarding the evaluation of emerging technologies, products, and services associated with the provision of electric service to provide their customers with reliable, efficient, and safe electric service. Provides for repeal of the provisions on January 1, 2021. Effective immediately.