Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Contains provisions concerning the establishment of various programs and services for the benefit of veterans including a proactive outreach program for veterans that served in high casualty units, in units that experienced high conflict areas, and in units where at least one service member committed suicide following his or her service; a public awareness campaign concerning the trauma and internal injuries suffered by veterans; specified training concerning mental health services for employees of veterans service organizations, Veterans Assistance Commissions, and veterans' service associations; educational success programs for veterans experiencing specified difficulties in higher education; a family preparation course for the families of returning veterans; a licensing program for therapy dogs for veterans; a transition program for returning veterans that reside in the State; a system that allows veterans to file a specified federal form immediately upon discharge; creation of an employer training program; and a standard statewide peer-to-peer training program to familiarize veterans with the veterans' services available at the local, State, and federal levels. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to adopt any rules necessary to implement these provisions.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Requires that to be illegal a drug analog must not be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration or, if approved, it is not dispensed or possessed in accordance with State and federal law. Defines "controlled substance" to include a synthetic drug enumerated as a scheduled drug under the Act. Adds chemical structural classes of synthetic cannabinoids and piperazines to the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Includes certain substances approved by the FDA which are not dispensed or possessed in accordance with State or federal law and certain modified substances.
Amends the Direct Pay Permit Implementation Act. Makes a technical change in a Section creating the direct pay permit pilot program.
Amends the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act. Provides that a defendant may be admitted into a Veterans and Servicemembers Court program post-adjudication only with the approval of the court. Provides that a "crime of violence" includes rather than means first degree murder, second degree murder, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, armed robbery, aggravated arson, arson, aggravated kidnapping and kidnapping, aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm or permanent disability, stalking, aggravated stalking, or any offense involving the discharge of a firearm or where occurred serious bodily injury or death to any person.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning access to psychiatric mental health services via telepsychiatry, provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not require that a physician or other licensed health care professional be physically present in the same room as the patient for the entire time during which the patient is receiving telepsychiatry services. Provides that the Department shall not require that a physician or other licensed healthcare professional be physically present in the same room as the patient for the entire time during which the patient is receiving telemedicine services. Defines "telemedicine" as the use of a telecommunication system to provide medical services for the purpose of evaluation and treatment when the patient is at one location and the rendering provider is at another location.
Amends the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act. Provides that the Department of State Police shall create and operate a statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system. Provides that the statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system shall: (1) track the location and status of sexual assault evidence kits throughout the criminal justice process, including the initial collection in examinations performed at medical facilities, receipt at local law enforcement agencies, and receipt and analysis at forensic laboratories; (2) allow medical facilities performing sexual assault forensic examinations, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, State and local crime laboratories, and other entities who have physical custody of sexual assault evidence kits to update and track the status and location of sexual assault evidence kits; (3) allow victims of sexual assault to anonymously track and receive updates regarding the status of their sexual assault evidence kit; and (4) use technology to allow continuous access for appropriate personnel. Provides that the Department may phase in initial participation in the statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system by region, volume, or other appropriate classification. Provides that all entities who have custody of sexual assault evidence kits shall fully participate in the system by no later than July 1, 2019. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Renter's Financial Responsibility and Protection Act. Provides that a rental car company may void a damage waiver if damage or loss to the rental vehicle results from the renter losing or otherwise failing to secure the rental vehicle's keys or any other act of negligence by the renter that would reasonably result in the damage or loss to the rental vehicle.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision limiting medical assistance recipients to one pair of adult eyeglasses every 2 years, provides that the limitation does not apply to an individual who needs different eyeglasses following a surgical procedure such as cataract surgery. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. In Sections concerning the fire truck revolving loan program, the fire station revolving loan program, and the ambulance revolving loan program, provides that repayments of loans made under those programs (and interest on those moneys) may be retained by the Authority and used for the purposes for which they are otherwise authorized to be used (currently, deposited into the Fire Truck Revolving Loan Fund, the Fire Station Revolving Loan Fund, and the Ambulance Revolving Loan Fund, as applicable). Provides that a loan for the purchase of an ambulance may not exceed $200,000 (instead of $100,000).
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, 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, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, including, but not limited to, the use of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Effective immediately.