Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that for community-based providers serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2024 shall be increased sufficiently to: (i) provide a minimum $4.00 per hour wage increase over the wages in for front-line personnel; and (ii) provide wages for all other residential non-executive direct care staff, excluding direct support personnel, at the U.S. Department of Labor's average wage as defined in by the Department of Human Services. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for ID/DD facilities and MC/DD facilities, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2024 shall be increased sufficiently to: (i) provide a minimum $4.00 per hour wage increase over the wages in for front-line personnel; and (ii) provide wages for all other residential non-executive direct care staff, excluding direct support personnel, at the U.S. Department of Labor's average wage as defined in rule by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Departments of Human Services and Healthcare and Family Services emergency rulemaking authority. Effective immediately.
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Creates the Vision Care Plan Regulation Act. Provides that no vision care organization may issue a contract that requires an eye care provider to provide services or materials to an enrollee at a fee set by the vision care plan unless the services or materials are covered under the vision care plan. Provides that an eye care provider who chooses not to accept amounts set by a vision care plan for noncovered services or noncovered materials shall post a specified notice. Requires fees for covered services and materials to be reasonable and clearly listed on a fee schedule provided to the eye care provider. Prohibits a vision care organization from misrepresenting the benefits of a vision care plan as a means of selling coverage or communicating the benefit coverage to enrollees. Provides that the Act applies to any subcontractors used by a vision care organization to supply materials or services to an eye care provider or an enrollee under a vision care plan. Prohibits a vision care organization from restricting an eye care provider's freedom to choose suppliers, materials, or labs or from requiring an eye care provider to purchase materials from a source owned by the entity that issued the vision care plan. Provides that an eye care provider recommending an out-of-network supplier of vision care materials to an enrollee shall provide written notice thereof. Provides that the terms, fees, discounts, or reimbursement rates in a vision care plan may not be changed unless mutually agreed to in writing by the eye care provider and the vision care organization. Sets forth prohibited contract terms that may not be required by a vision care organization as a condition of contracting with a medical plan. Provides that a person or entity adversely affected by a violation of the Act by the vision care organization may seek injunctive relief and shall recover attorney's fees and costs from the vision care organization upon prevailing. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to provide that any person who violates the Vision Care Plan Regulation Act commits an unlawful practice.
Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the General Provisions Article, provides that beginning on January 1, 2024, the annual earnings, salary, or wages of a Tier 2 participant under the Cook County Article shall track with the Social Security wage base (rather than shall not exceed $106,800, adjusted annually). Makes conforming changes in the Cook County Article and provides that the county's contribution shall be paid through a tax levy and any other lawfully available funds. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2025, the Fund shall not use contributions received by the Fund for subsidy for an annuitant health care program. Deletes a restrictive date in a provision concerning establishing credit for military service. Beginning on December 1, 2023, provides that the president of the county shall appoint 2 additional members to the board of trustees. Requires the retirement board to retain an actuary who is a member in good standing of the American Academy of Actuaries to produce an annual actuarial report of the Fund and provides criteria for the report. Provides that the annual audit required of the Fund may include the preparation of the annual actuarial report. Provides that the annual report submitted to the county board shall include the annual actuarial report. Requires that the minimum required employer contribution shall be submitted annually by the county and provides the method of determining the minimum required employer contribution. Provides that the Fund shall (rather than may) pay for an annuitant health care program administered by the Fund (rather than any of the county's health care plans). Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Chicago Police and Chicago Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Establishes a presumption that a fireman or policeman who becomes disabled as a result of exposure to and contraction of COVID-19 was injured in the line of duty and is entitled to receive a duty disability benefit under the applicable Article of the Code. Specifies that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply retroactively to March 9, 2020, and any policeman or fireman who has been previously denied a duty disability benefit that would otherwise be entitled to a duty disability benefit under the amendatory Act shall be entitled to a retroactive duty disability benefit. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Cook County Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a contributing employee may elect to purchase creditable service for up to 48 months of active-duty military service, whether or not that service followed service as a county employee. Provides that to establish this creditable service, the contributing employee must pay to the Fund an amount determined by the Fund to represent the employee contributions for the creditable service based on his or her rate of compensation after the military service, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of discharge to the date of payment. Removes an existing provision concerning the purchase of service credit for military service. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
Creates the College Insurance Program Task Force to study the College Insurance Program and present policy and legislative recommendations to the General Assembly to ensure the program remains a viable and healthy benefit.
Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, all internships for school social workers must be paid internships. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts to assist in the funding of these paid internships. Provides that the State Board of Education shall annually disseminate a request for applications to the grant program. Provides that higher priority shall be given to schools that demonstrate a shortage of school social workers, which is determined by the average ratio of school social workers to students in the target school district over the preceding 3 school years. Provides that the State Board of Education shall produce an annual report on the program. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to colleges and universities in this State to fund field placements for social workers. Provides that, subject to appropriation, colleges and universities shall annually disseminate a request for applications from students under the grant program. Provides that colleges and universities, upon receiving funding, shall provide applications to students eligible for this funding. Provides that a college or university shall give priority to applicants who are members of a racial minority. Provides that each college or university that receives funds shall provide an annual report to the Board of Higher Education, and the Board of Higher Education shall post those reports on the Board's website. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the Regulation of Public Pension Funds Article, provides that the Consolidated Fund (instead of the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance or the Consolidated Fund, as appropriate) shall examine or investigate each pension fund established under the Downstate Police or Downstate Firefighter Article of the Code. In the Chicago Police and Chicago Firefighter Articles, repeals provisions requiring the Director of Insurance to biennially make a thorough examination of the Fund and issue a report. Effective July 1, 2023.
Amends the Chicago Laborers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the Board of Trustees of the Fund has the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses to testify before it and to compel the production of documents and records upon any matter concerning the Fund, including, but not limited to, in conjunction with specified matters (instead of the Board having the authority to compel witnesses to testify before it upon any matter concerning the Fund). Provides that the fees of witnesses for attendance and travel shall be the same as the fees of witnesses before the circuit courts of this State and shall be paid by the party seeking the subpoena. Provides that subpoenas issued under the provisions shall be subject to the Code of Civil Procedure. Removes language providing that the Board may allow witness fees not in excess of $6 per day. Effective immediately.
Creates the Digital Forgeries Act. Provides that an individual depicted in a digital forgery has a cause of action against any person who, without the consent of the depicted individual, knowingly distributes a digital forgery, creates a digital forgery with intent to distribute, or solicits the creation of a digital forgery with the intent to distribute: (1) in order to harass, extort, threaten, or cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; (2) with reckless disregard for whether such a creation, distribution, reproduction, or manipulation will cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; or (3) in order to incite violence or interfere with an official proceeding. Allows a prevailing plaintiff to be awarded damages, costs, and additional relief. Allows the court to grant injunctive relief maintaining the confidentiality of a plaintiff using a pseudonym.