Sen. Steven M. Landek

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Adds the percentage of Medicaid funded residents as one of the factors the Department of Healthcare and Family Services must considered in grouping nursing facilities for purposes of payment. Provides that a resident of a nursing facility whose application for long term care benefits is awaiting final action shall be included in the calculation as a Medicaid funded resident.

Creates the Local Government Travel Expense Control Act. Provides that school districts and non-home rule units of local government shall, by resolution or ordinance, regulate travel, meal, and lodging expenses of officers and employees including: (1) the types of official business for which travel, meal, and lodging expenses are allowable; (2) maximum allowable reimbursement for travel, meal, and lodging expenses; and (3) a standardized form for submission of travel, meal, and lodging expenses. Provides that all travel, meal, and lodging expenses may only be approved after specified documentation has been submitted and the expenses are approved by a roll call vote. Prohibits reimbursing entertainment expenses.

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Requires that any and all available minutes and verbatim recordings of meetings closed to the public prior to a newly elected official's term in a public body shall be available to that official for review, regardless of whether those minutes or verbatim recordings are confidential. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In provisions requiring a criminal history records check to be performed with regard to applicants for employment with a school district or non-public school and whether those applicants may be employed, makes changes concerning the types of convictions checked for and when those convictions occurred. In provisions concerning the conviction of certain offenses as grounds for revocation of an educator license, changes the definitions of "narcotics offense" and "sex offense". Effective immediately.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that beginning January 1, 2016, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall implement a pilot project requiring that every new or refilled prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance containing hydrocodone shall only be dispensed in a non-reusable medicine locking closure package. Defines "medicine locking closure package" and "Schedule II controlled substance". Provides that the medicine locking closure package must be dispensed by the pharmacy with instructions for patient use. Provides that the manufacturer of the medicine locking closure package must make available assistance online or through a toll-free number for patient use. Provides that prescriptions reimbursed via Medicare Part D and Medicaid and prescriptions for individuals residing in facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act are exempt from the requirements of the pilot project. Repeals the provisions creating the pilot project on January 1, 2017. Effective immediately.

Creates the Authorized Electronic Monitoring in Long-Term Care Facilities Act. Provides that, subject to certain conditions, a resident of a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act or the Nursing Home Care Act shall be permitted to use an audio or video surveillance system in his or her room at his or her expense. Requires the electronic monitoring device to be placed in a conspicuously visible location in the room. Requires the Department of Public Health to establish a program to distribute up to $50,000 in funds, disbursed by lottery, each year to certain residents for the purchase and installation of electronic monitoring devices. Establishes criminal penalties for a person or entity that knowingly hampers, obstructs, tampers with, or destroys an electronic monitoring device. Provides that it is a business offense for a facility to discriminate or retaliate against a resident or prospective resident for consenting to the electronic monitoring. Provides that it is a petty offense for a facility to prevent the installation of an electronic monitoring device by a resident who has provided the facility with the consent required by certain provisions of the Act. Contains provisions concerning: resident consent to monitoring; facility accommodation of electronic monitoring; notice of electronic monitoring to visitors; limitations on facility access to recordings; the admissibility of recordings in civil, criminal, and administrative actions; facility reporting; and rulemaking.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code and the Illinois Public Aid Code. With regard to the respective requirements concerning coverage and payment for screening by low-dose mammography for all women 35 years of age or older for the presence of occult breast cancer, includes a screening MRI when medically necessary, as determined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, and if the American Cancer Society's guidelines for appropriate use for women at high risk for breast cancer are met. Further amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after January 1, 2016, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall ensure that all networks of care for adult clients of the Department include access to at least one breast imaging Center of Imaging Excellence as certified by the American College of Radiology. Provides that on and after January 1, 2017, providers participating in a breast cancer treatment quality improvement program approved by the Department shall be reimbursed for breast cancer treatment at a rate that is no lower than 95% of the Medicare program's rates for the data elements included in the breast cancer treatment quality program. Makes changes concerning the case-managing and patient navigation pilot program. Sets forth provisions concerning departmental requirements for networks of care. Provides that on and after January 1, 2016, the Department shall ensure that provider and hospital reimbursement for certain required post-mastectomy care benefits are no lower than the Medicare reimbursement rate. Provides that on and after January 1, 2016 and subject to funding availability, the Department shall administer a grant program to build the public infrastructure for breast cancer imaging and diagnostic services across the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the College Student Immunization Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning immunization reports.

Amends the College and Career Success for All Students Act. Provides that a student who takes a College Board Advanced Placement examination and receives a score of 3 or higher on the examination is entitled to receive postsecondary level course credit at a public institution of higher education. Requires each public institution of higher education to comply with the same standard of awarding course credit to any student receiving a score of 3 or higher on a College Board Advanced Placement examination and applying the credit to meet a corresponding course requirement for degree completion at that institution of higher education. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Joseph W. Strzelczyk, Mayor of Summit.