Sen. Emil Jones

Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act and the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that substance abuse programs and mental health or developmental disabilities facilities operating in the State shall provide verbal notice to the personal representative of the patient within 24 hours after the death of a patient and shall provide written notice to the personal representative of the patient within 5 days after the death of a patient. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct or approve training programs in autism-informed responses, procedures, and techniques, including specified examples of training program subjects. Requires the Board to conduct or approve the autism-informed training program no later than 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires all permanent and part-time law enforcement officers and permanent and part-time corrections officers to complete the autism-informed training program within 12 months after it was first offered or approved by the Board and every 24 months thereafter as part of the officer's in-service training. Provides that the Board shall adopt rules, in consultation with the Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Police, specifying training requirements for the programs.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a health plan shall limit the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription inhaler at an amount not to exceed $25 per 30-day supply and shall limit the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for all covered prescription inhalers at an amount not to exceed $50 in total per 30 days. Provides that coverage for prescription inhalers shall not be subject to any deductible. Provides that nothing in the provisions prevents a health plan from reducing a covered person's cost sharing to an amount less than the cap. Authorizes rulemaking and enforcement by the Department of Insurance. Effective January 1, 2025.

Creates the Community-Based Corrections Task Force Act. Creates the Community-Based Corrections Task Force. Establishes membership of the Task Force. Provides that the President of the Senate shall chair the Task Force. Provides that the members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall provide administrative and technical support for the Task Force and is responsible for ensuring that the requirements of the Task Force are met. Provides that the Task Force shall study and develop innovative ways to introduce community-based corrections and rehabilitation into the State's correctional system and develop a community-based correctional program. Provides that the Task Force shall: (1) engage community organizations, interested groups, and members of the public for the purpose of assessing: (A) community-based alternatives to detention and the adoption and implementation of such alternatives; and (B) the benefits of specialty courts in rehabilitating justice involved individuals; (2) review available research and data on the benefits of community-based alternatives to detention at the local, State, and national level; and (3) make recommendations or suggestions for changes to the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, the Unified Code of Correction, and other relevant statutes. Provides that on or before July 1, 2025, the Task Force shall publish a final report of its findings, developments, and recommendations and after the publication of its final report the Task Force shall be dissolved. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the driver of a vehicle that is in any manner involved in any of the following types of crashes within the State shall, if no police officer is present, give notice of the crash by the fastest available means of communication to the specified law enforcement agency: (1) a crash that results in injury to or death of any person; (2) a crash that results in damage to the property of any person in excess of a specified amount; (3) a crash involving a school bus if the crash is caused by a collision, a sudden stop, or otherwise, and the crash results in any property damage, personal injury, or death; or (4) a crash that occurs within 50 feet of a school bus and results in personal injury to or death of any person who is awaiting or preparing to board the school bus or immediately after the person exits the school bus. Requires the Secretary of State to suspend the driver's license or non-resident's driving privileges of any person who violates those provisions. Provides that every law enforcement agency shall, by February 1 (rather than March 1) with regard to data collected during July through December of the previous calendar year, compile the data on the standardized law enforcement data compilation form provided by the Department of Transportation and transmit the data to the Department. Amends the DUI Prevention and Education Commission Act. Provides that moneys in the DUI Prevention and Education Fund shall be distributed by the Department with approval (rather than guidance) from the DUI Prevention and Education Commission for crash victim programs and materials, impaired driving prevention programs, law enforcement support, and other DUI-related programs (rather than as grants for those purposes). Makes related changes in the powers of the Commission.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that the Division of Developmental Disabilities of the Department of Human Services may impose progressive sanctions, excluding a situation in which a recipient of services is placed at immediate risk of harm, on providers that fail to comply with conditions specified by rule, contract, or policy as determined by the Division. Provides that sanctions include, but are not limited to, payment suspension, loss of payment, enrollment limitations including admission holds, or other actions up to and including contract termination. Provides that a service provider receiving a sanction may appeal the sanction in writing to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services within 30 days after receipt of the sanction.

Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Secretary of State to issue a mobile Illinois Identification Card or mobile driver's license to an individual who is otherwise eligible to hold a physical credential, in addition to an identification card or driver's license, if the Secretary of State has issued an identification card or driver's license to the person. Allows the Secretary to enter into agreements or to contract with an agency of the State, another state, the United States, or a third party to facilitate the issuance, use, and verification of a mobile identification card or driver's license issued by the Secretary or another state. Requires the data elements that are used to build an electronic credential to match the individual's current Department record. Requires all mobile identification cards and driver's licenses issued by the Secretary to be in accordance with the most recent standards of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Provides that, when required by law and upon request by law enforcement, a credential holder must provide the credential holder's physical credential. Provides that the display of a mobile identification card and driver's license shall not serve as consent or authorization for a law enforcement officer, or any other person, to search, view, or access any other data or application on the mobile device.

Creates the Landlord Retaliation Act. Declares that it is against the public policy of the State for a landlord to take retaliatory action against a tenant. Prohibits a landlord from knowingly terminating a tenancy, increasing rent, decreasing services, bringing or threatening to bring a lawsuit against a tenant for possessing or refusing to renew a lease or tenancy because the tenant has in good faith has taken certain actions, including but not limited to (i) complaining of code violations applicable to the premises to the relevant governmental agency responsible for enforcement of a building, housing, health, or similar code; (ii) complaining of a building, housing, health, or similar code violation, or an illegal landlord practice to a community organization or the news media; or (iii) complaining or requesting the landlord to make repairs to the premises as required by a building code, health ordinance, other regulation, or the residential rental agreement. Creates remedies for violation by a landlord including damages, punitive damages, or recovering possession of the premises. Creates an affirmative defense under the Code of Civil Procedure in eviction actions if a landlord violates the Landlord Retaliation Act. Repeals the Retaliatory Eviction Act. Makes other changes.

Amends the Whistleblower Act. Changes the definitions of "employer" and "employee". Defines "adverse employment action", "public body", "retaliatory action", and "supervisor". Provides that an employer may not take retaliatory action against an employee who discloses or threatens to disclose information about an activity, policy, or practice of the employer that the employee has a good faith belief that such activity, policy, or practice violates a State or federal law, rule, or regulation or poses a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. Includes additional relief, damages, and penalties for violation of the Act. Allows the Attorney General to initiate or intervene in a civil action to obtain appropriate relief if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person or entity is engaged in a practice prohibited by the Act. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to claims arising or complaints filed on or after January 1, 2025. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Provides that the governing board of each public university shall waive any admissions application fee for a student transferring from a public community college in this State if the transferring student is enrolled in the last semester of a degree program and is on schedule to graduate with a degree. Effective immediately.