Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that diapers, baby wipes, car seats, infant formula, and bottles are exempt from the taxes imposed under the Acts.
Creates the Department of Early Childhood Act. Creates the Department of Early Childhood to begin operation on July 1, 2024 and transfers to it certain rights, powers, duties, and functions currently exercised by various agencies of State Government. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026 the Department of Early Childhood shall be the lead State agency for administering and providing early childhood education and care programs and services to children and families including: home-visiting services; early intervention services; preschool services; child care services; licensing for day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes; and other early childhood education and care programs and administrative functions historically managed by the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Children and Family Services. Makes conforming changes to various Acts including the Department of Human Services Act, the Illinois Early Learning Council Act, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Early Intervention Services System Act and the Children and Family Services Act. Effective immediately.
Creates the Health Care Availability and Access Board Act. Establishes the Health Care Availability and Access Board to protect State residents, State and local governments, commercial health plans, health care providers, pharmacies licensed in the State, and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. Contains provisions concerning Board membership and terms; staff for the Board; Board meetings; circumstances under which Board members must recuse themselves; and other matters. Provides that the Board shall perform the following actions in open session: (i) deliberations on whether to subject a prescription drug product to a cost review; and (ii) any vote on whether to impose an upper payment limit on purchases, payments, and payor reimbursements of prescription drug products in the State. Permits the Board to adopt rules to implement the Act and to enter into a contract with a qualified, independent third party for any service necessary to carry out the powers and duties of the Board. Creates the Health Care Availability and Access Stakeholder Council to provide stakeholder input to assist the Board in making decisions as required by the Act. Contains provisions concerning Council membership, member terms, and other matters. Provides that the Board shall adopt the federal Medicare Maximum Fair Price as the upper payment limit for a prescription drug product intended for use by individuals in the State. Provides that the Attorney General shall have authority to enforce the Act. Amends the State Finance Act to make a confirming change. Effective 180 days after becoming law.
Amends the Telephone Solicitations Act. Provides that a person, business, or organization may not spoof a caller's information or otherwise misrepresent the origin of a telemarketing call unless the person, business, or organization has the right to use the name and phone number displayed. Requires telephone solicitations placed in a manner other than by a live operator to immediately disclose their identity and the purpose of the call and prompt the recipient of the call to consent to the solicitation. Defines terms.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides, in a provision concerning the regulation of greenhouse gases, that a specific greenhouse gas emission limit does not apply to black start facilities. Defines "black start facility".
Creates the Access to Affordable Insulin Act. Sets forth provisions concerning an insulin urgent-need program. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall establish procedures and applications for the insulin urgent-need program. Sets forth provisions concerning insulin urgent-need program exceptions, eligibility, forms, applications, claims and reimbursement, copayments, information sheets, and navigators. Defines terms. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning cost sharing in prescription insulin drugs, provides that an insurer that provides coverage for prescription insulin drugs under the terms of a health coverage plan the insurer offers shall limit the total amount that an insured is required to pay for a 30-day supply of covered prescription insulin drugs at an amount not to exceed $35 (rather than $100). Effective immediately.
Creates the Office of Language Equity and Access Act. Provides that the Office of Language Equity and Access is created in the Governor's Office of New Americans to ensure equitable and meaningful access to State information, services, programs, and activities for persons who have limited English proficiency. Provides that the Director of the Office shall work with State agencies and use available resources within the Office of New Americans and Office of Equity to ensure that, among other things, each State agency takes reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to services, programs, and activities by persons with limited English proficiency. Provides that the Office shall have a full-time Director who is bilingual and has experience in serving immigrant populations. Describes the duties and responsibilities of the Director. Provides that there shall be a bilingual employment plan, which would require designations of positions as bilingual and result in the hiring of qualified personnel who are bilingual. Provides that the Director shall comply with specified requirements concerning the need for interpreters and translators. Provides that the Director shall develop a template and mechanism for collecting, storing, and analyzing language access plans.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the effect of Article, Part, and Section headings.
Amends the Equitable Restrooms Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, any multiple-occupancy restroom may be identified as an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom and designated for use by any person of any gender. Requires that an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom must include specified signage, stall dividers, and partitions for urinals. Provides that any multiple-occupancy restroom may be converted into an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom. Provides that, if a facility commences construction, or commences alterations exceeding 50% of the facility, and implements an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom, the all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom must satisfy or include specified requirements. Requires certain newly constructed or previously existing restrooms to be designated as all-gender multiple-occupancy restrooms. Provides that when plumbing fixtures in a facility must meet female-to-male ratio requirements, each individual fixture in an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom may be counted toward the required number of either female or male toilet stalls. Provides that if a fixture is counted toward the minimum required fixtures for females, that same fixture shall not also be counted toward the minimum required fixtures for males, and if a fixture is counted toward the minimum required fixtures for males, that same fixture shall not also be counted toward the minimum required fixtures for females. Provides that during any inspection of a facility by a health officer, health inspector, or building inspector, the health officer, health inspector, or building inspector may inspect the facility to determine whether it complies with the provisions. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules to implement the provisions. Defines "multiple-occupancy restroom". Contains other provisions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act must provide coverage for medically necessary hearing instruments and related services for all individuals (rather than all individuals under the age of 18) when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument to augment communication. Makes conforming changes, including repealing provisions concerning optional coverage or optional reimbursement for hearing instruments and related services. Effective January 1, 2025.
