Sen. Napoleon Harris

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a health insurer that provides prescription drug benefits shall offer generic alternatives to brand name epinephrine and insulin auto-injectors, where available. Amends 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, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Cook County Water Infrastructure Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that, subject to appropriation, moneys in the Fund shall be used by the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to municipalities to fund infrastructure improvements to facilitate water supplies from Lake Michigan for residents of Cook County. Provides that, in making grants from the Cook County Water Infrastructure Fund, the Agency must prioritize water infrastructure projects in non-supplying municipalities in Cook County over water infrastructure projects in supplying municipalities in Cook County. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Requires the Department of Central Management Services to by rule further establish committed diversity numbers for State contracts awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities under the Act. Provides that such efforts shall include, but not be limited to, (1) an increase in the percentage of State contracts required to be awarded under subsection (a), (2) an increase in contract spending with certified businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, and (3) further concerted outreach efforts to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Modifies the percentages of the total dollar amount of State contracts required to be established as an aspirational goal to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Requires the Department of Central Management Services to by rule further establish committed diversity aspirational goals (currently, numbers) for State contracts awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Removes requirement specifying that the additional diversity aspiration goals shall (1) an increase in the percentage of State contracts required to be awarded and (2) an increase in contract spending with certified businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In a provision concerning the composition of the Direct Child Welfare Service Employee License Board, provides that, in addition to other specified members, the Board must include 5 licensed professionals from the field of human services with a human services, juris doctorate, medical, public administration, or other relevant human services degree (rather than 5 licensed professionals from the field of human services with a human services degree or equivalent course work as required by rule of the Department of Children and Family Services). Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that calls to the toll-free number maintained by the Department of Children and Family Services to respond to requests from the public about its post-placement and post-adoption support services shall be answered no more than one business day after (rather than 24 hours from) receipt of the request.

Creates the Criminal History in College Applications Act. Prohibits a college from inquiring about or considering an applicant's criminal history information until after a provisional offer of admission has been made. Sets forth provisions concerning multi-institution applications, criminal history inquiries after a provisional offer of admission, an appeals process, and the provision of information about education, licensing, and employment barriers for people with criminal records.

Creates the Big Empties Site Act. Provides that property located in the State consisting of one or more PINs but under common ownership at the time of the application, that contains at least one vacant and unused building of specified square footage, is qualified to be designated as a Big Empties Site. Provides that a county or municipality that has adopted an ordinance designating a qualified site as a Big Empties Site shall make written application to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to have that site certified by the Department as a Big Empties Site. Contains procedures for certification by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, and the Public Utilities Act to provide certain tax incentives for Big Empties Sites. Amends the Property Tax Code to provide that a taxing district may issue an abatement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide each managed care organization with the quarterly fee-for-service facility-specific nursing component (rather than facility-specific RUG-IV nursing component) per diem along with any add-ons for enhanced care services, support component per diem, and capital component per diem effective for each nursing home under contract with the managed care organization. Provides that no managed care contract shall provide for a level of reimbursement lower than the fee-for-service rate in effect for the facility at the time service is rendered. Effective immediately.

Creates the Student Athlete Endorsement Act. Prohibits (i) an institution of higher learning from upholding any rule, requirement, standard, or other limitation that prevents a student athlete of that institution from earning compensation as a result of the use of the student's name, image, or likeness and earning compensation from the use of a student athlete's name, image, or likeness from affecting the student's scholarship eligibility; (ii) an athletic association, conference, or other group or organization with authority over intercollegiate athletics from preventing a student athlete of an institution from earning compensation as a result of the use of the student's name, image, or likeness; (iii) an athletic association, conference, or other group or organization with authority over intercollegiate athletics from preventing an institution from participating in intercollegiate athletics as a result of the compensation of a student athlete for the use of the student's name, image, or likeness; and (iv) an institution, athletic association, conference, or other group or organization with authority over intercollegiate athletics from providing a prospective student athlete with compensation in relation to the athlete's name, image, or likeness. Sets forth provisions concerning professional representation and contracts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover charges incurred, and anesthetics provided, in conjunction with dental care that is provided to an individual in a hospital or an ambulatory surgical treatment center if the individual is otherwise eligible for medical assistance and any of the following applies: (1) the individual has a medical condition that requires hospitalization or general anesthesia for dental care; or (2) the individual is a person with a disability. Defines "person with a disability" to mean a person, regardless of age, with a chronic disability if the chronic disability meets specified conditions. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover charges incurred, and anesthetics provided by a dentist with a permit provided under the Illinois Dental Practice Act, in conjunction with dental care that is provided to an individual in a dental office, oral surgeon's office, hospital, or ambulatory surgical treatment center if the individual, regardless of age, is otherwise eligible for medical assistance and has been diagnosed with (i) an autism spectrum disorder as defined in the Autism Spectrum Disorders Reporting Act or (ii) a developmental disability. Defines "developmental disability". Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to reimburse providers of services covered under the amendatory Act at the same rates as the Medicare program's rates for similar services.

Amends the Railroad Supplier Diversity Act. Adds the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (doing business as Amtrak) to the list of entities that may report to the Illinois Commerce Commission under the Act. Effective immediately.