Sen. Napoleon Harris

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to conduct and regularly update a study on the early childhood workforce at least once every 3 years. Provides that the study shall: (i) describe the professional development system for the early childhood workforce and characteristics of the workforce; (ii) determine compensation levels that are sufficient to attract, support, and retain a workforce of high-quality child care providers; (iii) make recommendations to help create an accessible and well-supported career advancement pathway and estimate the providers' costs of implementing training and professional development, including the compensation levels identified in item (ii); and (iv) describe how the Department can set provider payment rates sufficient to allow providers to achieve the compensation levels. Provides that the Department shall conduct the study required by carrying out a cost of quality study or survey that the Department is currently conducting, as a requirement of its State plan under a specified provision of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, and utilize the information to set base payment rates.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to identify and flag all college students who are potentially eligible to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Provides that the factors to be used to determine potential SNAP eligibility shall be prescribed by the Department of Human Services by rule, but at a minimum the Department shall consider income information reported on a college student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Requires ISAC to develop a notice available electronically to institutions of higher education that includes, at a minimum, college student SNAP eligibility criteria, the Application for Benefits Eligibility's website address, and the Illinois Hunger Coalition's Hunger Hotline. Requires Illinois institutions of higher education that participate in the Monetary Award Program to provide the notice in writing to all students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment and are identified by ISAC as potentially SNAP eligible and, if possible, to designate a public benefits liaison or single point person to assist students in taking the necessary steps to obtain public benefits if eligible. Contains provisions concerning: SNAP Employment and Training program requirements; protocols to identify and verify all potential exemptions to an eligibility rule described in a specified federal regulation and to identify and verify a student's participation in educational programs; and other matters. Requires the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement specified provisions on or before October 1, 2017. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Barbara Yvonne Oliver

Creates the Disposition of Remains of the Indigent Act. Provides that if private funds are not available for the funeral or burial of a decedent, then State or local officials shall refer a family member, executor, or agent empowered to direct the disposition of a decedent's remains to the option of donating the remains to an institution of medical, mortuary, or other sciences on the registry created under the Act. Provides that such family member, executor, or agent shall be responsible for authorizing such use. Provides that unclaimed cadavers held by any State facility, hospital, institution, morgue, or other place for bodies of deceased persons may be turned over to an institution on the registry. Contains provisions requiring the directors of State facilities with possession of unclaimed human remains to make reasonable efforts to contact family and other responsible parties. Contains provisions concerning circumstances in which family or other responsible parties request the remains and situations when they fail to do so. Contains other provisions concerning what the State facility with humans remains shall do. Provides that the Department of Human Services may pay a funeral home or an institution of medical, mortuary, or other science an allowance for funeral and burial costs. Contains provisions concerning the disposition of the remains after use of the remains by a registered institution. Requires the Department of Public Health to maintain a registry of institutions qualifying as institutions of medical, mortuary, or other sciences eligible to receive donations under the Act. Contains provisions concerning requirements for the registry and granting the Department of Public Health rulemaking and other powers.

Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State, subject to appropriation, to make grants or otherwise provide assistance to, on an emergency basis, specified not-for-profit organizations for eligible security improvements that assist the organization in preventing, preparing for, or responding to acts of terrorism. Requires the Secretary to establish procedures and forms by which applicants may apply for a grant, and procedures for distributing grants to recipients. Provides that the amount and distribution of grant funds provided to applicants shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. Provides that upon request of the Secretary, a State agency shall provide the Secretary with assistance in administering the grants. Effective immediately.

Creates the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Provides that administrators and insurers, prior to going to market, must file with the Department of Insurance for review and approval a description of the services to be offered through a network plan, with certain criteria included in the description. Provides that the network plan shall demonstrate to the Department, prior to approval, a minimum ratio of full-time equivalent providers to plan beneficiaries and maximum travel and distance standards for plan beneficiaries, which shall be established annually by the Department based upon specified sources. Provides that the Department shall conduct quarterly audits of network plans to verify compliance with network adequacy standards. Establishes certain notice requirements. Provides that a network plan shall provide for continuity of care for its beneficiaries under certain circumstances and according to certain requirements. Provides that a network plan shall post electronically a current and accurate provider directory and make available in print, upon request, a provider directory subject to certain specifications. Provides that the Department is granted specific authority to issue a cease and desist order against, fine, or otherwise penalize any insurer or administrator for violations of any provision of the Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2018.

Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. Provides that all food service establishments shall have at least one certified food service sanitation manager who has undergone training that follows nationally recognized industry standards for allergen safety and allergen awareness available on the premises at all times that the food service establishment is in operation. Provides that all individuals seeking food service sanitation manager certification or food service sanitation manager recertification shall undergo training that follows nationally recognized industry standards for allergen safety and allergen awareness. Provides that any costs for the allergen safety and allergen awareness training shall be borne by the individual seeking the training. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides for the forfeiture of benefits for any person who otherwise would receive a survivor benefit who is convicted of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with the service of the member from whom the benefit results. Provides that all participants entering service after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be deemed to have consented to that provision. Provides that the changes under the amendatory Act shall not impair any contract or vested right acquired by a survivor before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in Section on petition to change name.

Amends the Premises Liability Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning firearm ranges.