Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Restaurant Meals Program to permit individuals who are elderly, persons with a disability, and homeless individuals to redeem their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits at private establishments that contract with the Department to offer meals for eligible SNAP recipients at concessional prices. Requires the Restaurant Meals Program to be operational no later than January 1, 2020. Requires the Department to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes a provision requiring the Department of Human Services to increase TANF grant amounts in effect on June 30, 2008 by 15%. Provides that TANF grant amounts shall be apportioned as follows: 75% shall be designated for the child or children of the assistance unit; and 25% shall be designated for the adult member or members of the assistance unit. Removes a provision that permits the discontinuance of all or a part of a TANF recipient's grant amount as a penalty for noncompliance with TANF education, training, and employment programs. Requires the Department to, by rule, impose a 30% reduction of the portion of the grant amount designated for the adult member or members of an assistance unit when a member is found to be in noncompliance with program requirements without good cause. Provides that no sanction shall reduce the portion of the grant amount that is designated for any child of the assistance unit. Requires the full grant amount to be restored when an adult member or members are determined to be in compliance with program requirements. Provides that homelessness, receipt of an eviction notice, discontinued utilities, and other specified circumstances shall constitute good cause for failure to participate in required TANF education, training, and employment programs. Provides that beginning October 1, 2019, and each October 1 thereafter, the maximum TANF benefit levels shall be annually adjusted to remain equal to at least 30% of the most recent poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for each family size. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act and the University of Illinois Hospital Act. Requires every hospital to ensure that it has the proper instruments available for taking a pregnant woman's blood pressure. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules for the implementation of the requirement.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that neither the Department of Corrections nor the Department of Juvenile Justice may require a committed person or person committed to any facility operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice to pay any co-payment for receiving medical or dental services.

Amends the School Code and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Provides that, on and after September 1, 2019, all teacher evaluation ratings on record as "excellent", "proficient", or "needs improvement" are considered "effective" and all teacher evaluation ratings on record as "unsatisfactory" are considered "ineffective" for the purposes of the Employment of Teachers Article. Makes other changes concerning the waiver or modification of mandates; school report cards; license suspension or revocation; contractual continued service; removal or dismissal of teachers; an optional alternative evaluative dismissal process; evaluation plans; a local appeal process for ineffective ratings; rules; the appointment and promotion of teachers in Chicago; alternative procedures for teacher evaluation, remediation, and removal in Chicago; and the Open Meetings Act. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25g 105 ILCS 5/10-17a from Ch. 122, par. 10-17a 105 ILCS 5/21B-75 105 ILCS 5/24-9.5 new 105 ILCS 5/24-11 from Ch. 122, par. 24-11 105 ILCS 5/24-12 from Ch. 122, par. 24-12 105 ILCS 5/24-16.5 105 ILCS 5/24A-4 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-4 105 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-5 105 ILCS 5/24A-5.5 new 105 ILCS 5/24A-7 from Ch. 122, par. 24A-7 105 ILCS 5/34-84 from Ch. 122, par. 34-84 105 ILCS 5/34-85c 115 ILCS 5/18 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/34-18 from Ch. 122, par. 34-18 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code to provide that the governing bodies of contract schools are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department shall investigate and apply for federal funding opportunities, including, but not limited to, a specified federal grant, to support maternal mental health, to the extent that programs are financed, in whole, by federal funds. Provides that the Department shall file a report with the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2021 of the Department's efforts to secure and utilize the federal funding it receives from its efforts. Provides that the amendatory Act's provisions are repealed on January 1, 2022. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Removes language referring to a specific grant available under the federal 21st Century Cures Act.

Creates the Expressway Safety Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority shall work together to conduct a program to increase the amount of cameras along expressways in Cook County. Provides that images from the cameras may be used to investigate offenses and detect roadway hazards, but not to enforce petty offenses. Provides that the program shall be funded by the Road Fund. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2023. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that funds from the Road Fund shall be for use on highways under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill and House Amendment No. 1, and makes the following changes. Renames the Act the Expressway Camera Act and provides that the Act may be referred to as the Tamara Clayton Expressway Camera Act. Provides that images from expressway cameras may be used by any municipal police department, county sheriff's office, State Police officer, or other law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the expressway (instead of "roadway") in Cook County in the investigation of any offense involving the use of a firearm (instead of by law enforcement agencies in the investigation of offenses). Provides that funds needed to conduct the program for use on expressways (instead of "highways") under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation shall be taken from the Road Fund.

Amends the Developmental Disability and Mental Disability Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish family centers throughout the State to provide counseling and mental health services to families who are indigent based on any behavior or mental health condition as determined by Department rule. Provides that the Department shall employ or contract with psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and licensed marriage and family therapists to provide those services. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Developmental Disability and Mental Disability Services Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health shall make available funding for the development and implementation of a comprehensive and coordinated continuum of community-based pilot programs for persons with or at risk for a mental health diagnosis that is sensitive to the needs of local communities. Provides that the funding shall allow for the development of one or more pilot programs that will support the development of local social media campaigns that focus on the prevention or promotion of mental wellness and provide linkages to mental health services, especially for those individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. Sets forth certain criteria a provider must meet to be considered for the pilot program, including the ability to: (i) implement the pilot program in an area that shows a high need or underutilization of mental health services; (ii) collaborate with other systems and government entities that exist in a community; and (iii) provide a presence staffed by mental health professionals in natural community settings, which includes any setting where an individual who has not been diagnosed with a mental illness typically spends time. Authorizes the Department to adopt and implement administrative rules necessary to carry out the pilot program.

Creates the Task Force on Infant and Maternal Mortality Among African Americans Act. Creates the Task Force on Infant and Maternal Mortality Among African Americans. Provides for the membership of the Task Force. Provides for the election of a chairperson of the Task Force. Requires the Department of Public Health to provide technical support and assistance to the Task Force and to be responsible for administering its operations and ensuring that the requirements of the Act are met. Provides that members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their services as members of the Task Force. Provides for the meetings and duties of the Task Force. Provides that beginning December 1, 2020, and for each year thereafter, the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly. Provides findings. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds: (1) one physician representing the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians; and (2) one physician representing the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics as members of the Task Force on Infant and Maternal Mortality Among African Americans.

Amends the School Code. Creates the School District Efficiency Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on the number of school districts in this State, the optimal amount of enrollment for a school district, and where reorganization and realignment of school districts would be beneficial in this State; specifies the topics on which the recommendations must focus. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2020, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the report recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 11 of its members, then the Commission's recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit school districts must be placed on the ballots of the designated school districts in the next general election in the same manner as petitions approved by a regional superintendent of schools, except without financial incentives. Provides that the Commission is dissolved the day after the report is filed with the Governor and the General Assembly. Repeals the provision on February 1, 2021. Makes a conforming change in the Conversion and Formation of School Districts Article. Effective immediately.