Sen. Willie Preston

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Nelson Mandela Act. Creates the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act. Provides that, except for a committed person in protective custody who opts out of that status by providing informal, voluntary, written refusal of that status, the use of isolated confinement in correctional institutions is restricted to isolated confinement of no more than 10 consecutive days or no more than 10 days in any 180-day period. Provides that The Department of Corrections shall post on the Department's official website quarterly reports on the use of isolated confinement. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hospital Services Trust Fund Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Increases by 20% hospital reimbursement rates for dates of service on and after January 1, 2024, for specified services, including, but not limited to: inpatient general acute care services; inpatient psychiatric services for safety-net hospitals; general acute care hospitals that are not safety-net hospitals; and outpatient general acute care services. Provides that the rates for the listed services shall be increased, beginning on January 1, 2025 and each January 1 thereafter, based on the annual increase in the national hospital market basket price proxies (DRI) hospital cost index from the midpoint of the calendar year 2 years prior to the current year, to the midpoint of the preceding calendar year. Provides that in no instance shall the adjustment result in a reduction to the rates in place at the time of the required adjustment. Provides that if the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finds that the increases required under the amendatory Act would result in rates of reimbursement which exceed the federal maximum limits applicable to hospital payments, then the payments and assessment tax imposed on hospital providers shall be reduced as provided in the Hospital Provider Funding Article. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to promptly take all actions necessary to ensure the changes authorized in the amendatory Act are in effect for dates of service on and after January 1, 2024. Requires the Department to ensure that all necessary adjustments to the managed care organization capitation base rates necessitated by the adjustments in the amendatory Act are completed, published, and applied 90 days prior to the implementation date of the changes required under the amendatory Act. Provides that, by October 1, 2023, the Department shall by rule implement a methodology effective for dates of service beginning on and after January 1, 2024 to reimburse hospitals for extended stays in a hospital emergency department. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Department emergency rulemaking authority. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a child tax credit in an amount equal to the product of a specified credit amount multiplied by the number of qualifying children of the taxpayer. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for preventative screenings for individuals 18 years of age or older and under the age of 65 at high risk for liver disease every 6 months without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided. Makes conforming changes in 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 Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Pilot Program Act. Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Fund as a special fund in the State treasury and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Provides that the Fund shall be used by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to encourage and facilitate the employment of construction workforces located in underrepresented populations. Provides that applicants that are applying for a new utility-scale offshore wind project with the Illinois Power Agency shall file with the Department, as part of the applicant's application, an equity and inclusion plan. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning the procurement of renewable energy credits, provides that in addition to the amount of renewable energy credits to be procured from wind projects, the Illinois Power Agency shall procure at least 700,000 renewable energy credits, delivered annually for at least 20 years, from one new utility-scale offshore wind project. In provisions concerning the development of a long-term renewable resources procurement plan, provides that the total of renewable energy resources procured under the procurement plan shall be reduced for all retail customers based on the amount necessary to limit the annual estimated average net increase due to the costs of these resources included in the amounts paid by eligible retail customers in connection with electric service to no more than 4.25% of the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers during the year ending May 31, 2009, and to no more than 4.5% of that amount as of the billing month following the expected date that a new utility-scale offshore wind project commences commercial operations and is expected to begin delivering power to the PJM Interconnection, LLC transmission grid. Provides that the Agency shall conduct at least one new utility-scale offshore wind procurement within 360 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Defines terms. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for dependents of the taxpayer. Provides that the maximum amount of the credit is $700 per qualified dependent of the taxpayer. Provides that the maximum amount shall be reduced by $24 for each $1,000 by which the taxpayer's net income exceeds $75,000 in the case of a joint return or $50,000 in the case of any other form of return. Defines "qualified dependent". Effective immediately.

Amends the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act. Defines terms. Provides that it shall be the goal of this State that at least 20% of all food and food products purchased by State agencies and State-owned facilities shall be local farm or food products produced by socially disadvantaged farmers. Provides for a preference in the awarding of State contracts to socially disadvantaged farmers. Requires State agencies to develop a system of tracking the purchase of farm fresh produce and food products as provided.

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 Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage for a colonoscopy determined to be medically necessary for persons aged 39 years old to 75 years old.

Urges members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and all members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to prioritize working with law enforcement, auto manufacturers, and consumer advocates to establish national tools for addressing and responding to the alarming growth in vehicular hijackings, including the creation of a national hotline for providing efficient access to vehicle location information to law enforcement in vehicular hijacking incidents.