Sen. Elgie Sims

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Allows a delinquent adjudicated in juvenile court and subsequently imprisoned for one or more felonies by the State which he or she did not commit to file a petition for certificate of innocence in the circuit court of the county in which the delinquent was adjudicated. In a provision regarding the facts that a petitioner must prove by a preponderance of evidence to obtain a certificate of innocence, when proving that the petitioner did not by his or her own conduct cause or bring about (rather than voluntarily cause or bring about) his or her own conviction, provides that a guilty plea or confession does not alone constitute bringing about one's conviction. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Rebuild Illinois Mental Health Workforce Act. In a provision concerning Medicaid funding for community mental health services, sets forth rate increases, to begin on and after January 1, 2024, for the following rates and services: the Mobile Crisis Response Medicaid Payment rate for all services provided under the S9484 procedure code; the Crisis Intervention Medicaid Payment rate for all levels of services provided under the H2011 procedure code; the Integrated Assessment and Treatment Planning Medicaid Payment rate for all levels of services provided under the H2000 procedure code; the Group and Family Therapy Medicaid Payment rate for all levels of services provided under the H0004 procedure code; the Community Support - Group Medicaid Payment rate for all levels of services provided under the H2015 procedure code; the Telepsychiatry Originating Site Medicaid Payment rate for services provided under the Q3014 procedure code; and the Medication Monitoring Medicaid Payment rate for services provided under the H2010 procedure code for medication monitoring provided by a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, and all other levels of provider. Provides that no base Medicaid rate payment or any other payment for the provision of Medicaid community mental health services in place on January 1, 2023 shall be diminished or changed to make the reimbursement changes required by the amendatory Act. Provides that any payments required under the amendatory Act that are delayed due to implementation challenges or federal approval shall be made retroactive to January 1, 2024 for the full amount required by the amendatory Act.

Amends the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act. Provides that "seller" does not include a beneficiary who has both (i) never occupied the residential real property and (ii) never had management responsibility for the residential real property. Effective immediately.

Amends the Information Technology Accessibility Act. Provides that the Department of Innovation and Technology (currently, the Department of Human Services) shall review certain accessibility standards. Removes a specific reference to the Department of Central Management Services. Effective immediately.

Creates the Council of State Governments Act. Authorizes the majority and minority leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as members of legislative committees and commissions, to attend appropriate meetings of the Council of State Governments and to pay the annual membership fee needed to maintain membership in the Council. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Modifies a Section concerning moneys in the Audit Expense Fund to provide for the transfer of moneys from specified funds into the Audit Expense Fund. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act. Establishes the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program within the Department of Human Services to help expand the availability of nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for Illinois' emergency food system. Provides that the program shall (1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to Illinois' emergency food system, and (2) provide grants to improve capacity of the emergency food system to allow for the proper transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural products to underserved areas. Provides that the program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Provides that foods shall be surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be safe for consumption. Provides that the program is subject to appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available funds to acquisition and distribution of food. Requires the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to engage a not-for-profit entity from Illinois' emergency food system to administer the program. Requires the administering entity to have statewide reach and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the Department. Contains provisions concerning the duties of the administering entity. Creates the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council to provide support to the program through facilitating relationship-building and partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and the emergency food system and other matters. Provides that the program may distribute food to those food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store, and distribute foods through the emergency food system and with the capacity to serve significant geographic areas within Illinois. Provides that the program shall distribute capacity-building grants for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments necessary to support the objectives of the program. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Creates the Justice40 Oversight Committee Act. Establishes the Justice40 Oversight Committee. Provides that the Justice40 Oversight Committee shall make findings, conclusions, and recommendations regarding environmental justice in this State and uses of federal funds provided to the State for environmental justice. Requires the Justice40 Oversight Committee to submit reports delineating the Oversight Committee's findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the General Assembly by specified dates. Contains requirements for the appointment of voting and nonvoting members of the Oversight Committee. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the University of Illinois Act, the Southern Illinois University Management Act, the Chicago State University Law, the Eastern Illinois University Law, the Governors State University Law, the Illinois State University Law, the Northeastern Illinois University Law, the Northern Illinois University Law, the Western Illinois University Law, and the Public Community College Act. Requires a university or community college to provide all necessary coursework materials for rental, free of charge to any student who meets all of the following qualifications: (1) the student is a resident of the State; (2) the student graduated from an approved high school in the State; (3) the student is enrolled for the upcoming semester or term at the university or community college; and (4) as applicable to a university, the student has not previously earned or received a bachelor's degree or 135 credit hours or equivalent of coursework, or, as applicable to a community college, the student has not previously earned or received an associate's degree or 60 credit hours or equivalent of coursework. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. In provisions allowing the filling or refilling of personal containers with bulk food, refers to restaurants and retailers (rather than just retailers). Allows restaurants and retailers to fill or refill a consumer-owned container with ready-made food. Allows clean consumer-owned containers provided or returned to a restaurant or retailer for filling or refilling to be filled or refilled and returned to the same consumer if the consumer-owned container is filled or refilled by either an employee of the restaurant or retailer or the owner of the consumer-owned container. Requires filled or refilled consumer-owned containers to be designed and constructed for reuse in accordance with specified federal requirements. Contains requirements for restaurants and retailers. Directs the Department of Public Health to produce materials for restaurants and retailers on or before January 1, 2024 indicating that consumer-owned containers are not prohibited for use under Illinois law and specifying best practices for food safety requirements for consumer-owned containers. Effective immediately.