Sen. Omar Aquino

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning construction of the Code. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 305 ILCS 5/1-5 Adds reference to: 305 ILCS 5/5-30b new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not require any resident of a nursing home licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act to enroll in or transition to the State's managed care medical assistance program, including any demonstration program operated by contract with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or its successor. Effective immediately.

Creates the Medicaid Eligibility Determination and Renewal Reform Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (Department) to work with the Department of Human Services to achieve the following goals related to eligibility determinations and renewals under the Medical Assistance Program: (i) reduce procedural terminations so that no more than 10% of medical assistance beneficiaries who remain eligible for medical assistance experience any lapse in contemporaneous medical coverage; and (ii) use technology to lower administrative burdens and increase beneficiary continuity of coverage by providing real-time eligibility determination decisions for at least 75% of all medical assistance applicants, increasing automatic renewals for medical assistance beneficiaries, and offering an electronic means by which medical assistance beneficiaries can track and maintain their benefits. Provides that the goals must be meet by December 31, 2020. Requires the Department to submit Medicaid and CHIP State Plan amendments to implement express lane eligibility for all beneficiaries of medical assistance and benefits under the Children's Health Insurance Program Act. Contains provisions concerning community-based enrollment and redetermination assistance; the creation of enhanced user permission; and other matters. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department to reduce administrative burdens and minimize delay utilizing its income, residency, and identity verification system; and to utilize federal or State electronic data sources to obtain certain financial, employment, and residency information. Contains provisions concerning data matching; the waiver of residency verification requirements; rulemaking authority; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. With regard to local school council members, provides that an individual is ineligible for election or appointment to a local school council if he or she appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Provides that if the general superintendent, upon a check, determines at any time that a local school council member or member-elect appears on the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database, the general superintendent must notify the local school council member or member-elect of such determination and the local school council member or member-elect must be removed from the local school council by the school board, subject to a hearing, convened pursuant to board rule, prior to removal. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a local school council member must comply with all applicable board rules and policies regarding employees or volunteers if he or she engages in school activities beyond the scope of his or her official duty as a council member. Removes provisions regarding ineligibility for election or appointment of a local school council member based on a criminal conviction.

Supports school-based health centers and declares February 2019 as "School-Based Healthcare Awareness Month" in the State of Illinois.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that the rates and minimum mandated wage increases for homemaker services shall be, at a minimum, as of January 1, 2019, a rate of $19.96 per hour, for a minimum wage of $12 per hour, and as of July 1, 2019, a rate of $21.64 per hour for a minimum wage of $13 per hour. Provides that rates in future State fiscal years shall be no lower than the rates in effect on July 1, 2019. Provides that in-home service provider agencies shall be required to certify to the Department on Aging that they are in compliance with the mandated wage increase for direct service workers. Provides that fringe benefits, including, but not limited to, any paid time off, payment for training, health insurance, travel, or transportation payment, shall not be reduced in relation to these rate increases. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Changes the Rental Housing Support Program State surcharge a county recorder must collect on each real-estate related document from $9 to $18. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires the System to implement a defined contribution plan for employees of the Illinois State Board of Elections who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Provides that the defined contribution plan shall aggregate State and employee contributions in individual participant accounts that are used for payouts after retirement. Authorizes an eligible employee of the Illinois State Board of Elections to elect to participate in the defined contribution plan instead of the defined benefit plan and to also elect to terminate all participation in the defined benefit plan and to have a specified amount credited to his or her account. Provides that State contributions shall be paid into the accounts of participants in the defined contribution plan at a rate of 3% of compensation and that State contributions, and the earnings thereon, shall vest when those contributions are paid into the participant's account. Provides that employee contributions shall be paid at a rate of 3% of compensation. Contains provisions concerning investment options; defined disability benefits; notice to eligible employees; plan sponsor; reporting; and the intent of the amendatory Act. Excludes the defined contribution plan from the definition of "new benefit increase". Makes related changes in the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act (Article 20 of the Code) and the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Effective immediately.

Declares March 28, 2019 as Celebrating Women in Public Office Day.

Amends the Chicago Municipal and the Chicago Teachers Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. In the Chicago Municipal Article, includes in the definition of "employee" any person employed by a charter school or contract school operating pursuant to an agreement with the Chicago Board of Education who is not a licensed teacher or employed in a position requiring certification or licensure under the School Code, except persons contributing to any other public employee pension system in Illinois for the same employment. Adds charter schools and contract schools to the definition of "employer". In the Chicago Teachers Article, includes in the definition of "teacher" any educational, administrative, professional, or other staff employed in a contract school operating pursuant to an agreement with the Chicago Board of Education who is employed in a position requiring certification or licensure under the School Code. Includes in the definition of "employer", a contract school operating pursuant to an agreement with the Chicago Board of Education. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Declares March 27, 2019 as Elderly Women of Wisdom Day in Illinois to honor all women residing in skilled nursing facilities for their lifelong service to their families and communities.