Sen. Iris Y. Martinez

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Creates the Employee Background Fairness Act. Provides that an employer may not refuse to hire an individual and may not discharge an individual because of the individual's criminal history unless the individual has one or more convictions and there is a direct relationship between one of more of an individual's convictions and the specific employment sought. Prohibits retaliation for exercising rights under the Act. Provides that an individual denied or discharged from employment because of his or her criminal history in violation of the Act may recover from the employer in a civil action: (1) damages in the amount of $2,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater; (2) costs and reasonable attorney's fees as allowed by the court; and (3) any other appropriate relief, including punitive damages. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a State policeman may elect to convert service credit earned under the Article to eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity formula by filing a written election with the Board and making a specified contribution. Provides that the conversion of service credit to eligible creditable service is not subject to provisions that limit the amount of eligible creditable service that may be established to 12 years. Provides that a State policeman may elect to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity formula for up to 5 years of service as a person employed by a participating municipality to perform police duties under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article, a county corrections officer, or a court services officer under the Cook County Article by filing a written application with the Board and making a specified contribution. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Creates the Safe Patient Limits Act. Provides the maximum number of patients that may be assigned to a registered nurse in specified situations. Provides that nothing shall preclude a facility from assigning fewer patients to a registered nurse than the limits provided in Act. Provides that nothing in the Act precludes the use of patient acuity systems consistent with the Nurse Staffing by Patient Acuity Act; however, the maximum patient assignments in the Act may not be exceeded, regardless of the use and application of any patient acuity system. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules governing the implementation and operation of the Act. Provides that all facilities shall adopt written policies and procedures for training and orientation of nursing staff and that no registered nurse shall be assigned to a nursing unit or clinical area unless that nurse has, among other things, demonstrated competence in providing care in that area. Provides that the written policies and procedures for the training and orientation of nursing staff shall require that all temporary personnel receive the same amount and type of training and orientation that is required for permanent staff. Provides that the Act's provisions are severable.

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that when the two Houses adjourn on Thursday, February 20, 2020, the House of Representatives stands adjourned until Tuesday, February 25, 2020, or until the call of the Speaker; and the Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday, February 25, 2020, or until the call of the President.

Amends the School Code. With respect to school discipline improvement plans, makes changes to how the State Board of Education determines the top 20% of school districts, when notification is given that a plan must be submitted, which school districts are required to submit a plan, the timeframe for school board approval of a plan and submission of that plan to the State Board, and when additional annual progress reports are required. Establishes the Safe Schools and Healthy Learning Environments Grant Program and grants under the program. Sets forth requirements for grant applicants and provisions for the distribution of funds appropriated for the program. Requires the State Board of Education to issue a yearly report on the results of the program in cooperation with school districts participating in the program. Provides that the State Board may adopt any rules necessary for the program. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.176 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. With regard to the student discipline report, provides that the report must include data on the total number of school days missed by a student due to an out-of-school suspension or expulsion and data on the number of arrests made by law enforcement officers of students on school grounds, in school vehicles, at school activities or school-sanctioned events, or as a result of referrals by school officials. Provides that the report must be disaggregated by whether a student qualifies for services under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the total number of school days missed by the student, and the incident type that caused the suspension, expulsion, or removal to an alternative setting. Provides that, in compiling the report, the State Board of Education must use the same disclosure avoidance standards used by the United States Department of Education in its public reporting of data submitted by each school district as part of the Civil Rights Data Collection and must also ensure that cross-tabulation by the various categories of disaggregation is possible. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a home rule municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000 may restructure the rates of an existing real estate transfer tax to specified amounts. Provides that if the municipality increases the real estate transfer tax rates as provided in this subsection, then of the entire proceeds received from the real estate transfer tax, 75% shall be dedicated to the city's general budget and 25% shall be dedicated to housing and services to combat homelessness.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the powers and duties of the State Board of Education.

Amends the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 215 ILCS 105/1 Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 375/6.11 15 ILCS 205/10 new 55 ILCS 5/5-1069.3 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.3 105 ILCS 5/10-22.3f 215 ILCS 5/356w 215 ILCS 5/356z.41 new 215 ILCS 125/5-3 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1411.2 215 ILCS 130/4003 from Ch. 73, par. 1504-3 215 ILCS 165/10 from Ch. 32, par. 604 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Attorney General Act. Provides that the Attorney General shall investigate the pricing of prescription insulin drugs to ensure adequate consumer protections for Illinois consumers and to determine whether additional consumer protections are necessary. Requires the Attorney General to make the findings available to the public and to report to the Governor, the Department of Insurance, and to the Judiciary Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Provides for the repeal of the Attorney General's investigative duties on December 31, 2020. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that insurers that provide coverage for prescription insulin drugs must limit the total amount an insured is required to pay for a covered prescription insulin drug to $100 per 30-day supply of insulin regardless of the type and amount of insulin needed by the insured. Provides that the limitation on insulin costs also applies to provisions requiring coverage of certain diabetes items to be subject to the same coverage, deductible, co-payment, and co-insurance provisions under a policy. 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, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Effective January 1, 2021, except that changes to the Attorney General Act take effect immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 In provisions amending the Illinois Insurance Code concerning cost sharing in prescription insulin drugs, provides that the definition of "prescription insulin drug" does not include an insulin drug that is administered to a patient intravenously. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 375/6.11 55 ILCS 5/5-1069.3 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.3 105 ILCS 5/10-22.3f 215 ILCS 5/356w 215 ILCS 5/356z.41 new 215 ILCS 5/356z.42 new 215 ILCS 125/5-3 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1411.2 215 ILCS 130/4003 from Ch. 73, par. 1504-3 215 ILCS 165/10 from Ch. 32, par. 604 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the bill as engrossed with the following changes: Removes provisions amending the Attorney General Act. Requires the Department of Insurance in conjunction with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall make available to the public a report that details each Department's findings regarding insulin pricing practices and variables that contribute to pricing of health coverage plans, and public policy recommendations to control and prevent overpricing of prescription insulin drugs made available to Illinois consumers by November 1, 2020. Effective January 1, 2021, except that provisions requiring an insulin pricing report take effect immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a police officer who previously participated in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) for service as a member of the police department of a municipality and was transferred to that municipality's police pension fund upon its creation under the Downstate Police Article shall, for the purposes of determining the applicable tier of benefits under that Article, be deemed to have become a police officer and member of that municipality's police pension fund on the date that he or she first participated in IMRF as a member of the police department of that municipality, notwithstanding whether that start date was before January 1, 2011. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately. Pension Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) Since the establishment of Tier 2 via the enactment of P.A. 96-1495, the Department of Insurance says that 8 Downstate Police funds have been created. It is unknown how many officers in these 8 funds may be re-categorized as Tier 1 for benefit purposes.