Sen. Cristina Castro

Amends the Automatic Contract Renewal Act. Provides that any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation that sells or offers to sell any products or services to a consumer pursuant to a contract that includes a free gift or a trial period of the product or service that lasts 15 days or longer, where such contract automatically renews unless the consumer cancels the contract, shall notify the consumer no less than 2 weeks before the cancellation deadline as described by the automatic renewal offer terms. Provides that if the person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation has the consumer's email address, this notice shall be sent by email.

Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force Act. Provides that it is the General Assembly's intent to require a coordinated, public health, and service-integrated response by various agencies within the State's health and child welfare systems to address the substance use treatment needs of infants born with prenatal substance exposure, as well as the treatment needs of their caregivers and families, by requiring the development, provision, and monitoring of family recovery plans. Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force within the Department of Human Services. Sets forth the duties of the Task Force, including reviewing models of family recovery plans that have been implemented in other states; and reviewing and developing recommendations to replace punitive policies with notification policies for health care professionals reporting a positive toxicology screen of a newborn. Contains provisions concerning Task Force membership, meetings, reporting requirements, and other matters. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop a standardized CAPTA notification form that is separate and distinct from the form for written confirmation reports of child abuse or neglect. Provides that a CAPTA notification shall not be treated as a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, shall not be recorded in the State Central Registry, and shall not be discoverable or admissible as evidence in any juvenile court or adoption proceeding unless the named party waives, in writing, his or her right to confidentiality. Repeals a provision requiring the Department to report to the State's Attorney every report of a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains a prohibited controlled substance. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Removes newborn infants whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance from the list of children presumed neglected or abused under the Act. Makes corresponding changes to a provision listing the types of evidence that constitute prima facie evidence of neglect and to relevant provisions under the Adoption Act. Effective immediately, except that some parts take effect January 1, 2025.

Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act and the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that substance abuse programs and mental health or developmental disabilities facilities operating in the State shall provide verbal notice to the personal representative of the patient within 24 hours after the death of a patient and shall provide written notice to the personal representative of the patient within 5 days after the death of a patient. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct or approve training programs in autism-informed responses, procedures, and techniques, including specified examples of training program subjects. Requires the Board to conduct or approve the autism-informed training program no later than 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires all permanent and part-time law enforcement officers and permanent and part-time corrections officers to complete the autism-informed training program within 12 months after it was first offered or approved by the Board and every 24 months thereafter as part of the officer's in-service training. Provides that the Board shall adopt rules, in consultation with the Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Police, specifying training requirements for the programs.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a health plan shall limit the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription inhaler at an amount not to exceed $25 per 30-day supply and shall limit the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for all covered prescription inhalers at an amount not to exceed $50 in total per 30 days. Provides that coverage for prescription inhalers shall not be subject to any deductible. Provides that nothing in the provisions prevents a health plan from reducing a covered person's cost sharing to an amount less than the cap. Authorizes rulemaking and enforcement by the Department of Insurance. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or municipality may undertake local broadband projects and the provision of services in connection with local broadband projects, may lease infrastructure that it owns or controls relating to local broadband projects or services, may aggregate customers or demand for broadband services, and may apply for and receive funds or technical assistance to undertake local broadband projects to address the level of broadband access available to its businesses and residents. Provides that, to the extent that it seeks to serve as a retail provider of telecommunications services, the county or municipality must obtain appropriate certification from the Illinois Commerce Commission as a telecommunications carrier. Provides that certification of a county or municipality serving as a retail provider of telecommunication services is an exclusive power and function of the State. Amends the Public Utilities Act to make a conforming change.

Amends the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that a retailer that makes retail sales of tangible personal property to Illinois customers from a location or locations outside of Illinois is engaged in the occupation of selling at retail in Illinois for the purposes of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act under specified conditions. Provides that a retailer maintaining a place of business in this State that makes retail sales of tangible personal property to Illinois customers from a location or locations outside of Illinois is engaged in the business of selling at the Illinois location to which the tangible personal property is shipped or delivered or at which possession is taken by the purchaser. Effective January 1, 2025.

Creates the Community-Based Corrections Task Force Act. Creates the Community-Based Corrections Task Force. Establishes membership of the Task Force. Provides that the President of the Senate shall chair the Task Force. Provides that the members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall provide administrative and technical support for the Task Force and is responsible for ensuring that the requirements of the Task Force are met. Provides that the Task Force shall study and develop innovative ways to introduce community-based corrections and rehabilitation into the State's correctional system and develop a community-based correctional program. Provides that the Task Force shall: (1) engage community organizations, interested groups, and members of the public for the purpose of assessing: (A) community-based alternatives to detention and the adoption and implementation of such alternatives; and (B) the benefits of specialty courts in rehabilitating justice involved individuals; (2) review available research and data on the benefits of community-based alternatives to detention at the local, State, and national level; and (3) make recommendations or suggestions for changes to the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, the Unified Code of Correction, and other relevant statutes. Provides that on or before July 1, 2025, the Task Force shall publish a final report of its findings, developments, and recommendations and after the publication of its final report the Task Force shall be dissolved. Effective immediately.

Creates the Uniform Money Transmission Modernization Act. Provides that the provisions supersede the Transmitters of Money Act. Provides that a person may not engage in the business of money transmission or advertise, solicit, or hold oneself out as providing money transmission unless the person is licensed under the Act. Sets forth provisions concerning the purpose of the Act; definitions; money transmission licenses; license application; license renewal; acquisition of control and change of key individuals; reporting and records; authorized delegates of a licensee; timely transmission, refunds, and disclosures; confidentiality of records; required reports; prudential standards; and enforcement. Makes conforming changes in the Freedom of Information Act and the State Finance Act. Provides that the Transmitters of Money Act is repealed on January 1, 2026. Makes other changes. Effective immediately, except that the changes to the Transmitters of Money Act take effect January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Articulation Initiative Act. In the provisions concerning participation, provides that all public institutions of higher education shall submit and maintain at least one core course (instead of up to 4 core courses) in each of the Illinois Articulation Initiative majors, provided that the public institution has equivalent majors and courses. Provides that if a public institution does not have an equivalent major, lower-division courses, or both, that align with the major panel's descriptors and course approval criteria, then the public institution shall be considered to be compliant with those provisions, as determined by the director of the Illinois Articulation Initiative. Effective immediately.