Sen. Thomas Cullerton

Declares October of 2021 as Hindu Heritage Month.

Extends the Senate Task Force on Child Sexual and Physical Abuse created by Senate Resolution 58 of the 102nd General Assembly and extends the reporting deadline to January 1, 2022.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Exempts transportation services, including those transportation services provided by ground ambulance service providers, medi-car providers, service car providers, and taxi service providers, from the State's managed care medical assistance program. Provides that these services shall continue to be paid under the State's traditional fee-for-service program. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to exempt ground ambulance services from the State's managed care medical assistance program (rather than exempt transportation services, including those transportation services provided by ground ambulance service providers, medi-car providers, service car providers, and taxi service providers).

Mourns the passing of Glen Earl Wiemerslage.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that for taxable year 2020, the maximum income limitation under the senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption is $75,000 for counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants (currently, $65,000). Provides that, for taxable year 2021 and thereafter, the maximum income limitation under the senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption is $75,000 for all counties (currently, $65,000). Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Provides that the income limitation is $75,000 for tax year 2019 and thereafter. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Removes the effective date from the bill. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 200/15-172 Adds reference to: 320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Provides that the income limitation under the Act is $65,000 for tax years 2022 through 2025 and $55,000 for tax year 2026 and thereafter (currently, $55,000). Provides that, for tax years 2022 through 2025, the total amount of any such deferral shall not exceed $7,500 per taxpayer in each tax year (currently, $5,000). Provides that, beginning again in tax year 2026, the total amount of any such deferral shall not exceed $5,000. Effective immediately.

Creates the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. Creates the Lead Service Line Replacement Fund to be used to finance and administer programs and activities specified under the Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency shall be responsible for the administration of the Fund and shall allocate moneys on the basis of priorities established by the Agency. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Requires a lead in drinking water protection fee be imposed on billing water usage in specified amounts to be collected by all community water supplies. Requires the owner or operator of each community water supply to perform specified activities. Creates the Lead Service Line Replacement Advisory Board within the Agency to perform specified duties. Contains other provisions. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish a comprehensive low-income water assistance policy and program with specified requirements. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission may allow or direct a water utility to establish a customer assistance program that provides financial relief to residential customers who qualify for income-related assistance. Makes other changes. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires specified entities to provide to the Environmental Protection Agency by December 31, 2023, and again by December 31, 2025, specified information as it relates to the cost of providing water service. Provides that the Agency shall publish the information on the Agency's website. Provides that the Agency may adopt rules setting forth the general requirements for submittal of the information. Repeals the provisions regarding the information on January 1, 2026. Repeals a Section regarding lead in drinking water notifications and inventories. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: New Act 30 ILCS 105/5.935 new 220 ILCS 5/8-306 Adds reference to: 30 ILCS 105/5.938 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish a comprehensive low-income water assistance policy and program with specified requirements. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the owner or operator of each community water supply to perform specified activities. Creates the Lead Service Line Replacement Advisory Board within the Environmental Protection Agency to perform specified duties. Creates the Lead Service Line Replacement Fund to be used to finance and administer programs and activities specified under the amendatory provisions. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Provides that, within one year after the amendatory Act's effective date, the Agency shall design a program with specified requirements for the purpose of administering lead service line replacement funds. Contains other provisions. Repeals a Section of the Environmental Protection Act regarding lead in drinking water notifications and inventories. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill, and makes the following changes. Requires that when an owner or operator of a community water supply awards a contract under the Act, contracts representing at least 11% of the total projects (rather than of the total annual premiums or fees) shall be awarded to minority-owned businesses; contracts representing at least 7% of the total projects (rather than of the total annual premiums or fees) shall be awarded to women-owned businesses; and contracts representing at least 2% of the total projects (rather than of the total annual premiums or fees) shall be awarded to businesses owned by persons with disabilities. In provisions requiring every owner or operator of a community water supply to create a plan to replace specified service lines, requires a proposed lead service line replacement schedule to also include 10-year goals. Requires the owner or operator of a community water supply to submit a report detailing progress toward plan goals to the Environmental Protection Agency. Specifies requirements for the reports. Provides that corporate authorities of a municipality may exercise the authority provided under specified provisions of the Property Tax Code and Illinois Municipal Code for costs associated with lead service line remediation and replacement (instead of impose a tax, fee, surcharge, charge, assessment, or other amount payable or imposed as deemed necessary, by ordinance or resolution by the corporate authorities, to be used solely for costs incurred by the municipality associated with lead service line remediation). In provisions specifying the replacement rates and timelines for replacement of lead service lines by an owner or operator of a community water supply, requires that a community water supply reporting more than 99,999 lead service lines in its final inventory and replacement plan shall replace all lead service lines, at an annual rate of no less than 2% of the amount described in the final inventory, with a timeline of up to 50 years for completion. Authorizes the Agency to grant one extension of additional time equal to not more than 20% of the original replacement timeline, except in situations of extreme hardship in which the Agency may consider a second additional extension equal to not more than 10% of the original replacement timeline. Removes language limiting the purposes and amounts for which moneys in the Lead Service Line Replacement Fund may be used. Requires the Agency to design rules for a program (rather than design a program) for the purpose of administering lead service line replacement funds. Makes changes to provisions concerning the requirements for the program. Removes language specifying the information that must be included in the annual consumer confidence report required under the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. Makes other changes. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Makes a technical change in the citation of sections of the Property Tax Code.

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 the effective date of the amendatory Act that provides coverage to an Illinois resident shall provide coverage for the treatment, removal, elimination, or maximum feasible treatment of nevus flammeus, also known as port-wine stains, including, but not limited to, port-wine stains caused by Sturge-Weber Syndrome. Provides that no health carrier may reduce or eliminate coverage due to coverage for port-wine stain treatment. Provides that the Director of Insurance shall not approve any rate increases due to coverage for port-wine stain treatment. Provides that no health maintenance organization shall increase rates due to coverage for port-wine stain treatment. 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 Illinois Public Aid Code. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. 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, 2022 shall provide coverage for treatment to eliminate or provide maximum feasible treatment of nevus flammeus, also known as port-wine stains, including, but not limited to, port-wine stains caused by Sturge-Weber syndrome. Provides that treatment or maximum feasible treatment shall include early intervention treatment, including topical, intralesional, or systemic medical therapy and surgery, and laser treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in children aged 18 years and younger that are intended to prevent functional impairment related to vision function, oral function, inflammation, bleeding, infection, and other medical complications associated with port-wine stains. Provides that the coverage for port-wine stain treatment shall not include treatment solely for cosmetic purposes. 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 Illinois Public Aid Code.

Creates the Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment Pilot Program Act. Directs the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create a pilot program for the distribution of grants for the construction of new natural gas pipelines and infrastructure in Pembroke Township. Requires applicants for grants to demonstrate that the grants will result in the construction of a new natural gas pipeline to provide natural gas to the residents of the township. Provides that the Department shall report annually to the Governor and General Assembly beginning in 2022 regarding cost estimates for the Pilot Program, recommendations for improvement to the Pilot Program, and a recommendation as to whether the Pilot Program should be continued. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment Pilot Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a gas public utility may apply for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to increase its gas service territory and extend its gas distribution system to serve a designated hardship area. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall, after notice and hearing, grant a certificate of public convenience and necessity if, based upon the application filed with the Commission and the evidentiary record, the Commission finds that specified criteria are satisfied. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Replaces provisions concerning the Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment Pilot Program with language providing that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall create the Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment Pilot Program for a duration of 5 years. Provides that the Department shall distribute grants, subject to appropriation, from moneys in the Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment Fund for the conversion of appliances to be compatible with natural gas. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules for the administration of the Program. Provides that, at a minimum, the rules shall require that the applicant for the grants demonstrate that the grants will result in the conversion of necessary equipment to have the ability to utilize natural gas. Provides that the rules shall allow for conversion grants awarded to residents of Pembroke Township and to Pembroke Township to provide assistance for the use of natural gas and shall ensure that the applicant complies with all other requirements of the rules. In provisions amending the Public Utilities Act, makes changes concerning what a gas public utility applying for a certificate of public convenience and necessity shall include in the application and the criteria the Illinois Commerce Commission shall consider in granting the certificate. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall require each long-term care facility in the State, as a condition of facility licensure, to adopt and implement written policies, provide for the availability of technology to facility residents, and ensure that appropriate staff and other capabilities are in place to prevent the social isolation of facility residents. Contains specified requirements for the social isolation prevention policies. Provides that the Department shall distribute civil monetary penalty funds, as approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and any other available federal and State funds, upon request, to facilities for communicative technologies and accessories needed for the purposes of the provisions. Provides that whenever the Department conducts an inspection of a long-term care facility, the Department's inspector shall determine whether the long-term facility is in compliance with the provisions and the policies, protocols, and procedures adopted pursuant to the provisions. Requires the Department to adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions within 60 days after the amendatory Act's effective date (and makes conforming changes in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act). Contains other provisions. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Removes language providing that the Department of Public Health shall require each long-term care facility in the State to perform specified actions as a condition of facility licensure. Provides that the social isolation prevention policies shall not be interpreted as a substitute for in person visitation, but shall be wholly in addition to the existing in person visitation policies. Provides that a resident's individualized visitation plan shall give priority to the resident's preferences over the preferences of the resident's representative. Provides that a long-term care facility may apply for (rather than the Department shall distribute) civil monetary penalty fund grants, and may request other available federal and State funds to obtain assistive and supportive technologies and related accessories that would facilitate communication between residents and other family members, friends, and external support systems. Provides that the Department (rather than the Department's inspector) shall determine whether a long-term care facility is in compliance with the provisions whenever the Department conducts an annual licensure and certification survey, when a complaint is received, or as frequently as may be necessary (rather than whenever the Department conducts an inspection of a long-term care facility). Provides that a noncompliant long-term care facility shall be liable to pay an administrative penalty as a Type "C" violation. Provides that implementation of an administrative penalty as a Type "C" violation under the provisions shall not be imposed prior to January 1, 2023. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 In provisions amending the Nursing Home Care Act, provides that the social isolation prevention policies adopted by each long-term care facility shall be consistent with the rights and privileges guaranteed to residents and constraints provided under specified provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Adds provisions regarding legislative findings. Replaces references to specified types of equipment with references to assistive and supportive technology and devices. Requires appropriate staff to develop and update an individualized virtual visitation schedule while taking into account the individual's requests and preferences (rather than to assess and regularly reassess the individual needs and preferences of facility residents). Requires appropriate staff to develop an individualized virtual visitation schedule (rather than an individualized visitation plan) with specified requirements. Provides that specific protocols and procedures shall be developed to ensure that the quantity of assistive and supportive technology and devices maintained on-site at a facility remains sufficient, at all times, to meet the assessed social and activity needs and preferences of each facility resident. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that every insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a qualified health plan offered through the health insurance marketplace in the State and Medicaid managed care organizations providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment shall provide coverage for medically necessary treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Provides that an insurer shall not limit benefits or coverage for medically necessary services on the basis that those services should be or could be covered by a public program. Provides that an insurer shall base any medical necessity determination or the utilization review criteria on current generally accepted standards of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorder or condition care. Provides that in conducting utilization review of covered health care services and benefits for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental, emotional, and nervous disorders or conditions in children, adolescents, and adults, an insurer shall exclusively apply the criteria and guidelines set forth in the most recent versions of the treatment criteria developed by the nonprofit professional association for the relevant clinical specialty. Provides that an insurer shall not apply different, additional, conflicting, or more restrictive utilization review criteria than the criteria and guidelines set forth in the treatment criteria. Provides that the Director may, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, assess a civil penalty between $5,000 and $20,000 for each violation. Amends the Health Carrier External Review Act. Provides that the independent review organization shall comply with specified requirements for an adverse determination or final adverse determination involving mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 In provisions concerning mental and emotional disorders, provides that an insurer shall not set a specific limit on the duration of benefits or coverage of medically necessary treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions or limit coverage only to alleviation of the insured's current symptoms. Provides that nothing shall require the insurer to cover a treatment when the authorization was granted based on a material misrepresentation by the insured, the policyholder, or the provider. Provides that an insurer may apply specified utilization review criteria to health care services and benefits for mental, emotional, and nervous disorders or conditions that are outside the scope of specified criteria and guidelines or relate to advancements in technology or types of care that are not covered in the most recent versions of specified sources. Provides that if the Director of Insurance determines that an insurer has violated the provisions, the Director may assess a civil penalty between $1,000 and $5,000 for each violation (rather than between $5,000 and $20,000). Removes language that provides that changes in terminology, organization, or classification of mental, emotional, nervous, substance use disorder or condition in future versions of specified publications shall not affect the conditions covered by provisions concerning mental and emotional disorders as long as a condition is commonly understood to be a mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorder or condition by health care providers practicing in relevant clinical specialties. Removes language that provides that an insurer shall not limit benefits or coverage for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions to short-term or acute treatment at any level of placement. Makes other changes. Changes the effective date to January 1, 2022 (rather than an immediate effective date). Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 215 ILCS 5/370c.1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Provides that every insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a qualified health plan offered through the health insurance marketplace in the State and Medicaid managed care organizations providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment shall provide coverage for medically necessary treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions on or after January 1, 2023 (rather than January 1, 2022). Provides that an insurer or Medicaid managed care organization shall not be required to pay for services if the individual was not the insurer's enrollee or eligible for Medicaid at the time the service was rendered. Provides that an insurer shall not be required to cover benefits that have been authorized and provided for a covered person by a public entitlement program. Provides that for medical necessity determinations (rather than in conducting utilization review of covered health care services and benefits) relating to level of care placement, continued stay, and transfer or discharge of insureds diagnosed with mental, emotional, and nervous disorders or conditions, insurers and Medicaid managed care organizations shall apply specified patient placement criteria. Makes various changes to provisions concerning requirements for insurers regarding education of the insurer's staff and other stakeholders, publishing of utilization review criteria, and documentation of interrater reliability testing and remediation actions. Further amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorder or condition parity, provides that not later than January 1 (rather than August 1) of each year, the Department of Insurance shall issue a joint report to the General Assembly and provide an educational presentation to the General Assembly. Removes language that provides that insurers shall base the duration of treatment on the insured's individual needs; that an insurer shall only engage applicable qualified providers in the treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions or the appropriate subspecialty and who possess an active professional license or certificate to review, approve, or deny services; and that every insurer shall sponsor a formal education program by nonprofit clinical specialty associations. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2022, except that specified provisions take effect immediately.