Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Requires the Department on Aging, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to identify all programs operating in the State, both public and private, that provide services to meet the unique needs and circumstances of senior citizens. Requires the Department on Aging to compile and maintain a list of the identified programs that includes for each program listed: (i) a brief description of program services; (ii) eligibility requirements; and (ii) instructions on how to apply to the program. Requires the Department on Aging and the Departments of Human Services and Healthcare and Family Services to post the list of identified programs on their websites in a relevant and conspicuous place. Requires the Department on Aging to ensure that printed copies of the list of identified programs are available for distribution to senior citizens at each local agency that contracts with a designated area agency on aging. Requires the Secretary of State to ensure that printed copies of the list of identified programs are available for distribution to senior citizens at each driver services facility operated by the Secretary of State.
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Amends the School Code. Defines "computer science education". Requires the State Board of Education to establish an Office of Computer Science Education and to select an Executive Director for that Office. Requires the Executive Director to work with a team of professionals assigned to the Office and with a variety of stakeholder groups toward ensuring that every student in kindergarten through grade 12 in this State is afforded an equal and equitable opportunity to obtain a world-class computer science education. Provides that from the amounts appropriated for its annual budget, the State Board must provide funding for computer science education that must be used exclusively for teacher salaries, ongoing professional development for teachers, and technology needed specifically for facilitating computer science education. With regard to the State Board's school report cards, provides that the curriculum information data must include data on computer science courses, which must be disaggregated by every student subgroup identity recognized by the State Board, including race, gender identity, and free or reduced-price lunch program eligibility. Requires the report cards to also include data on the amount of money allocated annually for computer science education. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/1-3 105 ILCS 5/2-3.47 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Subject to appropriation or private donations, requires the State Board of Education to make available to school districts grants to support computer science education; defines "computer science education". Requires a school district to use grant funds for educator salaries, professional development for educators, and the equipment needed to facilitate computer science education. Provides that the State Board shall prioritize the distribution of grants to Organizational Units assigned to Tier 1 or Tier 2 under the evidence-based funding formula. With regard to the State Board's school report cards, provides that the curriculum information data must include data on computer science courses. Effective immediately.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Require managed care organizations (MCOs) to ensure (i) that contracted providers shall be paid for any medically necessary service rendered to any of the MCO's enrollees, regardless of inclusion on the MCO's published and publicly available roster of available providers; and (ii) that all contracted providers are contained on an updated roster within 7 days of entering into a contract with the MCO and that such roster be readily accessible by all medical assistance enrollees for purposes of selecting an approved healthcare provider. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop a single standard list of all additional clinical information that shall be considered essential information and may be requested from a hospital to adjudicate a claim. Provides that a provider shall not be required to submit additional information, justifying medical necessity, for a service which has previously received a service authorization by the MCO or its agent. Contains provisions concerning a timely payment interest penalty; an expedited provider payment schedule; a single list of standard codes to identify the reason for nonpayment on a claim; payments under the Department's fee-for-service system; a 90-day correction period for providers to correct errors or omissions in a payment claim; service authorization requests; discharge notification and facility placement; and other matters. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a provider who has exhausted the written internal appeals process of a managed care organization (MCO) shall be entitled to an external independent third-party review of the MCO's final decision that denies, in whole or in part, a health care service to an enrollee or a claim for reimbursement to a provider for a health care service rendered to an enrollee of the Medicaid managed care organization. Requires an MCO's final decision letter to a provider to include: (i) a statement that the provider's internal appeal rights within the MCO have been exhausted; (ii) a statement that the provider is entitled to an external independent third-party review; (iii) the time period granted to request an external independent third-party review; and (iv) the mailing address to initiate an external independent third-party review. Provides that a party shall be entitled to appeal a final decision of the external independent third-party review within 30 days after the date upon which the appealing party receives the external independent third-party review. Provides that a final decision by the Director of Healthcare and Family Services shall be final and reviewable under the Administrative Review Law. Contains provisions concerning fees to help defray the cost of the administrative hearings; the specific claims of services that are appealable; and the Department's rulemaking authority. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. With regard to the required health examination, provides that the social and emotional screening must include questions on a child's medical history that pertain to the mental health issues of his or her family and any other matter that could impact the child's future mental health. Effective immediately.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish reimbursement rates that build toward livable wages for front-line personnel in residential and day programs and service coordination agencies serving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities under the Act, including, but not limited to, intermediate care for the developmentally disabled facilities, medically complex for the developmentally disabled facilities, community-integrated living arrangements, community day services, employment, and other residential and day programs for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities supported by State funds or funding under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act. Provides that on or before July 1, 2019, the Department shall increase rates and reimbursements and on or before that date, direct support persons shall earn a base wage of not less than $5.25 per hour above the highest applicable federal, State, county, or municipal minimum wage, and on or before that date, other front-line personnel shall earn a commensurate wage. Provides that on or before July 1, 2021, the Department shall increase rates and reimbursements and on or before that date, direct support persons shall earn a base wage of not less than $6.75 per hour above the highest applicable federal, State, county, or municipal minimum Wage, and on or before July 1, 2021, other front-line personnel shall earn a commensurate wage. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Calls on the 116th United States Congress to pass the Dream Act.
Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to employ an investigator who is required to devote at least 50% of his or her time to the investigation of complaints that allege a violation of the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 or its rules.
Amends the Children's Advocacy Center Act. Provides that schools in a county with an accredited Children's Advocacy Center shall not proceed with interviews of a student regarding an alleged incident of sexual abuse, regardless of whether the student is a victim, witness, or alleged perpetrator, until the school receives written approval from an appropriate law enforcement agency or the Department of Children and Family Services. Allows a law enforcement agency or the Department to object to an interview allowed by the other entity and no interview may be done until both approve. Allows an investigating body of a school to view a forensic interview under specified circumstances. Includes legislative findings and defines a term. Amends the School Code making conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2019. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 55 ILCS 80/4.5 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/22-84 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Moves the provisions to the School Code. Changes references from "sexual abuse" to "child abuse or neglect". Defines "appropriate law enforcement agency" and "written approval". Provides that when a mandated reporter within a school has knowledge of an alleged incident of child abuse or neglect: the reporter shall call the Department of Children and Family Services hotline immediately after obtaining the minimal information necessary to make a report and no school personnel shall conduct an investigation until specified circumstances occur; and contact any Children's Advocacy Center in the county. Removes provisions relating to a Children's Advocacy Center allowing an investigating body to view digitally recorded forensic interviews. Provides that the State Board of Education shall develop and make available materials relating to notification and reporting under the provisions. Provides that the provisions apply to all schools (rather than public schools) operated under the School Code, including non-public schools. Makes conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2019.
Encourages Illinoisans to recognize milkweed and let it grow as a conservation practice to positively affect the monarch butterfly population.