Sen. Karina Villa

Declares May 8, 2024 as Day of the Rebozo in the State of Illinois.

Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Act to restore protections for wetlands and small streams that were formerly protected from pollution and destruction by the Clean Water Act. Includes provisions concerning: exemptions; wetlands delineation, classification, notification, permits and veto; general permits; appeal of final decisions made by the Department of Natural Resources and judicial review; investigation and enforcement; and county authority. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Advisory Committee and establishes duties and rules for the Committee. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Fund. Provides for permit review fees. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Declares May 15, 2024 as Sister City Partnership Day in the State of Illinois in honor of the 25th anniversary of the West Chicago and Taufkirchen sister city relationship.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning the child care assistance program, provides that beginning in State Fiscal Year 2024, the specified income threshold shall be no less than 250% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Provides that beginning in State Fiscal Year 2025, the income threshold shall annually increase by 25% if the percentage of enrolled families with income at the then-current income threshold, for the applicable family size, reaches 45% of all families eligible for child care assistance. Provides that the annual 25% increase in income eligibility shall continue each State fiscal year until the income threshold reaches 400% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities and community colleges in Illinois. Provides that, in determining whether an individual is an Illinois resident, if the individual enrolls or attains credits at a public or private elementary school in this State, a public or private high school in this State, an adult school organized under the Public Community College Act, or a community college campus organized under the Public Community College Act, or either graduated from a public or private high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in this State, attained an associate degree from a community college campus organized under the Public Community College Act, or fulfills of the minimum transfer requirements established by the college for students transferring from a campus of a community college campus organized under the Public Community College Act, then the individual can qualify as a resident (instead of resided with his or her parent or guardian while attending a public or private high school in this State or individual graduated from a public or private high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in this State). Removes the requirement that the individual must attend school in this State for at least 3 years as of the date the individual graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma to qualify as an Illinois resident.

Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government that has submitted a distressed location project as defined by Department of Natural Resources rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement projects on distressed location projects. Provides that no less than 10% of the amount appropriated under the Act in any fiscal year shall be made available as grants to distressed communities.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that, for a group policy of accident and health insurance providing coverage for more than 25 employees that provides pregnancy related benefits that is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed in this State after the effective date of the amendatory Act, if a covered individual obtains, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, a recommendation approving the covered individual to seek in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian tube transfer, or zygote intrafallopian tube transfer based on any of the following: the covered individual's medical, sexual, and reproductive history; the covered individual's age; physical findings; or diagnostic testing, then the procedure shall be covered without any other restrictions or requirements.

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Opioid Antagonist Bulk Purchase Fund. Provides that the Fund may receive gifts, grants, bequests, donations, and moneys from any other lawful source, public or private. Requires any interest earned on moneys in the Fund to be deposited into the Fund. Provides that subject to appropriation, moneys in the Opioid Antagonist Bulk Purchase Fund shall be used by the Department of Human Services for bulk purchasing of opioid antagonists and for the making of grants for the distribution of opioid antagonists. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules establishing requirements for the distribution of grant moneys and the determination of which persons or entities are eligible for and most in need of those grants, and gives it authority to adopt any other rules necessary to implement the provisions and administer the Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that on or before October 1, 2024, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Team, the Office of the Governor, and relevant stakeholders as needed shall release a strategy that includes a tool for measuring capacity and readiness to implement universal mental health screening of students. Provides that the State Board of Education shall issue a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on school district readiness and plan for phased approach to universal mental health screening of students on or before April 1, 2025. Repeals the Wellness Checks in Schools Program Act. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall implement guidance to managed care organizations and similar care coordination entities contracted with the Department, so that the managed care organizations and care coordination entities respond to lead indicators with services and interventions that are designed to help stabilize the child. Amends the Children's Mental Health Act. Provides that the Children's Mental Health Partnership shall advise the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative on designing and implementing short-term and long-term strategies to provide comprehensive and coordinated services for children from birth to age 25 and their families with the goal of addressing children's mental health needs across a full continuum of care, including social determinants of health, prevention, early identification, and treatment. Provides that the Department of Public Health (rather than the Department of Healthcare and Family Services) shall provide technical and administrative support for the Partnership. Deletes requirements that the Partnership shall employ an Executive Director and set the compensation of the Executive Director and other such employees and technical assistance as it deems necessary to carry out its duties. Amends the Interagency Children's Behavioral Health Services Act. Provides that the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Team in collaboration with the Department of Human Services shall develop a program to provide one-on-one in-home respite behavioral health aids to youth requiring intensive supervision due to behavioral health needs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a Manufacturing Promise Scholarship Program to award scholarships to State residents who are enrolled in a public community college or other program with a major in manufacturing or a skilled trade. Provides that, subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for a scholarship. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a scholarship if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that the Commission shall reserve 20% of the amount appropriated in a given fiscal year for students who are from underrepresented areas. Provides that the Commission shall make scholarships available to traditional college-aged students, adults, and non-traditional students. Provides that an applicant who receives a scholarship may not be required to return scholarship funds. Provides for rulemaking.