Sen. Ann Gillespie

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Prohibits mandatory arbitration clauses in fully insured life, health, or disability insurance policies. Prohibits clauses in life, health, or disability insurance policies that reserve discretion to the insurer to interpret the terms of the contract or that provide standards of interpretation or review that are inconsistent with the laws of this State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that not later than 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall adopt rules that require a person seeking licensure to practice medicine in all of its branches to have completed 6 hours of education on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with cognitive impairments, including, but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Provides that no later than 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department shall adopt rules that require any continuing education for persons licensed to practice medicine under all of its branches under the Act to include an average of 2 hours of continuing education per license year on the diagnosis, treatment and care of individuals with cognitive impairments, including, but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Specifies that the training requirement shall only apply to persons who serve adult populations. Provides that the curriculum used for the training shall cover the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, including recognizing the signs and symptoms of dementia; person-centered care; assessment and care planning; and culturally competent health care.

Amends the General Provisions and State Employee Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the alternative retirement annuity under the State Employee Article applies to a security employee of the Department of Human Services subject to the Tier 2 provisions. Provides that a security employee of the Department of Human Services subject to the Tier 2 provisions may convert up to 8 years of service credit established before the effective date of the amendatory Act as a security employee of the Department of Human Services under the State Employee Article into eligible creditable service by filing a written election with the Board under that Article, accompanied by a specified payment. Excludes a benefit increase resulting from the amendatory Act from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that through June 30, 2022 (instead of June 30, 2020), an annuitant may accept employment as a teacher without impairing his or her retirement status if that employment is not within the school year during which service was terminated and does not exceed 120 paid days or 600 paid hours in each school year. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an apprentice who is hired by the taxpayer through the United States Department of Defense SkillBridge internship program is considered a qualifying apprentice for the purpose of the apprenticeship education expense credit. Provides that, in the case of an employee participating in the SkillBridge program, the credit shall be equal to $3,500 per qualifying apprentice. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to annually include information about the Child Care Assistance Program and the federal dependent care allowance in the language that schools are required to provide to students eligible for Monetary Award Program grants. Specifies the information that must be included. Provides that an institution of higher learning that participates in the Monetary Award Program shall provide, at a minimum, the information to all students who are enrolled, or who are accepted for enrollment and are intending to enroll, and who have been identified by the Commission as Monetary Award Program-eligible at the institution. Provides that an institution of higher learning shall also provide the information to any student identified by the institution of higher learning as a student with dependents. Provides that an institution of higher learning may designate a public benefits liaison or single point person to assist students in taking the necessary steps to obtain public benefits if eligible. Requires the Commission to adopt rules to implement the provisions on or before October 1, 2020. Effective immediately.

Amends the Early Intervention Services System Act. Provides that, for State fiscal years 2020 through 2022, the Department of Human Services shall increase reimbursement rates for early intervention services and related services by 3% each State fiscal year; except that, for State fiscal years 2020 through 2022, the Department of Human Services shall increase reimbursement rates for developmental therapy services by 6% each State fiscal year. Effective immediately.

Creates the Unidentified Patient Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Elisha Brittman Law. Provides that upon the arrival of an unidentified patient into a hospital's emergency department the hospital shall take specified efforts towards identifying the patient. Requires a hospital to contact the local law enforcement agency and request that a missing person report be completed for an unidentified patient if the specified efforts are not possible or are unsuccessful. Provides that local law enforcement should be requested to enter an unidentified patient into the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center database. Requires hospital staff to contact local law enforcement to perform fingerprinting services in an effort to identify an unidentified patient. Provides that hospital staff shall make a referral to the hospital's public information officer to obtain specified identifying materials and submit them to local media outlets if the fingerprinting services are not possible or are unsuccessful. Provides that if a hospital receives a claim from an individual of being an unidentified patient's next of kin, a DNA sample may be collected from the unidentified patient and the individual and verified either on-site or at an associated laboratory, but must be provided on a voluntary basis and shall be used solely to help identify the unidentified patient and any familial relations. Provides that if law enforcement requests an unidentified patient's information to help identify a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person, the hospital and hospital personnel must disclose only the information allowed under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Defines terms.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning instruction.

Creates the Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit Act. Provides that the Illinois Housing Development Authority and the City of Chicago Department of Housing may award credits for certain qualified low-income housing projects. Provides that the credits may be taken against any or all of the following: (i) the taxes imposed by the Illinois Income Tax Act; or (ii) any retaliatory or privilege tax imposed by the Illinois Insurance Code. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act and the Illinois Insurance Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.