Sen. Laura Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill nominates Omer M. Osman to serve as the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation. If approved, Osman would hold this position from April 19, 2024, to January 20, 2025, with an annual salary of $210,000. The legislation formally requests Senate consent to finalize his appointment to the state agency responsible for transportation infrastructure and services.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Specifies that the notice in contested case hearings must include an enclosure that notifies the recipient of the ability to request interpretive assistance for the hearing and to receive language assistance in translating the contents of the notice. Provides that an administrative law judge has the duty to inquire and determine whether a self-represented litigant or witness in a hearing needs interpretive assistance to participate in or understand the hearing. Authorizes any self-represented litigant, witness, or indigent person to request, at any time during the course of a hearing, interpretive assistance needed to participate in or understand the hearing. Provides that, if interpretive assistance is requested by a self-represented litigant, a witness, or an indigent person or if interpretive assistance is determined to be necessary by the administrative law judge, the administrative agency must appoint a foreign language interpreter at no cost to the person in need of the assistance for use in a substantive hearing. Authorizes an administrative agency to provide interpretive assistance during a nonsubstantive hearing through use of an interpreter who is not a foreign language interpreter, provided the administrative law judge examines the interpreter for competency for the purposes of the nonsubstantive hearing. Requires all persons appointed to provide interpretive assistance in substantive and nonsubstantive hearings to make certain affirmations. Contains provisions concerning waiver of these language assistance provisions.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the Historic Residence Assessment Freeze Law, provides that the fair cash value of the property shall be based on the final determination by the assessment officer, board of review, Property Tax Appeal Board, or court. Provides that, after the expiration of the 8-year valuation period, if the current fair cash value is less than the adjusted base year valuation, then the assessment shall be based on the current fair cash value. Provides that these changes are declarative of existing law.

Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. In provisions requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a public education program regarding gambling disorders, requires the program to (i) promote public awareness to create a gambling informed State regarding the impact of gambling disorders on individuals, families, and communities and the stigma that surrounds gambling disorders and (ii) use screening, crisis intervention, treatment, public awareness, prevention, in-service training, and other innovative means to decrease the incidents of suicide attempts related to a gambling disorder or gambling issues. Requires the Department to determine a statement regarding obtaining assistance with a gambling disorder, which each licensed gambling establishment owner shall post and each master sports wagering licensee shall include on the master sports wagering licensee's portal, Internet website, or computer or mobile application. Permits the Department: to provide advice to State and local officials on gambling disorders; to support gambling disorder prevention, recognition, treatment, and recovery projects; to collaborate with other community-based organizations, substance use disorder treatment centers, or other health care providers engaged in treating individuals who are experiencing gambling disorder; and to perform other actions. Permits the Department to award grants to create or support local gambling prevention, recognition, and response projects. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Strengthening Mental Health and Substance Use Parity Act. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, or any third-party administrator administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer, shall cover all out-of-network medically necessary mental health and substance use benefits and services (inpatient and outpatient) as if they were in-network for purposes of cost sharing for the insured. Provides that the insured has the right to select the provider or facility of their choice and the modality, whether the care is provided via in-person visit or telehealth, for medically necessary care. Sets forth minimum reimbursement rates for certain behavioral health benefits. Sets forth provisions concerning responsibility for compliance with parity requirements; coverage and payment for multiple covered mental health and substance use services, mental health or substance use services provided under the supervision of a licensed mental health or substance treatment provider, and 60-minute individual psychotherapy; timely credentialing of mental health and substance use providers; Department of Insurance enforcement and rulemaking; civil penalties; and other matters. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to authorize emergency rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Creates the Patient Access to Pharmacy Protection Act. Defines terms. Provides that no person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer, may deny, restrict, prohibit, condition, or otherwise interfere with, either directly or indirectly, the acquisition of a 340B drug by, or delivery of a 340B drug to, a 340B covered entity or a 340B contract pharmacy authorized to receive 340B drugs on behalf of the 340B covered entity unless such receipt is prohibited by federal law. Provides that no person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer, may impose any restriction on the ability of a 340B covered entity to contract with or designate a 340B contract pharmacy including restrictions relating to the number, location, ownership, or type of 340B contract pharmacy. Provides that no person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer, may require or compel a 340B covered entity or 340B contract pharmacy to submit or otherwise provide ingredient cost or pricing data pertinent to 340B drugs; institute requirements in any way relating to how a 340B covered entity manages its inventory of 340B drugs that are not required by a State or federal agency, including requirements relating to the frequency or scope of audits of inventory management systems of a 340B covered entity or a 340B contract pharmacy; or require a 340B covered entity or its 340B contract pharmacy to submit or otherwise provide data or information that is not required by State or federal law. Sets forth provisions concerning enforcement of this Act; preemption of this Act; and severability of this Act. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill nominates Irma Martinez Snopek to serve as the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Early Childhood. The appointment would have placed her in charge of the state agency responsible for early childhood development programs, with a term beginning in August 2024 and ending in January 2027. Although the Senate initially received the nomination, the bill was officially withdrawn on December 2, 2024, meaning the appointment did not proceed.

Congratulates Robert M. "Bob" Tanner on his retirement as president and CEO of Greater Family Health. Wishes him success in his future endeavors.

Amends the Delinquent Minors Article of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Adds a Part concerning Fitness to Stand Trial. Specifies the unfitness standard for a child. Sets forth procedures to raise the issue of the unfitness of a child. Specifies the burden of proof and a presumption. Provides requirements for a fitness evaluation and hearing to determine the fitness of a child. Provides the requirements for the services to attain fitness, the period to obtain fitness, initial and subsequent progress reports, periodic hearings, and in-court assistance to render a child fit. Specifies time credit and sentencing guidelines for a child who attains fitness. Provides for the legal disposition of a child if fitness cannot be attained. Contains other provisions. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not enter into a contract with a managed care organization that relies on a pharmacy benefit manager that does not do the following: (i) utilize a pharmacy reimbursement methodology of the lesser of national average drug acquisition cost plus a professional dispensing fee as determined by the Department, the wholesale acquisition cost plus a professional dispensing fee as determined by the Department, or the usual and customary charge by the pharmacy; (ii) reimburse for a legally valid claim at a rate not less than the rate in effect at the time the original claim adjudication was submitted at the point of sale; (iii) agree to move to a transparent pass-through pricing model, in which the pharmacy benefit manager discloses the administrative fee as a percentage of the professional dispensing costs to the Department; (iv) agree to not create new pharmacy administration fees and to not increase current fees more than the rate of inflation; and (v) agree to not terminate an existing contract with a pharmacy licensed under the Pharmacy Practice Act for the sole reason of the additional professional dispensing fee authorized under item (i). Requires each pharmacy benefit manager that receives reimbursement for medical services, either directly or through a Medicaid managed care health plan, to submit by January 15, 2026, and each January 15 thereafter, certain data and information to the Department for the previous fiscal year, including: (1) the total number of prescriptions that were dispensed; (2) the aggregate wholesale acquisition cost for each drug on its formulary; (3) the aggregate amount of rebates, discounts, and price concessions that the pharmacy benefit manager received for each drug on its formulary; (4) the aggregate amount of administrative fees that the pharmacy benefit manager received from all pharmaceutical manufacturers; and (5) any other information considered necessary by the Department. Requires the Department to submit such data and information to the General Assembly and to the Governor's Office of Management and Budget. Provides that such information is confidential and not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.