Sen. Laura Murphy

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In a provision permitting the Department of Children and Family Services to refer any child or family to services available from other agencies in the community if the conditions in the child's or family's home are reasonably likely to subject the child or family to future reports of suspected child abuse or neglect, provides that if the family chooses to receive family preservation services and there are children under the age of 6 living in the household, those children shall be enrolled in appropriate early childhood education services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews group accident and health policies providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment or services for illness entered into on or after January 1, 2021 shall ensure that the insured have timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Provides that network adequacy standards for timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions must satisfy specified minimum requirements. Provides that if there is no in-network facility or provider available for an insured to receive timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions in accordance with the minimum network adequacy standards, the insurer shall provide necessary exceptions to its network to ensure admission and treatment with a provider or at a treatment facility in accordance with those network adequacy standards. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a tax year may not be offered at a scavenger sale prior to the date of annual tax sale for that tax year. Provides that, for omitted assessments, a tax year may not be offered at a scavenger sale prior to the annual tax sale for that omitted assessment's warrant year. Provides that, for the 2019 tax year and each tax year thereafter, all applications for judgment and order of sale for taxes and special assessments on delinquent properties shall be made within 365 days of the second installment due date. Effective immediately.

Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act. Provides that before pursuing a collection action against an insured patient for the unpaid amount of services rendered, a health care provider must review a patient's file to ensure that the patient does not have a Medicare supplement policy or any other secondary payer health insurance plan. Provides that if, after reviewing a patient's file, the health care provider finds no supplemental policy in the patient's record, the provider must then provide notice to the patient, and give that patient an opportunity to address the issue. Provides that if a health care provider has neither found information indicating the existence of a supplemental policy, nor received payment for services rendered to the patient, the health care provider may proceed with a collection action against the patient in accordance with specified provisions. Defines "supplemental policy". Makes a conforming change.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that on and after the effective date of the amendatory Act, 15% of the total annual funds appropriated for grants made under the monetary award program shall be set aside by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the purpose of making grants that shall be awarded to students attending a public community college in this State. Effective immediately.

Creates the Water Quality Assurance Act. Provides that new and existing health care facilities and buildings containing health care facilities shall develop and implement water management programs with specified elements to control the growth and spread of opportunistic pathogens. Requires specified persons to develop and implement a routine culture sampling plan for all building water systems. Requires health care facilities to perform remediation of identified opportunistic pathogens. Provides that the Department of Public Health or agent health departments may enter at reasonable times upon private or public property for the purpose of inspecting and investigating conditions relating to the enforcement of the Act. Requires health care facilities to register with the Department all building water systems within 120 days of the Act's effective date and to provide specified information. Contains other provisions. Establishes the Water Quality Assurance Fund as a special fund in the State treasury and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall implement, administer, and enforce the Act and may adopt rules it deems necessary to do so. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that the Code shall not apply to procurement expenditures necessary for the Department to respond to an infectious disease outbreak response or to procurement expenditures that are necessary for a State agency's facility to implement critical recommendations provided by the Department in response to an infectious disease outbreak. Effective January 1, 2021.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to implement and administer a program, beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year, to award College Promise grants to Illinois residents seeking an associate degree, certificate, or diploma from an institution of higher learning or a not-for-profit private business or vocational school. Sets forth the terms and conditions of the program. Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care organization shall change an insured's eligibility or coverage during a contract period. Provides that during a contract period, insureds shall have the protection and continuity of their providers, medication, covered benefits, and formulary during the contract period. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code making conforming changes.

Amends the Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit Act. Creates a second set of incentive periods beginning on July 1, 2020 and ending on June 30, 2026. Provides that the credit shall not exceed $5,000 per employee hired. Provides that the maximum amount of credits allowed is $75,000,000. Effective immediately.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities. Sets forth requirements concerning mandatory student fees, including the establishment of a system of internal controls over mandatory student fees, an assessment of each mandatory student fee, and the establishment of separate funds. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires an institution of higher learning to provide a financial aid shopping sheet to each prospective student as part of the institution's financial aid offer to that student. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to develop a model format for the shopping sheet; sets forth what the model shopping sheet must include. Requires each institution to utilize either the model shopping sheet or the most current financial aid shopping sheet developed by the United States Department of Education or the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Effective July 1, 2020.