Sen. Julie Morrison

Amends the Accident and Health Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for therapy, diagnostic testing, and equipment necessary to increase quality of life for children who have been clinically or genetically diagnosed with any disease, syndrome, or disorder that includes low tone neuromuscular impairment, neurological impairment, or cognitive impairment. Provides that the coverage shall include 315 combined therapy sessions per year.

Amends the Degradable Plastic Act. Provides that, on or before July 1, 2025, each State agency shall establish and implement a plan to reduce the quantity of single-use plastics used or purchased by that State agency by 50% on or before 2031 and by 75% on or before 2036. Exempts specified single-use plastics from the provisions. Provides that on or before May 1, 2026, and on or before May 1 of each year thereafter, each State agency shall deliver to the Department of Central Management Services a status report on its single-use plastics reduction efforts. Requires the Department to compile a report with specified information and submit it to the General Assembly and the public. Provides that each State agency must post specified information on its website. Exempts State agencies that ban their own use or purchase of single-use plastics from the requirements. Defines "single-use plastic" and "State agency". Contains other provisions.

Amends the Consent by Minors to Health Care Services Act. Allows a parent who consents to the performance upon his or her child of a health care service to request to inspect and copy the child's records or any part thereof so long as it is related to the health care service the parent consented to. Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act. Allows the personal representative under HIPAA of a recipient to request to inspect and copy a recipient's record or any part thereof, regardless of the age of the recipient.

Amends the Developmental Disability and Mental Disability Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish the Long-Term Stabilization Support Program consisting of at least 8 homes across the State and the Short-Term Stabilization Support Program consisting of at least 10 homes across the State. Provides for the requirements of each program. Provides that the Department shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly and Governor that outlines the progress and effectiveness of the programs beginning December 31, 2025. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to develop and implement the programs. Provides for the repeal of the Article on January 1, 2028.

Amends the State Finance Act. Adds uses for which the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund may be used, and adds amounts that will be transferred from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund until 2033 (rather than ending in 2023). Provides that the Partners for Conservation Fund is eligible to receive grants, gifts, and awards from any public or private entity for the purpose of expanding financial and technical assistance in order to advance nutrient loss reduction efforts within priority watersheds. Amends the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act. Defines terms. Creates the Illinois Healthy Soils and Watersheds Initiative to improve the health of soils and the function of watersheds through efforts that support the implementation of the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, reduce nutrient loss, improve soil and water quality, protect drinking water, increase the resilience of ecosystems to extreme weather events, protect and improve agricultural productivity, and support aquatic and wildlife habitat. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall adopt and revise guidelines to assist soil and water conservation districts in determining local goals and needs for implementing soil health and watershed conservation projects consistent with the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Provides that, after the Department has adopted its guidelines, each soil and water conservation district shall develop its own goals and needs assessment to guide implementation of the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Includes provisions about compliance and standards cost sharing, Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy alignment for State-owned, State-managed, and State-leased agricultural lands, and Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy reports. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act. Defines terms. Makes changes of references to "hearing instruments" to "hearing aids" when referring to the instrument or device. Provides that all hearing instruments or hearing aids must be dispensed or sold in accordance with Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission regulations governing the dispensing and sale of personal sound amplification products or hearing aids. Provides that a person age 17 or younger must be evaluated in person by either a licensed audiologist or a physician before receiving a prescription for a hearing aid. Provides requirements for a hearing aid prescription for individuals age 17 or younger. Provides that a person age 18 or older must be evaluated by a hearing instrument professional in person or via telehealth before receiving a prescription for a hearing aid. Provides requirements for a hearing aid prescription for individuals age 18 or older. Provides that hearing aid dispensing technicians are exempt from licensure under this Act but are otherwise subject to the practices and provisions of this Act. Provides that a trainee may be supervised by more than one licensed hearing instrument professional. Provides that hearing aid dispensing technicians may be employed by a hearing instrument professional to assist in the dispensing and servicing of hearing instruments without a license. Provides for duties of a hearing aid dispensing technician. Provides that continuing education credit per licensing period must include a minimum of (1) 2 hours in Illinois law and ethics, (2) one hour in sexual harassment prevention training, and (3) one hour in implicit bias awareness (rather than just a minimum of 2 hours in Illinois law and ethics). Makes other changes. Makes a corresponding change to the Public Utilities Act. Effective January 1, 2024.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that no person, other than a pesticide applicator under the direct supervision of a supervisory pesticide applicator, may apply a pesticide within any school building or on the grounds of any school. Exempts emergency application of a pesticide meeting specified requirements from the provisions.

Creates the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as Zachary's Parent Protection Act. Provides that an employee of a large employer that employs 250 or more full-time employees is entitled to use a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide. Provides that an employee of a small employer that employs at least 50 but fewer than 250 full-time employees is entitled to use a maximum of 6 weeks of unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide. Provides that leave may be taken in a single continuous period or intermittently in increments of no less than 4 hours, but leave must be completed within one year after the employee notifies the employer of the loss. Permits an employer to require reasonable advance notice of the employee's intention to leave and reasonable documentation. Provides that an employee who takes leave under the Act is entitled to be restored to the position of employment held by the employee when the leave commenced or to be restored to an equivalent position. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to entitle any restored employee the accrual of any seniority or employment benefits during any period of leave. Provides that the Act does not extend the maximum period of leave to which an employee is entitled under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or under any other paid or unpaid leave provided under federal, State or local law, a collective bargaining agreement, or an employment benefits program or plan. Prohibits an employer from taking any adverse action against an employee who exercises his or her rights under the Act. Requires the Department of Labor to enforce the Act. Provides that a person who uses leave under either the Child Bereavement Leave Act or the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act may not take leave under the other Act, and amends the Child Bereavement Leave Act accordingly.

Amends the Illinois Health Information Exchange and Technology Act. Provides that the Act is repealed on July 1, 2023. Amends the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Law. Provides that staff employed by the Illinois Health Information Exchange Office (Office) on the effective date of the amendatory Act shall remain employed and continue their service within the Department of Healthcare and Family Services after the repeal of the Act and the dissolution of the Office. Provides that the status and rights of such employees shall not be affected by the repeal of the Act or the dissolution of the Office except that, notwithstanding any other State law to the contrary, those employees shall maintain their seniority and their positions shall convert to titles of a comparable organizational level under the Personnel Code and become subject to the Personnel Code. Provides that on the effective date of the amendatory Act, or as soon thereafter as practical, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the remaining balance from the Health Information Exchange Fund to the General Revenue Fund; and that upon completion of the transfer, the Health Information Exchange Fund is dissolved, and any future deposits due to that Fund and any outstanding obligations or liabilities of that Fund shall pass to the General Revenue Fund. Removes all reference to the Illinois Health Information Exchange Office in various Acts. Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Replaces references to the Long-Term Services and Supports Disparities Task Force with the Long-Term Services and Supports Disparities Workgroup. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall establish the Workgroup within the Medicaid Advisory Committee in accordance with certain federal requirements. Makes changes to provisions concerning the Workgroup's membership and duties. Effective July 1, 2023.

Creates the State Building and Residential Codes Act. Provides that the Capital Development Board, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources, shall adopt a Building Code that establishes minimum requirements for the construction of commercial buildings, that shall apply to the construction of, renovations to, and additions to all commercial buildings in the State. Provides that the Board, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, shall also adopt a Residential Code as the minimum and maximum requirements for the construction of residential buildings, that shall apply to the construction of, renovations to, and additions to all residential buildings in the State. Contains provisions concerning applicability; technical assistance; enforcement; rules; input from interested parties; and a prohibition on grants. Preempts home rule powers. Amends the Capital Development Board Act to make conforming changes. Repeals the Illinois Residential Building Codes Act. Effective immediately.