Sen. Mattie Hunter

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision listing the categories of families and individuals eligible for child care assistance, expands the list to include families whose children are enrolled in a Head Start program. Provides that any family that receives child care assistance under the amendatory Act shall be deemed to be participating in an education, training, or employment program approved by the Department of Human Services. Provides that any family that receives child care assistance under the amendatory Act shall remain eligible for child care assistance without interruption as long as the child is enrolled in a Head Start program.

Creates the Loan Repayment Assistance for Optometrists Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for optometrists who practice in this State to increase the total number of optometrists in this State. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, the Department shall, each year, consider applications for assistance under the program; sets forth other provisions concerning applications for assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for assistance if, among other qualifications, the applicant is practicing full time in this State as an optometrist, is currently repaying educational loans, and agrees to continue full time practice in this State for at least 3 years. Provides that for each year that a qualified applicant practices full time in this State as an optometrist, the Department shall award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay that year; specifies other grant requirements. Sets forth provisions concerning administration, rulemaking, appropriations, and a penalty for the failure to fulfill the work obligation. Effective January 1, 2025.

Declares May 1, 2024 as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Day in the State of Illinois.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is unlawful for a child sex offender with the duty to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act to knowingly reside within 250 (rather than 500) feet of a school building or the real property comprising any school that persons under the age of 18 attend, a playground, child care institution, day care center, part day child care facility, (deletes day care home and group day care home) or a facility providing programs or services exclusively directed toward persons under 18 years of age. Provides that the provisions do not apply if the property was established as the child sex offender's current address of registration prior to the date that entity was opened, or if the entity must obtain a license in order to provide programs or services, the date that the license was issued. Amends the Arsonist Registration Act, the Sex Offender Registration Act, and the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act. Provides that if the registrant is an indigent person, the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction shall (rather than may) waive the registration fee. Lowers various penalties from felonies to misdemeanors for violations of these Acts. Reduces the registration period under the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act from 10 years to 5 years. Defines in the various Acts "indigent person" and "poverty guidelines". Provides that the amendatory changes apply retroactively. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Real Estate Transactions Article of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman, because of a conviction record to: refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with a person or to discriminate in making available such a transaction; alter the terms, conditions, or privileges of a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith; refuse to negotiate for a real estate transaction with a person; represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or to fail to bring a property listing to his or her attention, or to refuse to permit him or her to inspect real property; make, print, circulate, post, mail, publish, or cause to be made, printed, circulated, posted, mailed, or published any notice, statement, advertisement, or sign, or use a form of application for a real estate transaction, or make a record or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction, that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on a conviction record or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination; or offer, solicit, accept, use, or retain a listing of real property with knowledge that discrimination on the basis of a conviction record in a real estate transaction is intended. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for a third-party loan modification service provider, because of a conviction record, to: refuse to engage in loan modification services; alter the terms, conditions, or privileges of such services; or discriminate in making such services available. Provides that nothing contained in the provision regarding civil rights violations in real estate transactions shall prohibit inquiry into or the use of a conviction record if the inquiry or use is otherwise authorized by State or federal law.

Declares April 2024 as Minority Health Month. Urges all Americans to learn their LDL-C level. Urges the Illinois Department of Health to update the State's cardiovascular plan to accelerate quality improvements and measures to achieve improved health outcomes for CVD patients. Urges the Illinois Department of Health to develop campaigns to increase cholesterol tests during the month of April. Urges providers to treat all CVD patients in accordance with American College of Cardiology treatment guidelines.

Creates the Blue Star Restaurant Program Act. Provides that the Department of Labor shall create the Blue Star Restaurant Program to recognize restaurants that voluntarily take no allowance for gratuities under the Minimum Wage Law. Provides for program eligibility requirements, benefits, and revocation of certification. Provides that the Department may adopt rules to implement and enforce the program. Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides that, from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026, the allowance for gratuities to which an employer is entitled for an employee engaged in an occupation in which gratuities have been recognized as part of the remuneration shall not exceed 20% of the applicable minimum wage rate. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, an employer shall not be entitled to an allowance for gratuities and shall pay each employee no less than the applicable minimum wage rate. Defines "interested party". Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides for additional notice requirements that employers must provide to employees who receive gratuities. Sets forth provisions concerning civil actions brought by an interested party. Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that no employer shall withhold from gratuities paid by credit card any credit card processing fees that the employer must pay in connection with the transaction. Provides that any service charge imposed by an employer on a customer shall be a gratuity and is the property of the employees. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hospital Services Trust Fund Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Increases by 20% hospital reimbursement rates for dates of service on and after January 1, 2024, for specified services, including, but not limited to: inpatient general acute care services; inpatient psychiatric services for safety-net hospitals; general acute care hospitals that are not safety-net hospitals; and outpatient general acute care services. Provides that the rates for the listed services shall be increased, beginning on January 1, 2025 and each January 1 thereafter, based on the annual increase in the national hospital market basket price proxies (DRI) hospital cost index from the midpoint of the calendar year 2 years prior to the current year, to the midpoint of the preceding calendar year. Provides that in no instance shall the adjustment result in a reduction to the rates in place at the time of the required adjustment. Provides that if the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finds that the increases required under the amendatory Act would result in rates of reimbursement which exceed the federal maximum limits applicable to hospital payments, then the payments and assessment tax imposed on hospital providers shall be reduced as provided in the Hospital Provider Funding Article. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to promptly take all actions necessary to ensure the changes authorized in the amendatory Act are in effect for dates of service on and after January 1, 2024. Requires the Department to ensure that all necessary adjustments to the managed care organization capitation base rates necessitated by the adjustments in the amendatory Act are completed, published, and applied 90 days prior to the implementation date of the changes required under the amendatory Act. Provides that, by October 1, 2023, the Department shall by rule implement a methodology effective for dates of service beginning on and after January 1, 2024 to reimburse hospitals for extended stays in a hospital emergency department. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Department emergency rulemaking authority. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Antitrust Act. Provides that documentary material, transcripts of oral testimony, or answers to interrogatories obtained in an investigation of a violation of the Act may be used by the Attorney General in any administrative or judicial action or proceeding. Provides that information voluntarily produced to the Attorney General for purposes of an investigation of a violation of the Act or information provided to the Attorney General under a notice requirement shall be treated as if produced pursuant to a subpoena for purposes of maintaining the confidentiality of such information. Provides that health care facilities that are party to a covered transaction shall provide notice of such transaction to the Attorney General no later than 60 days prior to the transaction closing or effective date of the transaction. Provides that any health care facility that fails to comply with the notice requirement is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 per day for each day during which the health care facility is in violation of the requirement. When the Attorney General has reason to believe that a health care facility has engaged in or is engaging in a covered transaction without complying with the notice requirement, allows the Attorney General to apply for and obtain a temporary restraining order or injunction prohibiting the health care facility from continuing its noncompliance or doing any act in furtherance thereof. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Effective January 1, 2024.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Creates the Due Process for Youth Oversight Commission (Commission) to oversee the creation and implementation of a youth's statutory right to counsel in abuse and neglect proceedings conducted in accordance with the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Requires the Commission to provide direction and operational phases for implementation statewide, provide status reports and recommendations to the General Assembly regarding implementation, and provide ongoing implementation and program oversight for 5 years after statewide transition is completed. Contains provisions concerning the Commission's membership; term limits; scheduled meetings; data support provided by the Department of Children and Family Services; Commission duties; and the date of the Commission's dissolution. Amends the Foster Children's Bill of Rights Act. Expands the rights afforded to every child placed in foster care to include the right to have a court appoint an attorney to represent the youth in any abuse or neglect case who will advocate for the youth's wishes and make recommendations to the court regarding the youth's care. Provides that this right applies to court proceedings pending or commenced on or after a date established by the Commission by administrative rule. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that immediately upon the filing of an abuse or neglect petition, the court shall appoint counsel for each minor who is the subject of that petition, unless the minor has already retained counsel. Provides that this requirement shall apply to court proceedings pending or commenced on or after a date established by the Commission by administrative rule. Provides that each respondent in any petition filed under the Act who is 8 years of age or older shall be furnished a written "Notice of Rights" at or before the first hearing at which the respondent appears. Provides that counsel appointed by a court to represent a minor in neglect or abuse proceedings shall have a minimum of one in-person contact with the minor prior to each hearing and at least one in-person contact every quarter. Effective immediately.