Sen. Terry Link

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that a veteran is entitled to admission to an Illinois Veterans Home if he or she has served in the National Guard or Reserve Forces of the United States and completed 20 years of satisfactory service, is otherwise eligible to receive reserve or active duty retirement benefits, and has been an Illinois resident for at least one year before applying for admission for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary care or nursing home care (currently, only domiciliary care). Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Removes provisions providing that taxpayers who are granted a homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities must reapply on an annual basis. Effective January 1, 2021.

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 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 the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a taxpayer who may claim a qualifying student as a dependent is allowed a credit of up to $2,000 for qualified tuition and fee expenses paid by the taxpayer. Provides that the term qualifying student means a person who (i) is a resident of the State, (ii) is under the age of 24 at the close of the school year for which a credit is sought, and (iii) during the school year for which a credit is sought, is a full-time student enrolled in a program at a qualifying college or university.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the certified training programs in crisis intervention established by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall include addressing transportation of people with mental illnesses. Provides that the training includes understanding procedures for an involuntary transportation of people with mental illnesses to an evaluation setting.

Amends the Employee Sick Leave Act. Removes language exempting from coverage under the Act an employee of an employer subject to the provisions of Title II of the federal Railway Labor Act.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall establish a standing order complete with the issuance of a prescription for a smoking cessation product. Prescribes minimum requirements for the standing order. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for patient care services provided by a pharmacist for smoking cessation assessments and consultations. Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that the "practice of pharmacy" includes the assessment and consultation of patients and dispensing of tobacco and nicotine cessation drugs and products. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, subject to approval by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the medical assistance program shall cover patient care services provided by a pharmacist for smoking cessation assessments and consultations. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2020.