Sen. Pamela J. Althoff

Mourns the death of Hans Brinnich of McHenry.

Mourns the death of Clifford W. M. Leegard of Wonder Lake.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning retirement pensions.

Creates the Advisory Board for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Programs Act. Establishes the Advisory Board for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Programs under the Department of Public Health. Creates the Board. Requires the Board to advise the Director of Public Health and make recommendations to the Department and Governor regarding maternal and child health matters. Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Transfers authority over the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, Title X Family Planning Program award, and maternal and child health programs to the Department of Public Health. Transfers all relevant rights and duties, rules and rulemaking powers, personnel, property, records, and revenue allocations to the Department of Public Health. Amends the Illinois Family Case Management Act. Removes references to the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Board. Amends the Hearing Screening for Newborns Act. Changes the short title to the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act. Makes changes regarding which hospitals are required to conduct and report infant hearing tests. Requires the Department of Public Health to maintain a registry of cases documenting newborn hearing tests and intervention. Transfers rulemaking power under the Act from the Department of Human Services to the Department of Public Health. Repeals provisions concerning certain hospital reports to the Department and the hearing screening advisory committee. Amends the Prenatal and Newborn Care Act. Repeals a provision requiring the Department of Human Services to consult with the Advisory Board. Amends the Developmental Disability Prevention Act. Authorizes the Department of Public Health to determine funding needs for high-risk pregnancy programs. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district is subject to and its school board must comply with any valid local government zoning ordinance or resolution that applies where the pertinent part of the school district is located. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the following ground shall be accorded weight in favor of withholding or minimizing a sentence of imprisonment that at the time of the offense, the defendant was suffering from a serious mental illness which, though insufficient to establish the defense of insanity, substantially affected his or her ability to understand the nature of his or her acts or to conform his or her conduct to the requirements of the law. Effective immediately.

Creates the Human Trafficking Task Force Act. Provides requirements regarding the composition and duties of the task force. Provides that the task force shall provide a report containing specified information to the General Assembly and Governor no later than June 30, 2016. Abolishes the task force and repeals the Act on July 1, 2016. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mechanics Lien Act. Provides that the changes made by Public Act 97-966, to provisions governing the circumstances in which it is not necessary to fix by contract a time for the completion or a time for payment in order to obtain a lien under the Act, are operative during the 5-year period that begins on the effective date of this amendatory Act and are inoperative after the expiration of the 5-year period. Effective immediately.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning State policy.

Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Applies the medical exemptions process to all entities licensed in the State to sell a policy of group or individual accident and health insurance or health benefits plan. Provides certain exceptions upon which a step therapy override will always be provided. Sets clinical review criteria that must be used to establish step therapy protocols. Effective immediately.