Sen. Kimberly Lightford

Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, a school board shall notify students and the parents or guardians of students, electronically or in the form of a letter, that a student may be eligible to receive mental health services from the school district under a federal Section 504 plan. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Removes a provision prohibiting the non-contributory portion of a program of health-benefits from including the expenses of obtaining an abortion. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes a provision excluding abortions or induced miscarriages or premature births from the list of services provided under the State's medical assistance program. Removes language providing for the adoption of rules to prohibit a physician from providing medical assistance to anyone eligible for medical assistance benefits if the physician has been found guilty of willfully and wantonly performing an abortion procedure upon a woman who was not pregnant at the time of the procedure. Removes other provisions concerning abortion restrictions. Amends the Problem Pregnancy Health Services and Care Act. Removes language prohibiting the Department of Human Services from making grants to nonprofit agencies and organizations that use such grants to refer or counsel for, or perform, abortions. Amends the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975. Provides that it is the intention of the General Assembly to reasonably regulate abortion in conformance with the legal standards set forth in the decisions of the United States Supreme Court of January 22, 1973. Removes language concerning the General Assembly's declaration that the unborn child is a human being from the time of conception and is, therefore, a legal person for purposes of the unborn child's right to life. Makes other changes.

Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. In provisions concerning transition of services, provides that the health care plan shall not modify an enrollee's coverage of a drug during the plan year if the drug has been previously approved for coverage by the plan for a medical condition, the plan's prescribing provider continues to prescribe the drug for the medical condition, and the patient continues to be an enrollee of the health care plan. Provides specific prohibited modifications of drug coverage in the health plan. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit a health care plan from requiring a pharmacist to effect generic substitutions of prescription drugs. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit the addition of prescription drugs to a health care plan's list of covered drugs during the coverage year. Provides that the provisions do not apply to a health care plan as defined in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 or medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to require coverage for hearing instruments and related services for all individuals under the age of 18 when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument. Provides that an insurer shall provide coverage for hearing aids subject to certain restrictions. Provides that an insurer shall not be required to pay a claim if the insured filed such a claim 12 months prior to the date of filing the claim with the insurer and the claim was paid by any insurer. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, an in-school suspension program provided by a school district for any students in kindergarten through grade 12 shall focus on promoting non-violent conflict resolution and positive interaction with other students and school personnel. Provides that a school district may employ a substitute teacher to oversee an in-school suspension program in kindergarten through grade 12. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. With respect to age-appropriate developmental screening and age-appropriate social and emotional screening, provides that the Department of Public Health must, no later than January 1, 2019, develop rules and appropriate revisions to the Child Health Examination form in conjunction with various organizations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning coverage for telehealth services, provides that if an individual or group policy of accident or health insurance provides coverage for telehealth services, it must provide coverage for licensed dietitians, nutritionists, and diabetes educators who counsel senior diabetes patients in the patients' homes to remove the hurdle of transportation for patients to receive treatment. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may authorize licensed dietitians, nutritionists, and diabetes educators to counsel senior diabetes patients in the patients' homes to remove the hurdle of transportation for patients to receive treatment.

Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the application of the Act.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that disenrollment of a Medicaid enrollee from a managed care organization under contract with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall be in accordance with specified federal requirements whenever a contract is terminated between a Medicaid managed care health plan and a primary care provider that results in a disruption to the Medicaid enrollee's provider-beneficiary relationship. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall develop or approve a curriculum for a certified training program for school resource officers which shall consist of at least 40 hours of training. Provides that the curriculum shall include the following subject areas: (1) child and adolescent development and psychology; (2) positive behavioral interventions and support, conflict resolution techniques, and restorative justice techniques; (3) education law; (4) juvenile law; (5) implicit bias; (6) trauma-informed care; (7) de-escalation techniques, including techniques for limiting the use of physical force and mechanical and chemical restraints; (8) the mental, physical, and behavioral health needs of all children and adolescents including those with disabilities or special needs; (9) a minimum of 8 hours of crisis intervention training for youth; and (10) cultural responsiveness. Provides that the Board by rule shall require a law enforcement officer to successfully complete the certified training program for school resource officers before or within 120 days of a law enforcement officer's first day of service in a school. Provides that the certified training program for school resource officers shall be successfully completed by school resource officers every 4 years. Makes other changes.