Sen. Kimberly Lightford

Recognizes the work of organizations such as the Illinois Judges Association in educating our youth, parents, and schools about remaining safe and vigilant in the rapidly changing online environment of today and seeks to expand this essential online safety education to all students, parents, and schools in our State. Recognizes the value of collaboration between elementary and secondary schools in Illinois and the Illinois Judges Association, community organizations, and similar entities to provide comprehensive online safety education to all students, parents, and educators. Supports school districts and organizations in efforts to provide online safety to students, parents, and educators of elementary and secondary schools in Illinois.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for the calendar year beginning January 1, 2026, and each calendar year thereafter, a nursing facility must spend at least 90% of its adjusted total revenue on resident care and other resident-related costs, as defined. Requires each nursing facility to provide as part of its financial reporting information necessary for the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to administer and enforce the provisions of the amendatory Act. Provides that such information shall be subject to audit provisions and comply with any applicable uniform standards under the Code. Provides that all non-allowable costs, related party adjustments, or compensation to owners reported shall be excluded from the calculation of the amount spent on resident care and other resident-related costs. Requires 25% of costs associated with contract nursing staff to be deducted from the amount spent on resident care and other resident-related costs. Provides that for the calendar year beginning January 1, 2027, and each calendar year thereafter, the Department shall use the required financial reporting submissions to determine whether each nursing facility has met the minimum resident care percent requirement. Provides that if a facility has not met the minimum resident care percent requirement, the amount defined by the facility's total adjusted revenue shall be treated as a vendor overpayment. Requires the Department to recover the full amount of any vendor overpayment by reducing future payments, requiring direct payment to the Department, or any other method permitted under the Code. Requires the Department to adopt rules.

Amends the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange Law. Provides that the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange shall allow a special enrollment period for an uninsured taxpayer and the uninsured taxpayer's qualified dependents, if applicable, if the uninsured taxpayer requested health insurance benefit information through the easy enrollment program under the Illinois Income Tax Act and the uninsured taxpayer and the uninsured taxpayer's qualified dependents, if applicable, are eligible to enroll in a qualified health plan through the Exchange. Establishes notification requirements for the Exchange. Provides that the uninsured taxpayer and the uninsured taxpayer's dependents shall have 60 days from the date of the letter to select and enroll in a qualified health plan. Provides that coverage shall be effective the first day of the month that follows the plan selection. Grants the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services rulemaking authority to implement an easy enrollment special enrollment period. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that early childhood programs receiving State funds shall restrict suspensions. Provides that the decision to suspend a student in preschool for 3 or more days may only be made by the superintendent of the school district, director of an early childhood program, or their equivalent and that the length of the suspension for any student in preschool may not be longer than the number of days required by the school district or early childhood program to develop and implement a behavior intervention plan or safety plan. Prohibits a student in kindergarten through grade 2 from being expelled unless otherwise required by federal or State law. Provides that the decision to suspend a student in kindergarten through grade 2 for 3 or more days may only be made by the superintendent of the school district and that the length of the suspension for any student in kindergarten through grade 2 may not be longer than the number of days required by the school district to develop and implement a behavior intervention plan or safety plan. Provides that a student who is suspended in excess of 20 school days may be immediately transferred to an alternative program. Provides that a student shall not be denied transfer because of the suspension, except in cases in which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety of students or staff in the alternative program. Makes other changes.

Amends the Collection Agency Act. Provides that a debtor is not liable for any coerced debt, as defined in the Act, and may assert that they have incurred a coerced debt by providing to a collection agency an oral or written Statement of Coerced Debt, as specified. Sets forth provisions concerning notice of coerced debt to a collection agency; duties of a collection agency upon receiving an incomplete statement of coerced debt; affirmative defenses in collection actions or arbitration; civil liability; protections from perpetrators of coerced debt; restrictions on waivers; and liability of collection agencies for violations of the Act. Provides that, upon receiving the debtor's complete statement of coerced debt and specified supporting information, a collection agency shall review and consider all the information received from the debtor as well as any other information available in the collection agency's file or from the creditor related to the alleged coerced debt within 90 days after receipt of the statement of coerced debt. Requires a collection agency, within 5 days after receipt of the complete statement of coerced debt and supporting information, to cease any pre-judgment attempts to collect the coerced debt from the debtor, including refraining from filing any lawsuit or arbitration to collect the coerced debt, and notify any consumer reporting agency to which the collection agency or creditor furnished adverse information about the debtor that the debtor disputes the adverse information. Establishes additional requirements for a collection agency that reviews a statement of coerced debt. Provides that, within 180 days after the effective date of the Act, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may design and publish a model coerced debt and third party written verification form in English and any other language it determines, within its discretion, is the first language of a significant number of consumers in the State. Makes other changes.

Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. Makes changes to assessments for admission to establishments and service plan requirements. Requires an establishment to notify the resident and the resident's representative when there is a significant change in the resident's condition that affects the establishment's ability to meet the resident's needs. Prohibits an establishment from terminating or reducing any service without the consent of the resident or the resident's representative for the purpose of making it more difficult or impossible for the resident to remain in the establishment. Adds new requirements for establishments and the Department of Public Health regarding the involuntary termination of residency. Provides that a resident has the right to not be unlawfully transferred or discharged. Makes other changes. Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Prohibits a resident from being transferred or discharged in violation of the Act. Provides that a resident has the right not to be unlawfully transferred or discharged. Provides for the assessment of a $2,500 fine for a facility that fails to comply with an order to readmit a resident who wishes to return to the facility and is appropriate for that level of care and services provided. Requires a facility that complies with an order to readmit a resident that has been deemed to have been unlawfully discharged to notify the Department within 10 business days after the resident has been readmitted to the facility. Provides that a facility may involuntarily transfer or discharge a resident because the facility is unable to meet the medical needs of the resident, as documented in the resident's clinical record by the resident's physician. Provides that the Department maintains jurisdiction over the transfer or discharge irrespective of the timing of the notice and discharge. Provides that if the Department determines that a transfer or discharge is not authorized, then the Department shall issue a written decision stating that the transfer or discharge is denied. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2026, a person convicted of a felony, or otherwise under sentence in a correctional institution, shall have his or her right to vote restored and shall be eligible to vote not later than 14 days following his or her conviction. Provides that a person who is serving a sentence in a correctional institution starting prior to January 1, 2026 shall have his or her right to vote restored not later than January 14, 2026. Provides that a person may not be denied the right to vote because of a past criminal conviction. Provides that each local election authority shall coordinate with the correctional institution, Illinois Department of Corrections, and other correctional agencies incarcerating eligible voters to facilitate voting by mail for those voters eligible to vote in that election jurisdiction who are incarcerated in the correctional institution. Provides that the Attorney General, any individual aggrieved by a violation of these provisions, any entity whose membership includes individuals aggrieved by a violation of these provisions, any entity whose mission would be frustrated by a violation of these provisions, or any entity that would expend resources in order to fulfill its mission as a result of a violation of these provisions may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction. Provides that the Act is intended to benefit and protect the rights of individual voters and to provide a remedy for infringing on the rights granted under this Act. Amends the Re-Entering Citizens Civics Education Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Reintegration and Civic Empowerment Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall conduct the civics peer education program each of the 3 sessions not less than twice a month at each correctional institution totaling not less than 6 sessions per month at each correctional institution. Provides that the civics peer education program and workshops must be made available to all committed persons regardless of the date they were first committed or the length of their sentence. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

States that the new Department of Early Childhood and its planning process should prioritize appropriate attention to the facilities needs of our State's mixed-delivery system of early care and education. Additionally states that the State should move expeditiously to award its remaining Early Childhood Construction Grant monies to qualified applicants, to assist providers of critical birth-to-five programs in meeting their growing building-and-repair demands. Finally states that the State should also move as quickly as feasible to replenish Early Childhood Construction Grant resources to help Illinois achieve the long-term vision of the bipartisan Funding Commission for making services "simpler, better, fairer" for young children, their families, and communities statewide.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes changes to provisions regarding disclosures. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Changes the definition of "prescription and nonprescription medicines and drugs" and "adult use cannabis", beginning on January 1, 2026. Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Adds provisional patients and Opioid Alternative Patient Program participants to certain provisions that include qualified patients. Adds and changes definitions. Adds references to the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, designated caregivers, qualifying patients, Opioid Alternative Patient Program participants, or provisional patients may purchase an adequate medical supply at any dispensing organization licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, the issuance or renewal of any medical cannabis cultivation permits will cease at the next renewal period. Makes conforming changes for transitions from the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act to the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Sunsets or repeals certain provisions on certain dates. Makes other changes. Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Adds and changes definitions. Makes changes to provisions concerning the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. In provisions regarding the Cannabis Business Development Fund, adds references to Social Equity Criteria Lottery Licensees. Makes changes to provisions concerning loans and grants to Social Equity Applicants. Provides for certain license mergers. Makes other changes. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to make conforming changes. Amends the Tobacco Accessories and Smoking Herbs Control Act to repeal certain references to marijuana and hashish. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $6,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department on Aging for distribution to Area Agencies on Aging for services provided under the Family Caregiver Act. Effective July 1, 2025.