Sen. Linda Holmes

Amends the Election Code. Requires that the trustees for the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District be elected at consolidated elections. Provides that where a nomination for election is to be made for a trustee of the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District, then the petition shall be filed in the office of the county clerk not more than 113 nor less than 106 days prior to the date of the primary. Amends the Sanitary District Act of 1917. Provides that the board of trustees of the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District shall be elected (rather than appointed) beginning with the 2019 election. Sets forth requirements concerning the number of trustees to be elected and length of terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning powers of counties.

Amends the Coal Mining Act. Provides that a coal mine operator must provide caches of additional self-contained self-rescues devices along the mine's primary and secondary escape ways (rather than 30 self-contained self-rescuer devices in each cache located within a mine). Provides that each cache shall have a minimum of one self-contained self-rescuer device for every person who will be inby the cache. Provides that cache locations shall be spaced along each escape way at a 30 minute travel distance. Provides alternate distances for caches if an operator chooses not to use a walk study. Provides that outby rescue chambers must be provided at distances and locations in the mine's emergency response plan and approved by the Mining Board. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. With respect to school discipline improvement plans, makes changes to how the State Board of Education determines the top 20% of school districts, when notification is given that a plan must be submitted, which school districts are required to submit a plan, the timeframe for school board approval of a plan and submission of that plan to the State Board, and when additional annual progress reports are required. Establishes the Safe Schools and Healthy Learning Environments Program and grants under the program. Sets forth requirements for grant applicants and provisions for the distribution of funds appropriated for the program. Requires the State Board of Education to issue a yearly report on the results of the program in cooperation with school districts participating in the program. Provides that the State Board may adopt rules necessary for the program. Effective July 1, 2018.

Amends the School Code. Provides that an approved waiver from or modification to a physical education mandate may remain in effect for a period not to exceed 2 school years (rather than 5 school years like other mandate waivers) and may be renewed no more than 2 times upon application by an eligible applicant. Provides that an approved waiver from or modification to a physical education mandate may be changed within the 2-year period by the school board or regional superintendent of schools, whichever is applicable, following the procedure set forth in the Code for the initial waiver or modification request. Provides that a school board may determine the schedule or frequency of physical education courses, provided that an elementary school pupil engage in a course of physical education for a minimum of 150 minutes per week and a high school pupil engage in a course of physical education for a minimum of 225 minutes per week (rather than engaging in a course of physical education for a minimum of 3 days per 5-day week). Effective July 1, 2018.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no individual or group policy of accident and health insurance amended, issued, delivered, or renewed in the State after the effective date of the amendatory Act that covers the treatment of stage 4 advanced, metastatic cancer shall limit or exclude coverage for a drug by mandating that the insured shall first be required to fail to successfully respond to a different drug or prove a history of failure of the drug unless the use of the drug is consistent with best practices for the treatment of stage 4 advanced, metastatic cancer and is supported by peer-reviewed medical literature. Makes conforming changes in the State Employee Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Permits a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act to provide coverage for residential extended care services and supports for persons suffering from alcoholism or other drug addiction so long as: (1) a health care clinic or any other specified entity has conducted an individualized assessment of the person's condition prior to discharge and has identified the person as being at risk of a drug or alcohol relapse and in need of supportive services to maintain long-term recovery; (2) the residential extended care services and supports are administered by a community-based agency that is licensed by or under contract with the Department of Human Services; and (3) the residential extended care services and supports are administered upon the referral of a health care clinic or any other specified entity. Sets forth the services available for coverage. Requires the Department of Insurance to rate each community-based agency that is licensed by or under contract with the Department of Human Services to provide residential extended care services and supports and to publish the results on its official website. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Permits the fee-for-service and managed care medical assistance programs established under the Code to provide coverage for residential extended care services and supports for any person suffering from alcoholism or other drug addiction who is at risk of a drug or alcohol relapse following discharge from a health care clinic or any other specified entity. Sets forth the conditions that must be met to qualify for coverage and makes other changes.

Amends the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act. Modifies the qualifications for Directors of the governing body of a Municipal Joint Action Water Agency to include an appointed official of a member municipality, public water district, township, State university, or county. Provides that for any Municipal Joint Sewage Treatment Agency established after the effective date of this amendatory Act, a Director sitting on the Board of Directors shall not be required to be an elected official of a member municipality or county, but may be an appointed official of a member municipality or county. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that interest penalties that may be payable under the Act, as provided under specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code, shall be paid from a separate appropriation from each fund for such purpose and for each appropriated agency. Amends the State Budget Law. Provides that for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, and for each fiscal year thereafter, the budget shall include a separate line item request appropriating moneys to each State agency for estimated costs for each fund under the State Prompt Payment Act and specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the sum of transfers among line item appropriations for an agency in a fiscal year shall not exceed 2% of the aggregate amount appropriated to it within the same treasury fund for, among other objects, late interest penalties under the State Prompt Payment Act and specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that if lump sum appropriations are enacted with a separate line item for late interest penalties under the State Prompt Payment Act and the Illinois Insurance Code, the 2% transfer authority shall apply to the aggregate amount of these appropriations. Amends the State Prompt Payment Act to provide that interest penalties that may be payable under the Act and under specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code shall be paid from a separate appropriation from each fund for such purpose and for each appropriated agency. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.