Sen. Sally Turner

Directs the Auditor General to conduct an audit of Medicaid MCOs.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that a child protective investigator is authorized to carry and use personal protection spray devices, such as mace, pepper mace, or pepper gas, for self-defense purposes while investigating a report of child abuse or neglect if the child protective investigator has been trained on the proper use of such personal protection spray devices by the Illinois State Police. Requires the Illinois State Police to establish a training program for child protective investigators on the proper use of personal protection spray devices for self-defense purposes. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to provide funding for the training program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that in addition to any other penalties provided by law, a person knowingly and unlawfully selling or dispensing any scheduled drug containing a detectable amount of fentanyl is guilty of a Class X felony and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 9 years and not more than 40 years or fined not more than $250,000, or both. Provides that it shall be a Class 1 felony for which a fine not to exceed $100,000 may be imposed for any person to knowingly use an electronic communication device in the furtherance of controlled substance trafficking involving a substance containing any amount of fentanyl. Provides that this penalty shall be in addition to any other penalties imposed by law. Defines "electronic communication device".

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Creates the Veterans Home of Central Illinois Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Establishes the Illinois Veterans Home of Central Illinois. Provides that receipts attributable to the Illinois Veterans Home of Central Illinois shall be deposited into the Illinois Veterans Home of Central Illinois Fund. Provides that the Illinois Veterans Home of Central Illinois Fund shall be the Veterans Home Fund for the Illinois Veterans Home of Central Illinois. Provides that any unused real property held by the Department of Juvenile Justice for operating the Lincoln Developmental Center may be used for the operation or expansion of the Illinois Veterans Home of Central Illinois or for any purpose related to the benefit or care of the Home's residents. Makes a corresponding change in the State Finance Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides for the transfer of day care center licensing, as well as part day child care facility licensing, from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Specifies that the Department of Children and Family Services shall continue to conduct examinations of day care centers but shall report the results of those examinations to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for licensing purposes. Makes other corresponding changes.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the credit for for residential real property taxes from 5% to 10% of real property taxes paid by the taxpayer for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2022. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person also commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by the discharge of a firearm, he or she: (1) knowingly causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to an individual whom the person knows to be a Department of Children and Family Services employee; and (2) is, at the time of the commission of the offense, 21 years of age or older and causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to an individual whom the person knows to be a Department of Children and Family Services employee: (i) performing his or her official duties; (ii) battered to prevent performance of his or her official duties; or (iii) battered in retaliation for performing his or her official duties. Provides that "Department of Children and Family Services employee" includes any Department employee or a worker, case worker, or investigator employed by an agency or organization providing social work, case work, or investigative services under a contract with or a grant from the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that a violation is a Class 2 felony. Provides that if the battery causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to the employee, the penalty is a Class 1 felony. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes a redundant reference to a Department of Children and Family Services employee in the elements of the offense of aggravated battery. In the definition of "Department of Children and Family Services employee", deletes "employee or a worker". Deletes the effective date Section.

Creates the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides requirements concerning disclosure and review of prior authorization requirements, denial of claims or coverage by a utilization review organization, and the implementation of prior authorization requirements or restrictions. Provides requirements concerning a utilization review organization's obligations with respect to prior authorizations in nonurgent circumstances, urgent health care services, and emergency health care services. Provides that a utilization review organization shall not require prior authorization under specified circumstances. Provides requirements concerning the length of prior authorizations. Provides that health care services are automatically deemed authorized if a utilization review organization fails to comply with the requirements of the Act. Provides that the Director of Insurance may impose an administrative fine not to exceed $250,000 for violations of the Act. Defines terms. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code to change the definition of "emergency medical condition". Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act to provide that companies that transact accident and health insurance shall comply with specified requirements of the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide that all managed care organizations shall comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2022.

Amends the Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform Act. Modifies requirements concerning the Office of Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance. Provides that the office shall implement reforms to improve interagency coordination that allow for expeditious permitting issuance. Provides that the office shall utilize information technology tools to track project schedules and metrics to improve transparency and accountability of the permitting process, reduce uncertainty and delays, and reduce costs and risks to taxpayers. Modifies provisions and adds requirements concerning the provision of information and the expediting of permit reviews. Provides for the creation of an Interagency Permitting Advisory Committee. Provides additional requirements concerning the permitting process under the Act. Defines terms. Makes other changes.

Urges every public and private university and community college in this State to extend their application deadlines for students currently enrolled at Lincoln College who are unable to continue their education at their institution due to circumstances beyond their control. Urges every public and private university and community college in this State to honor the credits earned by students from Lincoln College and have those credits be transferred accordingly. Urges Lincoln College to waive transcript fees from students currently enrolled. Urges all Illinois public and private universities and community colleges to attend Lincoln College's student transfer fair on April 14 to assist its students in finding another college to attend. Urges all Illinois public and private universities and community colleges to waive the application fees for students of Lincoln College. Urges all Illinois public and private universities and community colleges to attempt to match or exceed the financial award letters, including scholarships, of Lincoln College students. Encourages the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to work with the displaced Lincoln College employees to ease their financial hardships and support their attempts to find new employment. Resolves to continue striving to provide better protections for Illinois' higher education students in the unfortunate event of a closure of an institution of higher learning in the State and to help provide a smooth transition for students and a path to continue pursue higher education in Illinois.