Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant

Mourns the death of James F. Crater of Crest Hill.

Mourns the death of Joseph Louis "Bud" Gasparich of Joliet.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning coverage for telehealth services, provides that certain health benefit policies or plans may not exclude from coverage a medically necessary health care service or procedure delivered by certain providers solely because the health care service or procedure is provided through telehealth (rather than requiring certain policies to meet specified criteria if they provide coverage for telehealth services). Provides the requirements of coverage for telehealth services. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident or health insurance that provides coverage for telehealth services delivered by contracted licensed dietitian nutritionists and contracted certified diabetes educators must also provide coverage for in-home services for senior diabetes patients (rather than requiring an individual or group policy of accident or health insurance that provides coverage for telehealth services to provide coverage for licensed dietitian nutritionists and certified diabetes educators who counsel senior diabetes patients in the patients' homes). Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides payment, reimbursement, and service requirements for telehealth services provided under the State's fee-for-service or managed care medical assistance programs. Provides that "telehealth" includes telepsychiatry. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall implement the new provisions 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Repeals a provision requiring the Department to reimburse psychiatrists and federally qualified health centers for mental health services provided by psychiatrists to medical assistance recipients through telepsychiatry. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that before a municipality may annex an area under 60 acres, the corporate authorities of the municipality must conduct at least 2 public hearings no less than 30 business days apart. Provides that during the first public hearing, the corporate authorities must provide persons interested in the annexation the opportunity to be heard. Provides that during the second or subsequent public hearing, the corporate authorities may adopt an ordinance annexing the area only if the municipality obtains consent to annex the area through a petition signed by: more than 50 percent of the registered voters of the area; and more than 50 percent of the owners of land in the area if the registered voters of the area do not own more than 50 percent of the land in the area. Provides that if the municipality cannot obtain consent it may file a petition in the circuit court in the county that the land is to be annexed requesting relief and that relief shall only be granted: (1) if no objections were filed with the municipality or circuit court; or (2) for existing public health and safety reasons that cannot be resolved without the annexation.

Amends the School Code. With regard to teacher evaluations, provides that no later than September 1, 2020, each school district must establish a teacher evaluation plan that ensures that each teacher in contractual continued service whose performance is rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" is evaluated at least once in the course of the 4 school years after receipt of the rating (rather than at least once in the course of every 2 school years) and establish an informal teacher evaluation plan that ensures that each teacher in contractual continued service whose performance is rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" is informally evaluated at least once in the course of the 2 school years after receipt of the rating.

Mourns the death of Colleen Marie Allen of Streamwood.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that a charter school established on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act may not enter into a contract with a for-profit charter management organization or educational management organization. Sets forth provisions concerning property purchased with public funds. Provides that no chief executive officer of a charter school may receive compensation greater than 80% of the compensation of the superintendent of schools of the school district where the charter school is located. Provides that no charter school principal may receive compensation greater than 10% more than the average compensation for principals in the school district where the charter school is located. Provides that a charter school authorized under the Code must expend a minimum of 84% of the total revenues due from the authorizer on incurred expenses for instruction, instructional materials, operations and maintenance, transportation, and support services that may have been applicable prior to July 1, 2018, as identified by the State Board of Education. Provides that the remaining 16% of the total revenues may, subject to limitations, be expended by the charter school, at its discretion, on administrative or program support costs.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to create the Freshman Success pilot program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board must award grants to school districts to implement Freshman Success plans; specifies grant eligibility requirements. Provides that, on or before December 1, 2019 and on or before each December 1 thereafter, the State Board shall make grant applications available and issue a list of all school districts eligible to apply. Requires each grant applicant to describe its plan and how the grant funds will be allocated; provides for allowable grant uses. Provides that the State Board must review all submitted applications to determine if an applicant has developed a promising plan to increase on-track freshman rates and has demonstrated the leadership and capacity to implement its plan with the grant assistance. If so, provides that the State Board may award the applicant a grant of up to $100,000 per qualifying high school in the school district. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that all entities providing prescription drug coverage shall permit and apply a prorated daily cost-sharing rate to prescriptions that are dispensed by a pharmacy for less than a 30-day supply if the prescriber or pharmacist indicates the fill or refill could be in the best interest of the patient or is for the purpose of synchronizing the patient's chronic medications. Provides that no entity providing prescription drug coverage shall deny coverage for the dispensing of any drug prescribed for the treatment of a chronic illness that is made in accordance with a plan among the insured, the prescriber, and a pharmacist to synchronize the refilling of multiple prescriptions for the insured. Provides that no entity providing prescription drug coverage shall use payment structures incorporating prorated dispensing fees determined by calculation of the days' supply of medication dispensed. Provides that dispensing fees shall be determined exclusively on the total number of prescriptions dispensed. Establishes criteria for an entity conducting audits (either on-site or remotely) of pharmacy records. Provides that the Department of Insurance and Director of Insurance shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of the Act and impose financial penalties. Effective January 1, 2020.

Declares March 27, 2019 as Elderly Women of Wisdom Day in Illinois to honor all women residing in skilled nursing facilities for their lifelong service to their families and communities.