Sen. Jil Tracy

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers who are the custodians of one or more children who attend an eligible preschool program in the State during the taxable year. Provides that the amount of the credit shall be 100% of the eligible expenses incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year in sending the child to the eligible preschool program, but not to exceed $1,500 per child. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities, provides that the exemption applies to all real property that is the primary residence of a veteran with a disability (currently, property with an equalized assessed value of less than $250,000 that is the primary residence of a veteran with a disability). Provides that, with respect to veterans with a service connected disability of 70% or more and surviving spouses of veterans whose deaths were service-connected, the first $250,000 in equalized assessed value of the property is exempt.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that buildings, structures, and improvements that are not permanently attached to the land are not considered property for the purposes of the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers who make an investment in depreciable property used primarily to collect or process reclaimable material or to manufacture products from reclaimed material. Sets forth the amount of the credit. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that a veterans case manager shall be appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Secretary of Human Services, to assist veterans in obtaining the greatest degree of mental health care and mental health care benefits available and to promote policies that would benefit veterans seeking mental health care. Provides that the case manager shall serve at the pleasure of the Director of Veterans' Affairs. Sets forth the duties of the veterans case manager, including, to: (i) act as an intermediary between health care facilities and veterans health care facilities; (ii) provide information to veterans and health care facilities regarding mental health services available to veterans; (iii) apply for, receive, and administer federal aids, grants, and gifts relating to inpatient mental health services for veterans; (iv) encourage physicians, nurses, and other individuals working in mental health care who have military experience to work in Illinois; and (v) collaborate with health care facilities in identifying, upon a person's admission to a health care facility, the person's eligibility for federal veterans benefits, including prescription drug benefits. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to adopt rules requiring hospitals, upon identifying a person requiring mental health services as a veteran, to establish and implement certain protocols including (1) contacting the veterans case manager regarding the veteran's admission, (2) identifying whether the veteran is at risk for causing harm to the veteran's self or others, and (3) preventing the hospital from treating a veteran with less or different care than nonveteran patients solely because of a person's veteran status. Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to establish rules requiring licensed health care professionals, as specified, to receive continuing education credits regarding the treatment of veterans as a condition of license renewal.

Amends the River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may certify one additional pilot River Edge Redevelopment Zone in the City of Quincy.

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Extends the estimated date of completion of a redevelopment project and the retirement of obligations issued to finance redevelopment project costs for an ordinance adopted on September 8, 2003 by the City of Jacksonville. Effective immediately.

Declares May 29, 2023 as 529 College Savings Day in the State of Illinois. Urges all Illinoisans to explore the benefits that 529 college savings plans offer families.

Mourns the death of Ethan Harold Mahoney of rural Alexander.

Creates the Operating Room Patient Safety Act. Provides that each surgical technologist hired or contracted by a health care facility on or after January 1, 2026 shall meet specified educational, certification, or experiential requirements. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an individual from performing surgical technology services if the individual is acting within the scope of the individual's license or registration or is a student or intern under the direct supervision of a licensed health care provider. Provides that a health care facility may employ or otherwise contract with an individual to perform surgical technology services and functions who does not meet those requirements if the health care facility makes a diligent and thorough effort and, after such an effort is completed, the facility is unable to employ or contract with a sufficient number of qualified surgical technologists who satisfy the requirements of the Act. Provides that the health care facility shall maintain documentation of its efforts.