Sen. Wm. Sam McCann

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Requires that to be illegal a drug analog must not be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration or, if approved, it is not dispensed or possessed in accordance with State and federal law. Defines "controlled substance" to include a synthetic drug enumerated as a scheduled drug under the Act. Adds chemical structural classes of synthetic cannabinoids and piperazines to the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Includes certain substances approved by the FDA which are not dispensed or possessed in accordance with State or federal law and certain modified substances.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision relating to employer contributions from special trust and federal funds, provides that, beginning July 1, 2017, the rate, expressed as a percentage of salary, shall be equal to the total employer's normal cost, expressed as a percentage of payroll. Effective immediately.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that any individual who serves as either emergency medical services personnel on a volunteer basis or as a firefighter on a volunteer basis may not be disciplined or terminated by his or her employer for responding to an emergency call or emergency text message during work hours that requests the individual's volunteer emergency medical services or volunteer firefighter services.

Amends the School Code. Provides that there shall be no place of detention or criminal processing established or maintained on the grounds of any school. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that upon application by a facility, the Director of Public Health may grant or renew a waiver of certain staffing requirements for registered nurses, considering specified criteria, if the facility demonstrates to the Director's satisfaction that the facility is unable, despite diligent efforts, including offering wages at a competitive rate for registered nurses in the community, to employ the required number of registered nurses. Provides that the Director may not grant or renew such waivers for certain minimum nurse staffing requirements contained in federal regulations to facilities that are Medicare-certified or both Medicare-certified and Medicaid-certified. Provides that these waivers shall be reviewed quarterly by the Department of Public Health, including requiring a demonstration by the facility that it has continued to make diligent efforts to employ the required number of registered nurses, and shall be revoked for noncompliance with certain requirements. Effective immediately.

Encourages increased public awareness of lymphedema.

Amends the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act. Provides that at the discretion of the Chief Judge, the Veterans and Servicemembers Court program may be operated in one or more counties in the Circuit, and allow veteran and servicemember defendants from all counties within the Circuit to participate.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the State Employees 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, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, including, but not limited to, the use of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Effective immediately.

Amends the Personnel Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Mourns the death of James William "Jim" Powell of White Hall.