Sen. Wm. Sam McCann

Amends the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall make grants to private businesses, units of local government, nonprofit organizations, or any combination of those entities for the construction of infrastructure to provide broadband connections to underserved areas. Provides that the grants shall be awarded on a competitive basis after considering certain specified factors. Repeals a Section of the Act concerning the duties of the enlisted nonprofit organization.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision relating to purchasing service credit for certain military service, deletes the requirement of paying an additional amount representing the employer's normal cost of the benefit plus interest. Provides that this change does not entitle any person to a refund of contributions or interest already paid. Excludes any benefit increase resulting from the change from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that a volunteer emergency medical services team or volunteer rescue squad providing ambulance services that is licensed by the Department of Public Health to provide emergency and non-emergency medical services under the Act may not be required to transfer an individual that is being provided with ambulance services to a private vehicle service provider except in certain circumstances. Provides that a volunteer emergency medical services team or volunteer rescue squad that is licensed by the Department to provide emergency and non-emergency medical services under the Act may not be required to pay to a private vehicle service provider for ambulance services more than the volunteer emergency medical services team or volunteer rescue squad collects for ambulance services under the State's Medical Assistance Program as provided in specified provisions of the Illinois Public Aid Code, or is reimbursed by a private insurer for providing ambulance services.

Amends the School Code. Provides that teachers must be provided with and a teacher must annually complete 20 hours of inservice training, 10 hours of which a teacher may complete through online learning if the online learning requires proof of proficiency. With respect to the opening date of a school term, provides that student instruction may begin no earlier than the day after Labor Day. Requires the calendar for a school term to provide for a minimum of 880 instructional hours in no more than 176 days of actual pupil attendance and at least 45 professional development hours for teachers, to be scheduled as any collective bargaining agreement allows; makes related changes. Provides that as part of its calendar for the school term, a school board shall schedule 5 emergency closure days, and the school board shall adopt a contingency plan for when emergency closure days are used during a school year to make up for a minimum of 25 lost instructional hours. Effective July 1, 2017.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that in determining the assets of an individual applying for medical assistance, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall disregard the cash value of a life insurance policy or pre-paid funeral and burial contract or the equity value of any other assets which are intended to be used to pay the funeral and burial expenses of the individual. Provides that if the asset disregard requires federal approval, the Department shall submit the necessary application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver or State Plan amendment to implement the asset disregard. Provides that implementation of the asset disregard shall be contingent on federal approval of the waiver or State Plan amendment.

Amends the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Regulation Act. Provides that no legal action shall be commenced or maintained against any person engaged in the business of selling at retail, supplying, handling, or transporting liquefied petroleum gas in this State if the alleged injury, damage, or loss was caused by: (1) the alteration, modification, or repair of liquefied petroleum gas equipment or a liquefied petroleum gas appliance if done without the knowledge and consent of the liquefied petroleum gas seller, supplier, handler, or transporter; or (2) the use of liquefied petroleum gas equipment or a liquefied petroleum gas appliance in a manner or for a purpose other than that for which the equipment or appliance was intended and that could not reasonably have been expected.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Telecommunications Article.

Creates the Naming Public Buildings for Elected Officials Act. Provides that no public building or other public asset owned or exclusively leased by the State or by any political subdivision of the State shall be named in honor of any elected official, unless that official has either retired from public office for a minimum of 10 consecutive years or is deceased for a minimum of 5 years. Defines "elected official" and "public office".

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.