Sen. Steve McClure

Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Provides that caseworkers employed by the Department of Children and Family Services are covered by the provisions of the Act. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act shall apply retroactively to one year before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 320/3 820 ILCS 320/10 820 ILCS 320/15 820 ILCS 320/17 820 ILCS 320/20 820 ILCS 320/25 new Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 375/3 from Ch. 127, par. 523 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that in the case of a survivor who is entitled to occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system, and first becomes a survivor on or after January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Provides that in the case of a survivor currently receiving occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system, and who first became a survivor prior to January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Provides that the changes for survivors who first became survivors prior to January 1, 2022 shall be applicable upon request of the survivor following the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Further amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that in the case of a survivor who is entitled to occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system or death benefits pursuant to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, and first becomes a survivor on or after January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Provides that in the case of a survivor currently receiving occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system or death benefits pursuant to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, and who first became a survivor prior to January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system or death benefits pursuant to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Makes conforming changes.

Urges the Illinois Office of Tourism to do a feasibility study on linking together the Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Gateway National in Madison, Governors Run in Carlyle, Kokopelli in Marion, Rend Lake Golf Resort in Whittington, Stone Creek Golf Club in Urbana, and Stonewolf Golf Club in Fairview Heights into the Abraham Lincoln Golf Trail.

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.

Rescinds Illinois' 1863 ratification of the Corwin Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Urges the Illinois State Armory committee to capture the essence of the building's impressive history by placing a bronze plaque at the renovated facility to commemorate the treasured visit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Further requests the plaque be accompanied with quotes including the very words Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the Illinois State Armory on October 7, 1965.

Mourns the death of David Alan Hickox of South Jacksonville.

Mourns the passing of Bette R. Jackson of Woodson.

Mourns the passing of Gerald Edward "Jerry" Osborne, Ph.D. of Grafton.

Mourns the passing of John M. Snodsmith, M.D. of Springfield.

Mourns the passing of Allan Albert Metcalf, Ph.D.