Sen. Dale A. Righter

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning licensure without examination.

Amends Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that if the Department of Healthcare and Family Services fails to reach the 50% care coordination enrollment mandate contained in the Children's Health Insurance Program Act, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code by the January 1, 2015 deadline, then the 4-year moratorium on eligibility expansions under the medical assistance program shall be extended for an additional 2-year period, or until the 50% care coordination enrollment mandate is achieved, whichever period is longer. Provides that the extended moratorium shall also include a moratorium on benefit expansions which shall run concurrently with the moratorium on eligibility expansions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that if the Department of State Police fails to either approve or deny an application for a Firearm Owner's Identification Card within 30 days from the date it is received, the applicant may file, in the circuit court of the judicial circuit in which the applicant resides, a complaint for mandamus to compel a decision on the application. Provides that if the applicant prevails, he or she shall be entitled to all costs, fees, and damages. Provides that the applicant shall also be entitled to punitive damages of $1,000 per day commencing on the 31st day that the application has not been approved. Provides that for the purposes of this Act, the Department shall be considered to have received an application when either the Department or anyone acting as its agent or on its behalf receives a completed application with the required fee.

Amends the Budget Stabilization Act. Increases the amount transferred from the General Revenue Fund to the Pension Stabilization Fund to 90% (currently 10%) of the specified sums. Provides that the transferred amount is intended to represent nine-tenths (currently one-tenth) of the annual savings to the State resulting from the enactment of Public Act 98-599. Effective immediately.

Creates the Regulatory Review and Repeal Board. Creates the Regulatory Review and Repeal Board. Directs the Board to identify regulations with respect to which the cost of complying exceeds the public benefit of having the regulation in place. Directs the Board to create a system for receiving public comments and to recommend changes in regulations that it deems necessary to repeal, modify, or revise. Requires the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the Legislative Information System, the Legislative Reference Bureau, and the Legislative Research Unit to provide technical support and information to the Board, as directed by the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services. Makes conforming changes to the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984, the Legislative Reference Bureau Act, and the Legislative Information Service Act. Effective July 1, 2015.

Amends the School Code. Removes language that provides that the Block Grants Article does not apply to the Chicago school district. Repeals the Block Grants for Chicago Article; makes related changes. In the State aid formula provisions, makes changes concerning supplemental general State aid. Provides that school districts need not comply with and may discharge any mandate or requirement placed on school districts by the Code or by administrative rules adopted by the State Board of Education that is unfunded; with exceptions. Provides that before a school district may lawfully discharge an unfunded mandate, it must hold a public hearing on the matter; sets forth requirements concerning the hearing. Effective July 1, 2016.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning the State's proposed integrated eligibility system for medical assistance, requires the Governor to meet with the exclusive representative within 14 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act for the purpose of discussing the reasons for a potential proposal to subcontract bargaining unit work. Requires the Department of Human Services to determine, within a specified time period, whether or not labor relations between the State of Illinois and the Department's public employees are currently governed by a collective bargaining agreement. Provides that until the integrated eligibility system is operational "and in order to achieve greater efficiency and economy, if, after review of existing bargaining agreements the Department of Human Services determines that relations between the State and the Department's public employees are currently governed by a collective bargaining agreement", the Department "shall" enter into a contract with the vendor selected as necessary to obtain certain electronic data matching (rather than until the integrated eligibility system is operational, the Department may enter into a contract with the vendor selected as necessary to obtain certain electronic data matching). Contains provisions concerning notice requirements. Extends the time period within which the Department must procure a vendor to verify medical assistance eligibility. Effective immediately.

Creates the State Administrative Fee Freeze Act. Provides that no fee imposed by a State agency by rule may be increased. Exempts fees or rates imposed by the Illinois Commerce Commission through its hearing process. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2016. Effective July 1, 2014.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the purpose of the "Medicaid" Article.

Creates the Non-Recourse Consumer Lawsuit Funding Act. Provides that all contracts for non-recourse consumer lawsuit funding shall be written, provide the total funding amount to the customer, itemize one-time fees, allow the customer to cancel the contract within 10 business days following receipt of the funding amount without penalty or further obligation, and meet other specified criteria. Provides that any attorney's fee or medical lien takes priority over any lien of the non-recourse consumer lawsuit funding company. Contains a provision concerning standards and practices of non-recourse consumer lawsuit funding companies. Provides criteria for non-recourse consumer lawsuit funding companies to receive and retain licenses, the closing of its business or surrendering of the license, and prohibited acts. Contains provisions for enforcement, rulemaking, bonding, and judicial review. Provides that the total amount of financing provided by a non-recourse consumer lawsuit funding company per consumer per legal claim shall not exceed $40,000. Provides that under no circumstances shall the total amount of charges, interest, fees, or any other charges, when taken together, exceed 80% of the proceeds from the legal claim. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to provide for the repeal of the Non-Recourse Consumer Lawsuit Funding Act on May 31, 2015. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to provide that a person who knowingly violates the Non-Recourse Consumer Lawsuit Funding Act commits an unlawful practice. Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act. Provides that no licensee shall engage in the business of providing non-recourse consumer lawsuit funding, except in compliance with that Act. Effective immediately.