Sen. Christopher Belt

Amends the School Code to create the State Education Equity Committee within the State Board of Education. Provides that the purpose of the committee is to strive to ensure equity in education for all children from birth through grade 12. Sets forth the membership of the task force. Contains provisions concerning meetings, duties, and reporting. Repeals a Section concerning the Advisory Council on At-Risk Students. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill with the following changes. Makes changes concerning the membership of the Committee, including adding members. Provides that the members of the Committee must reflect, as much as possible, the racial, ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. Provides that members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education may (rather than shall) be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code and the Illinois School Student Records Act. In provisions concerning the suspension or expulsion of a pupil, adds references to guardians (rather than just parents). Provides that a student may disclose mitigating factors, such as the student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence, in suspension or expulsion hearings. Provides that home instruction or correspondence courses must be made available to students who are unable to attend school because of pregnancy-related conditions, parenting obligations related to the health of a child, or health and safety concerns arising from domestic or sexual violence. Includes attendance at a medical or therapeutic appointment and appointments with a victim services provider as a valid cause for absence from school. Adds provisions to the Code concerning children and students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence, the purpose of which is to ensure that Illinois schools have policies, procedures, and protocols in place that ensure children and students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence are identified by schools in a manner respectful of their privacy and safety, treated with dignity and regard, and provided the protection, instruction, and related accommodations and services necessary to enable them to meet State educational standards and successfully attain a school diploma. Makes changes to the Chicago School District Article of the School Code concerning the transfer of students. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/26A-55 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill with the following changes. Provides that the complainant and respondent and any named perpetrator directly impacted by the results of the complaint resolution procedure are entitled to simultaneous written notification of the results of the complaint resolution procedure within 10 business days (instead of 7 calendar days) after a decision or sooner if required by State or federal law or district policy. Provides that the complainant and respondent and any perpetrators directly impacted by the results of the complaint resolution procedure must receive the appeal decision, in writing, within 10 business days but in no case more than 15 business days (rather than within 7 calendar days but in no case more than 14 calendar days) after the conclusion of the review of findings or remedies or sooner if required by State or federal law. Removes a provision concerning enforcement; makes corresponding changes. Corrects typographical errors. Effective July 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as amended by House Amendment 1 with the following change. Adds one member who represents an association representing rural school superintendents to the Ensuring Success in School Task Force. Effective July 1, 2022. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (IL State Board of Education) As amended by HA 1, HB 3223 will have a fiscal impact of$139,652.04 annually to the State Board of Education. The amendment will have an unknown fiscal impact on school districts_ State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State Mandate. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code and the Illinois School Student Records Act. In provisions concerning the suspension or expulsion of a pupil, adds references to guardians (rather than just parents). Provides that a student may disclose mitigating factors, such as the student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence, in suspension or expulsion hearings. Sets forth provisions concerning suspension and expulsion hearings. Provides that home instruction or correspondence courses must be made available to students who are unable to attend school because of pregnancy-related conditions, parenting obligations related to the health of a child, or health and safety concerns arising from domestic or sexual violence. Includes attendance at a medical or therapeutic appointment and appointments with a victim services provider as a valid cause for absence from school. Adds provisions to the Code concerning children and students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence, the purpose of which is to ensure that Illinois schools have policies, procedures, and protocols in place that ensure children and students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence are identified by schools in a manner respectful of their privacy and safety, treated with dignity and regard, and provided the protection, instruction, and related accommodations and services necessary to enable them to meet State educational standards and successfully attain a school diploma. Creates the Ensuring Success in School Task Force. Sets forth provisions concerning complaint resolution procedures and confidentiality. Makes changes to the Chicago School District Article of the School Code concerning the transfer of students. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Makes a conforming change to the Charter Schools Law. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2023. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the engrossed bill as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1 with the following changes. Repeals the Section concerning the Ensuring Success in School Task Force on December 1, 2025 (instead of December 1, 2023). Amends the provisions concerning confidentiality. Requires each school district to adopt and ensure that the school has and implements a confidentiality policy regarding students. Provides that information about a student concerning whether the student has obtained assistance, support, or services (rather than only assistance or services) must be kept in strictest of confidence, except if the disclosure is permitted under (rather than in conflict with) certain State or federal laws or consented to in writing by the student or the student's parent or guardian. Provides that information about students may not be disclosed to any other individual outside of the district (rather than may not be disclosed to any other individual). With regard to domestic or sexual violence, provides that except as permitted (rather than except as required) under State or federal law, a school official may contact (instead of must not contact) the person named to be the perpetrator if the school official determines that the school official has an obligation to do so based on safety concerns or threats to the community, including the victim. Provides that a school district must not contact a person named by a student or the student's parent or guardian without providing prior written notice to the student or the student's parent or guardian (rather than without obtaining written permission from the student or the student's parent or guardian). Removes provisions requiring a school district to comply with the confidentiality provisions no later than July 1, 2024. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescription for a substance in Schedule II, III, IV, or V must be sent electronically, in accordance with provisions regarding the Prescription Monitoring Program. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 720 ILCS 570/401.3 new Adds reference to: 720 ILCS 570/311.6 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescription for a substance classified in Schedule II, III, IV, or V must be sent electronically. Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, a prescriber shall not be required to issue prescriptions electronically if he or she certifies to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that he or she will not issue more than 25 prescriptions during a 12-month period. Prescriptions in both oral and written form for controlled substances shall be included in determining whether the prescriber will reach the limit of 25 prescriptions. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall adopt rules for the administration of these provisions. Provides that these rules shall provide for the implementation of any such exemption to the requirements under these provisions that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may deem appropriate, including the exemption limiting a prescriber from issuing more than 25 prescriptions during a 12-month period. Effective January 1, 2023.

Creates the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides requirements concerning disclosure and review of prior authorization requirements, denial of claims or coverage by a utilization review organization, and the implementation of prior authorization requirements or restrictions. Provides requirements concerning a utilization review organization's obligations with respect to prior authorizations in nonurgent circumstances, urgent health care services, and emergency health care services. Provides that a utilization review organization shall not require prior authorization under specified circumstances. Provides requirements concerning the length of prior authorizations. Provides that health care services are automatically deemed authorized if a utilization review organization fails to comply with the requirements of the Act. Provides that the Director of Insurance may impose an administrative fine not to exceed $250,000 for violations of the Act. Defines terms. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code to change the definition of "emergency medical condition". Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act to provide that companies that transact accident and health insurance shall comply with specified requirements of the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide that all managed care organizations shall comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Changes references from "utilization review organization" to "health insurance issuer" or "health insurance issuer or its contracted utilization review organization". Provides that a health insurance issuer or its contracted utilization review organization must ensure that all adverse determinations are made by a physician when the request is by a physician or a representative of a physician. Provides that a health insurance issuer shall periodically review its prior authorization requirements and consider removal of prior authorization requirements in specified circumstances (rather than a utilization review organization shall not require prior authorization in specified circumstances). In provisions concerning length of prior authorization approval, provides that a prior authorization approval shall be valid for the lesser of 12 months after the date the health care professional or health care provider receives the prior authorization approval or the length of treatment as determined by the patient's health care professional. In provisions concerning clinical review criteria of prior authorization requirements, removes language that provides that a utilization review organization shall seek input from actively practicing physicians representing major areas of the specialty who are not employees of the utilization review organization or consultants to the utilization review organization before establishing or substantially or materially altering written clinical review criteria. Removes language that provides that a utilization review organization shall not deny prior authorization of a health care service solely based on the grounds that a health care professional or health care provider judges a service, product, or procedure is medically appropriate for his or her patient even if it has not been formally approved for the specific condition being treated. In provisions concerning statistics that shall be made available regarding prior authorization approvals and denials, removes specified categories of information. In provisions concerning requirements applicable to the physician who can review consultations and appeals, removes language that provides that the physician must not be employed by a utilization review organization, be under contract with the utilization review organization other than to participate in one or more of the utilization review organization's health care professional networks or to perform reviews of appeals, or otherwise have any financial interest in the outcome of the appeal. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2022. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 215 ILCS 134/65 Adds reference to: 215 ILCS 5/155.36 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill, and makes the following changes: In the Prior Authorization Reform Act, deletes a Section concerning obligations with respect to prior authorization concerning emergency health care services, and makes changes in provisions governing applicability; definitions; disclosure and review of prior authorization requirements; obligations with respect to prior authorizations; personnel qualified to make adverse determinations of a prior authorization request; adverse determinations; review of appeals; denials; length of prior authorization approval; continuity of care; effect of failure to comply with the Act; and administration and enforcement. Makes further changes in the Illinois Insurance Code in a Section concerning obligations under the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Deletes changes made to the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act in a Section concerning emergency services prior to stabilization. Effective January 1, 2022.

Amends the School Code. In the provisions relating to holidays, adds January 17 (the birthday of Muhammad Ali) to the list of commemorative holidays. In the provisions relating to courses of study, provides that the teaching of history of the United States shall include the study of the contributions made by Muslims and Muslim Americans to society. House Committee Amendment No. 1 In the provisions relating to courses of study, provides that the teaching of history of the United States shall include the contributions made to society by Americans of different faith practices, including, but not limited to, Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, Christian Americans, Hindu Americans, Sikh Americans, Buddhist Americans, and any other collective community of faith that has shaped America (rather than the study of the contributions made by Muslims and Muslim Americans to society).

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. With respect to the high school coursework that a person must satisfactorily complete for university admission, adds agricultural sciences as a course option for the science category and agricultural education as a course option for the electives category. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill, but changes references from vocational education to career and technical education.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall fly a United States Flag, an Illinois flag, and a POW/MIA flag at all State parks. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the bill as introduced, with the following changes: (1) provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall have flags at State parks within 5 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act; and (2) provides that donations related to costs of flags and flagpoles may be made by individuals and groups to the Department's Special Projects Fund.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that service members and their spouses may engage in the practice of their occupation or profession without being licensed in the State of Illinois, subject to outlined circumstances and limitations. Provides that each director of a department that issues an occupational or professional license shall verify that the existing license for a service member or military spouse is in good standing from any state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Provides that if an existing license for a service member or military spouse is in good standing, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall waive any examination, educational, or experience requirements enabling exception to state licensure requirements. Provides that a department may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation and administration of provisions regarding military license exceptions and by rule shall provide for fees for administration. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 5/5-518 new Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 5/5-715 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that review and determination of an application for a professional license to a service member or his or her spouse shall be expedited by the department processing the application within 30 days (instead of 60) after the date on which the department receives all necessary documentation. Includes any required information from State and federal agencies as necessary documentation. Removes language requiring that the requirements for licensure in another state in which the service member or his or her spouse is licensed be substantially equivalent to the standards for licensure of this State. Provides instead that an application for licensure by a service member or his or her spouse must include proof that the applicant meets the requirements and standards for licensure through endorsement or reciprocity for the occupation or profession for which the applicant is applying.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that not later than 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall adopt rules that require a person seeking licensure to practice medicine in all of its branches to have completed 3 hours of education on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with cognitive impairments, including, but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Specifies that the education requirement shall only apply to applicants who serve or will serve adult populations and have or will have direct patient interactions in their capacity as physicians. Provides that not later than 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department shall adopt rules that require any continuing education for persons licensed to practice medicine under all of its branches to include an average of one hour of continuing education per license year on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with cognitive impairments, including, but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Specifies that the continuing education requirement shall only apply to persons who serve adult populations and have direct patient interactions in their capacity as physicians. Provides that the curriculum used for the education and continuing education requirements shall cover the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, including recognizing the signs and symptoms of dementia; person-centered care; assessment and care planning; and culturally competent health care. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 225 ILCS 60/11 225 ILCS 60/20.1 new Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that for license or registration renewals occurring on or after January 1, 2023, a health care professional who has continuing education requirements must complete at least a one-hour course in training on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias per renewal period. Provides that the training shall include, but not be limited to, assessment and diagnosis, effective communication strategies, and management and care planning. Provides that the requirement shall only apply to health care professionals who provide health care services to adult populations age 26 or older in the practice of their profession. Provides that a health care professional may count that one hour for completion of the course toward meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education. Provides that any training on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias applied to meet any other State licensure requirement, professional accreditation or certification requirement, or health care institutional practice agreement may count toward the continuing education requirement. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may adopt rules for the implementation of the continuing education requirement. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 4 Provides that the continuing education requirements shall only apply to health care professionals who provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with (rather than who provide health care services to), adult populations age 26 or older in the practice of their profession.

Amends the Military Code of Illinois. Provides that members of the Illinois National Guard serving on State Active Duty, in addition to those serving in a federal duty or training status, shall have a State flag presented to their next of kin upon their death.