Sen. Dale Fowler

Amends the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act. Modifies the term "local farm or food products" for purposes of the Act. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill, and further modifies the term "local farm or food products" to include products processed and packaged in Illinois using at least one ingredient grown in Illinois.

Mourns the death of Kody Vanfossan.

Declares April 9, 2019 as Southern Illinois University Day.

Amends the Counties Code. In provisions concerning winds farms and electric-generating wind devices, makes the provisions applicable even if a county has or has not formed a zoning commission and adopted formal zoning. Clarifies that only a county may establish standards for wind farms, electric-generating wind devices, and commercial wind energy facilities in unincorporated areas of the county outside of the zoning jurisdiction of a municipality and the 1.5 mile radius surrounding the zoning jurisdiction of a municipality. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that only a county may establish standards for wind farms outside the 1.5 mile radius (rather than in the 1.5 mile radius) surrounding the zoning jurisdiction of a municipality.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to oversee the enrollment of all State agencies into the United States Department of Defense's SkillBridge program. Provides that all State agencies shall consider filling job vacancies within those agencies by transitioning active service members who participate in and qualify for enrollment into the United States Department of Defense SkillBridge program. Effective immediately.

Urges support for funding the physical infrastructure of early childhood education programs.

Creates the Collective Bargaining Freedom Act. Provides that employers and labor organizations covered by the National Labor Relations Act may execute and apply agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment to the fullest extent authorized by the National Labor Relations Act. Provides that it is the policy of the State that employers, employees, and their labor organizations are free to bargain collectively. Provides that the authority to enact laws or rules that restrict the use of union security agreements between an employer and a labor organization vests exclusively with the General Assembly. Prohibits local governments from enforcing any such law or rule. Defines terms. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Changes a reference to federal law with respect to union security agreements from a reference relating to requiring membership in a union in conflict with state law to a reference relating to unfair labor practices in connection with membership in a union. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes provision making a violation of the Act by a local governmental official a Class A misdemeanor.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning coverage for telehealth services, provides that certain health benefit policies or plans may not exclude from coverage a medically necessary health care service or procedure delivered by certain providers solely because the health care service or procedure is provided through telehealth (rather than requiring certain policies to meet specified criteria if they provide coverage for telehealth services). Provides the requirements of coverage for telehealth services. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident or health insurance that provides coverage for telehealth services delivered by contracted licensed dietitian nutritionists and contracted certified diabetes educators must also provide coverage for in-home services for senior diabetes patients (rather than requiring an individual or group policy of accident or health insurance that provides coverage for telehealth services to provide coverage for licensed dietitian nutritionists and certified diabetes educators who counsel senior diabetes patients in the patients' homes). Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides payment, reimbursement, and service requirements for telehealth services provided under the State's fee-for-service or managed care medical assistance programs. Provides that "telehealth" includes telepsychiatry. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall implement the new provisions 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Repeals a provision requiring the Department to reimburse psychiatrists and federally qualified health centers for mental health services provided by psychiatrists to medical assistance recipients through telepsychiatry. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that the rates and minimum mandated wage increases for homemaker services shall be, at a minimum, as of January 1, 2019, a rate of $19.96 per hour, for a minimum wage of $12 per hour, and as of July 1, 2019, a rate of $21.64 per hour for a minimum wage of $13 per hour. Provides that rates in future State fiscal years shall be no lower than the rates in effect on July 1, 2019. Provides that in-home service provider agencies shall be required to certify to the Department on Aging that they are in compliance with the mandated wage increase for direct service workers. Provides that fringe benefits, including, but not limited to, any paid time off, payment for training, health insurance, travel, or transportation payment, shall not be reduced in relation to these rate increases. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions and State Employees Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the alternative retirement annuity under the State Employees Article applies to a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions. Provides that a conservation police officer subject to the Tier 2 provisions may convert up to 8 years of service credit established before the effective date of the amendatory Act as a conservation police officer under the State Employees Article into eligible creditable service by filing a written election with the Board under that Article, accompanied by a specified payment. Effective immediately.