Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Revenue may design and implement a data match system pursuant to which the Department of Revenue shall enter into agreements with financial institutions doing business in this State for the purpose of identifying accounts of delinquent taxpayers. Provides that the agreements shall provide that (i) the financial institution shall compare data of account holders, owners, or customers who maintain one or more accounts at the financial institution with data of individuals and business entities who are identified by the Department as delinquent taxpayers and for whom the Department has provided the name, record address, and social security number or tax identification number or (ii) the financial institution shall provide to the Department the social security numbers or tax identification numbers of the account holders, owners, or customers who maintain one or more accounts at the financial institution, and the Department shall compare that data with data of individuals and business entities who are identified by the Department as delinquent taxpayers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person who is convicted of obscene depiction of a purported child is ineligible to receive a school bus driver permit. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that "child pornography" includes the depiction of a part of an actual child under 18 who by manipulation, creation, or modification, appears to be engaged in sexual activity. Creates the offenses of obscene depiction of a purported child and non-consensual dissemination of sexually explicit digitized depictions. Defines offenses and provides criminal penalties for violations. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides for the forfeiture to the State: (1) of any profits or proceeds and any property the person has acquired or maintained in violation of those offenses; (2) any interest in, securities of, claim against, or property or contractual right of any kind affording a source of influence over any enterprise that the person has established, operated, controlled, or conducted in violation of those offenses; and (3) any computer that contains an obscene depiction of a purported child. Amends the Bill of Rights for Children. Provides that under certain conditions, the parent or legal guardian of a child who is the victim of obscene depiction of a purported child may make a victim's impact statement on the impact which the defendant's criminal conduct or the juvenile's delinquent conduct has had upon the child. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a period of probation, a term of periodic imprisonment, or conditional discharge shall not be imposed for specified violations of the offense of obscene depiction of a purported child. Provides for enhanced penalties for specified violations of obscene depiction of a purported child. Provides that the court shall impose a consecutive sentence when the defendant is convicted of specified violations of the offense of obscene depiction of a purported child. Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act to provide that a person convicted of obscene depiction of a purported child must register as a sex offender.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that an employer is responsible for harassment and sexual harassment of its employees by the employer's nonmanagerial and nonsupervisory employees, nonemployees, and third parties only if the employer becomes aware of the conduct and fails to take reasonable corrective measures. Changes the definition of "real estate transaction" to include any act that otherwise makes available such a transaction or alters a person's right to real property. Makes it a civil rights violation in a real estate transaction to: make unavailable or deny real property to discriminate in making available such a transaction; or use criteria or methods that have the effect of subjecting individuals to unlawful discrimination or discrimination based on familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record in a real estate transaction. Provides that an aggrieved party may take action to collect on a judicial order issued by the Circuit Court in an action initiated by the State, regardless of whether or not the aggrieved party intervened in an enforcement action of a Human Rights Commission order. Provides that, in imposing a penalty based on a real estate transaction violation, the Commission may order a respondent to pay a civil penalty per violation to vindicate the public interest, and in imposing a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest, a separate penalty may be imposed for each specific act constituting a civil rights violation and for each aggrieved party injured by the civil rights violation. Deletes language authorizing each commissioner of the Human Rights Commission to hire a staff attorney. Repeals language regarding the collection of information concerning employment discrimination in relation to persons affected by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Makes other changes.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Requires the State Employees Group Insurance Program to provide coverage for all FDA-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's Disease or another related dementia, as determined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches. Provides that diagnostic testing necessary for a physician to determine the appropriate use of treatments or medications shall be covered by the State Employees Group Insurance Program.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, if a municipality or county, including a home rule municipality or county, is a self-insurer for purposes of providing health insurance coverage for its employees, the insurance coverage shall include mental health counseling for any employee who is a first responder, including police and corrections officers, deputy sheriffs, firefighters, or emergency medical services personnel, without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided. Specifies that this requirement does not apply to the extent such coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. Limits home rule powers by providing that the requirement that mental health counseling be included in health insurance coverage is an exclusive power and function of the State.

Maddy summaryHB 478 is a technical amendment to the Local Government Travel Expense Control Act that updates the bill's short title. This change does not alter any existing rules or regulations regarding travel expenses for local government officials. The legislation directly affects local governments by refining the official name of the governing act without changing its operational requirements. Since the bill only modifies a title, it has no impact on funding, procedures, or substantive policy.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is the public policy of the State to prevent discrimination based on family responsibilities in employment. Defines "family responsibilities" as an employee's actual or perceived provision of care to a family member, whether in the past, present, or future. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for: (1) any employer to refuse to hire, to segregate, to engage in harassment, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of family responsibilities; (2) any employment agency to fail or refuse to classify properly, accept applications and register for employment referral or apprenticeship referral, refer for employment, or refer for apprenticeship on the basis of family responsibilities; and (3) any labor organization to limit, segregate, or classify its membership, or to limit employment opportunities, selection and training for apprenticeship in any trade or craft, or otherwise to take or fail to take, any action which affects adversely any person's status as an employee or as an applicant for employment or as an apprentice, or as an applicant for apprenticeships, or wages, tenure, hours of employment, or apprenticeship conditions on the basis of family responsibilities. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for a person, or for 2 or more persons, to conspire to retaliate against a person because he or she has opposed that which he or she reasonably and in good faith believes to be discrimination based on family responsibilities. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist shall provide the patient with a written treatment plan that includes a description of each anticipated service to be provided and a good faith estimate of expected charges before arranging for, offering, brokering, or establishing open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party. Provides a form that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist must provide before arranging for, offering, brokering, or establishing open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist may not complete any portion of an application for open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist may not arrange for, offer, broker, or establish open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party that contains a deferred interest provision. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist may not arrange for, offer, broker, or establish open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party if (i) the treatment has yet to be rendered or costs associated with the treatment have yet to be incurred; (ii) the dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist has not provided the patient with a treatment plan, and informed the patient in writing about which costs associated with the treatment are being charged in advance; and (iii) that dentist's office arranged for, offered, brokered, or established the open-end credit, line of credit, or loan extended by a third party. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist shall, within 15 days business days of a patient's request or within 15 business days of the dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist becoming aware of treatment that has not been rendered or costs that have not been incurred, whichever occurs first, refund to the lender any payment received through open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party that is arranged for, offered, brokered, or established in that dentist's office. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may adopt rules to implement these provisions. Effective January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends state laws to require specific health benefits for employees of the State Employees Group Insurance Program and for employees of self-insured county governments. It mandates that these health plans cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including procedures like in vitro fertilization and genetic screening, starting on January 1, 2024. The coverage is limited to a two-year period ending on July 1, 2026, and applies only when procedures meet established medical standards and are performed at accredited facilities. Additionally, the bill ensures that fertility medications are treated the same as other prescription drugs regarding cost-sharing and restrictions.

Creates the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture to develop and administer a Local Food Infrastructure Grant Program to enhance local food processing, aggregation, and distribution within the State through the award of annual grants. Specifies that eligible grant applicants include certain entities that store, process, package, aggregate, or distribute farm products raised in Illinois. Provides that grant awards shall be between $1,000 and $150,000. Describes match requirements for grant recipients. Describes allowable expenses. Requires the Department to create an independent Steering Committee to guide the implementation and evaluation of the grant program. Describes the Steering Committee's composition and responsibilities. Establishes various grant application requirements. Requires the Director of Agriculture to report certain information to the Governor and General Assembly each year. Limits the liability of program administrators. Contains provisions concerning termination of a grant agreement under the Act. Defines terms. Effective immediately.