Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that, when a beneficiary, insured, or enrollee receives mental health services from a nonparticipating provider or a nonparticipating health care facility, the health insurance issuer shall ensure that the beneficiary, insured, or enrollee shall incur no greater out-of-pocket costs than the beneficiary, insured, or enrollee would have incurred with a participating provider or a participating health care facility. Requires any cost-sharing requirements to be applied as though the mental health services had been received from a participating provider or a participating health care facility. Provides that, if the cost sharing for the same item or service furnished by a participating provider would have been a flat-dollar copayment, that amount shall be the cost-sharing amount unless the provider has billed a lesser total amount. Provides that administrative requirements or limitations shall be no greater than those applicable to emergency services received from a participating provider or a participating health care facility. Permits a beneficiary, insured, or enrollee receiving ongoing mental health services from a nonparticipating provider to continue treatment with the nonparticipating provider for up to one year from the start of services or one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, whichever is later, as if the mental health services were provided by a participating provider. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage under those provisions. Effective January 1, 2027.

Creates the Illinois Health Care and Public Benefits Stakeholder Council Act. Provides that the Illinois Health Care and Public Benefits Stakeholder Council is created to ensure that residents impacted by Illinois health care systems and public aid benefits have a voice in the State's implementation of various programs across State agencies. Sets forth the Council's objectives and duties which include: (i) identifying current shortfalls in the various public assistance, health care, and child care programs implemented at the State level; and (ii) recommending an overarching organizational structure to ensure coordination, alignment, and progress to assist all Illinoisans in accessing benefits at the State level. Contains provisions concerning Council membership. Requires the Council to meet at the call of the Chair at least 4 times beginning January 1, 2026; and for specified State agencies to attend at least 2 Council hearings in an advisory role. Requires the Council to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor by July 1, 2027. Provides that the Council is dissolved, and the Act is repealed, on July 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Creates the Access to Prescription Drugs Act. Provides that any State agency may enter into partnerships to increase competition, lower prices, and address shortages in the market for generic prescription drugs; to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for public and private purchasers, taxpayers, and consumers; and to increase patient access to affordable drugs. Requires the partnerships to result in the production or distribution of generic prescription drugs with the intent that these drugs be made widely available to public and private purchasers, providers and suppliers, and pharmacies. Provides that the State agency shall comply with specified requirements when entering into partnerships or setting prices for generic prescription drugs. Requires a State agency that elects to enter into a partnership under the Act to submit separate reports to the General Assembly that (1) assess the feasibility of directly manufacturing generic prescription drugs and selling generic prescription drugs at a fair price; and (2) describe the status of all drugs targeted under the Act and analyze how the activities of the State agency may impact competition, access to targeted drugs, the costs of those drugs, and the costs of generic prescription drugs to public and private purchasers. Contains other provisions. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to exempt certain information disclosed under Access to Prescription Drugs Act from inspection and copying under the Act. Contains a severability provision. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Attorney General Act. Creates an Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls within the Office of the Attorney General. Provides that the Office shall: (1) serve as the legal and policy advisor to the Attorney General to ensure justice for missing and murdered Black women and girls; (2) develop recommendations for policies to address injustices in the criminal justice system's response to cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls; and (3) coordinate with State and local agencies to collect specified information and give technical assistance. Provides that, no later than January 1 after the effective date of the amendatory Act and biennially thereafter, the Office shall submit a report to the General Assembly on missing and murdered Black women and girls containing specified information.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that a "disruption event" includes any planned or unplanned work on or damage to a fire hydrant. Changes the term "health care facility list" to "disruption notification list". Requires a public water distribution entity to also notify all affected fire departments and all affected dispatch centers on the public water supply's disruption notification list not less than 14 days before any known, planned, or anticipated disruption event or that are served by the public water supply and affected by any unplanned disruption event in the public water supply's water distribution system. Requires a fire department and a dispatch center to designate an email address to receive electronic notifications from the public water distribution entity concerning planned or unplanned disruption events.

Creates the Prostitution Investigation Act. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall create, on or before January 1, 2025, a policy that prohibits law enforcement officers from knowingly and willingly performing an act of sexual penetration with the suspect of a criminal investigation of prostitution during the course of an investigation conducted by that officer. Provides that the policy shall be posted and made publicly available. Amends various Acts to change "juvenile prostitution" to "commercial sexual exploitation of a child", "prostitute" to "person engaged in the sex trade", and "juvenile prostitute" to "sexually exploited child". Amends the Statute on Statutes. Provides that the changes of names of the offenses and persons convicted of those offenses do not affect the validity of dispositions entered under the previous names. Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that law enforcement agencies shall automatically expunge the law enforcement records relating to a person's Class 4 felony conviction for prostitution if that conviction is eligible for expungement. Provides that in the absence of a court order or upon the order of a court, the clerk of the circuit court shall automatically expunge the court records and case files relating to a person's Class 4 felony conviction for prostitution if that conviction is eligible for expungement. Provides that automatic expungements shall be completed no later than January 1, 2025. Provides for comparable provisions for such convictions that are eligible for sealing.

Creates the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Nelson Mandela Act. Provides that, except as otherwise provided in the Act, the use of isolated confinement in correctional facilities in the State shall be restricted as follows: (1) a committed person may not be placed in isolated confinement for more than 10 consecutive days; (2) a committed person may not be placed in isolated confinement for more than 10 days in any 180-day period; and (3) while out of cell, committed persons may have access to activities, including, but not limited to: job assignments, educational classes, vocational classes, meals, recreation, yard or gymnasium, day room, bathing facilities, medical appointments, visits, and group therapy. Provides that a committed person in protective custody may opt out of that status by providing informed, voluntary, written refusal of that status. Provides that nothing in the Act is intended to restrict any rights or privileges a committed person may have under any other statute, rule, or regulation. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall post on the Department's official website quarterly reports on the use of isolated confinement. Provides that these reports shall not include personally identifiable information regarding any committed person. Defines terms. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Department's powers and duties.

Amends the Child Labor Law. Provides for the amount of time a child performer who works in a television, motion picture, or related entertainment production may be permitted to be at the place of employment within a 24-hour time period, based on the age of the performer. Sets forth time requirements for work, rest and recreation, and education. Defines "studio teacher".

Maddy summaryThis bill designates September of every year as Waterway Cleanup Month to encourage public participation in cleaning local waterways. It achieves this by amending the State Commemorative Dates Act to officially recognize the month with a specific title. The change serves as a symbolic reminder for residents and organizations to focus on environmental maintenance during that time.