Sen. Ram Villivalam

Amends the Messages Tax Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 610/15 from Ch. 120, par. 467.15 Adds reference to: 35 ILCS 5/225 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the maximum amount of the credit for instructional materials and supplies from $250 for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2023 to $300 for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Amends the Navigator Certification Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Recognizes the Assyrian Genocide of 1915 and the Simele Massacre of 1933 as a genocide and declares August 7, 2021 as Assyrian Remembrance Day.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall include as part of its Crossing Safety Improvement Program specific railroad worker safety rules that include, but are not limited to, administrative rules regarding the provision, construction, and maintenance of sanitation and shelter facilities for rail carrier employees and employee walkways in railroad yards.

Creates the Endow Illinois Tax Credit Act and amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Requires the Department of Revenue to authorize an income tax credit to taxpayers who provide an endowment gift to a permanent endowment fund. Sets forth procedures and criteria for authorizing the credits. Provides that the aggregate amount of all credits that the Department of Revenue may authorize may not exceed $10,000,000 in 2022, $25,000,000 in 2023, or $50,000,000 in 2024 and each calendar year thereafter. Provides conditions for eligibility. Requires the Department of Revenue to make an annual report concerning the credits. Provides that the credit may be carried forward for 5 years. Exempts the credit from the Act's sunset provisions. Further amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to provide that provisions concerning the unrelated business taxable income of an exempt organization apply for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021 (currently, January 1, 2019). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. In the definition of "disability", deletes language providing that discrimination based on disability includes unlawful discrimination against an individual because of the individual's association with a person with a disability. Provides that "disability" includes a person's association or relationship with a person with a characteristic of disability. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Employment Security Law and the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that the Department of Employment Security may not use a person's social security number in the Department's correspondence. Requires the Department to develop a system of identifying information to be used instead of social security numbers.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that every insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a qualified health plan offered through the health insurance marketplace in the State and Medicaid managed care organizations providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment shall provide coverage for medically necessary treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Provides that an insurer shall not limit benefits or coverage for medically necessary services on the basis that those services should be or could be covered by a public program. Provides that an insurer shall base any medical necessity determination or the utilization review criteria on current generally accepted standards of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorder or condition care. Provides that in conducting utilization review of covered health care services and benefits for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental, emotional, and nervous disorders or conditions in children, adolescents, and adults, an insurer shall exclusively apply the criteria and guidelines set forth in the most recent versions of the treatment criteria developed by the nonprofit professional association for the relevant clinical specialty. Provides that an insurer shall not apply different, additional, conflicting, or more restrictive utilization review criteria than the criteria and guidelines set forth in the treatment criteria. Provides that the Director may, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, assess a civil penalty between $5,000 and $20,000 for each violation. Amends the Health Carrier External Review Act. Provides that the independent review organization shall comply with specified requirements for an adverse determination or final adverse determination involving mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the terms of commissioners of the Legislative Ethics Commission serving on the Commission prior to January 1, 2022 shall be terminated on December 31, 2021. Provides for the appointment of new commissioners to the Legislative Ethics Commission on and after January 1, 2022. Provides for the appointment of 10 commissioners (currently, 8). Provides for the appointment of an Executive Director by agreement of at least 8 of the 10 commissioners. Provides further appointment and eligibility requirements. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.