Sen. Ram Villivalam

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 605 ILCS 10/3 Adds reference to: New Act Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Blue-Ribbon Commission on Transportation Infrastructure Funding and Policy Act. Creates the Blue-Ribbon Commission on Transportation Infrastructure Funding and Policy. Provides for the membership of the Commission. Provides for the appointment of a chairperson of the Commission by the Governor. Provides that the members shall be appointed by May 31, 2022. Provides for the meetings and duties of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall report a summary of its activities and produce a final report of its data, findings, and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 31, 2023. Provides that the Act is repealed on February 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Creates the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act. Provides for licensure of professional music therapists and clinical music therapists by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Establishes the Music Therapy Advisory Committee. Establishes the powers and duties of the advisory committee, including advising the Department on all matters pertaining to licensure, education, and continuing education requirements for licensees. Establishes the powers and duties of the Department, including prescribing rules defining what constitutes an appropriate curriculum for music therapy, reviewing the qualifications of applicants for licenses, investigating alleged violations of the Act, conducting hearings on disciplinary and other matters, and establishing a schedule of fees for the administration and enforcement of the Act. Establishes qualifications for licensure as a professional music therapist and clinical music therapist. Establishes grounds for discipline of a license. Provides for civil and criminal penalties for violations of the Act. Creates provisions concerning formal hearings, including transcripts of proceedings, appointment of hearing officers, subpoenas and depositions, and rehearings. Provides for judicial review of all final administrative decisions of the Department. Preempts home rule. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Removes all references to licensed clinical music therapists. Changes references to the "Music Therapy Advisory Committee" and "Advisory Committee" to "Music Therapy Advisory Board" and "Advisory Board". Changes the definition of "music therapy". Adds provisions concerning applicants' and licensees' addresses of record and email addresses of record. Makes changes concerning composition and powers and duties of the Music Therapy Advisory Board. Makes changes in provisions concerning exemptions from the Act, collaboration with audiologists and speech-language pathologists, the practice of psychotherapy by licensed music therapists, the powers and duties of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, qualifications for licensure, license renewal, grounds for discipline, violations, investigations, hearings, and findings. Removes provisions concerning restrictions and limitations. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 2 with the following changes. Provides that "music therapy intervention" as defined occurs during a therapist-client relationship and includes collaborating with and educating the client and the family, caregiver of the client, or any other appropriate person regarding the needs of the client that are being addressed in music therapy and the manner in which the music therapy treatment addresses those needs in compliance with state and federal law. Provides that the Music Therapy Advisory Board shall advise the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on all matters pertaining to disciplinary actions for practice of music therapy in the State. Removes a provision that provides that nothing in the Act may be construed to prohibit the practice of a person whose training and national certification attests to the individual's preparation and ability to practice the individual's certified profession or occupation. Provides that the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation shall issue a license to an applicant for a professional music therapist license if the applicant is of good moral character. Provides that in determining moral character under the provisions of qualifications for licensure, the Department may take into consideration whether the applicant has engaged in conduct which would constitute grounds for discipline under the Act. Removes as a ground for discipline the failure to file a return, or to pay the tax, penalty, or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of tax, penalty, or interest, as required by a tax Act administered by the Department of Revenue. Adds that whenever the Secretary believes substantial justice (rather than only justice) has not been done in the revocation, suspension, or refusal to issue or renew a license or the discipline of a licensee, the Secretary may order a rehearing. Removes provisions concerning: the suspension of a license for failure to pay restitution; the surrender of a license; and any conflict with the Act and any other law. Makes other and conforming changes. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 80/4.38 Repeals the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act on January 1, 2028.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Allows the Department of Transportation to sell land, dedications, easements, access rights, or any interest in the real estate that it holds, or other properties acquired but no longer needed for highway purposes for fair market value (rather than for less than the appraised value). Provides that the fair market value may be based on one or more appraisals. Provides that the Department shall justify a sale below the fair market value. Provides that the Department shall develop a policy to assign a monetary value of all considerations. Provides for the order of priority in which the Department shall offer the real property. Makes other changes.

Amends the Public Construction Bond Act. Provides that the Department of Transportation may implement a 5-year pilot program to allow a contractor to provide a non-diminishing irrevocable bank letter of credit in lieu of specified bond requirements on contracts under $500,000. Provides that projects selected by the Department of Transportation for the pilot program must be classified by the Department as low-risk scope of work contracts. Provides for the adoption of rules concerning the criteria for pilot project selection and implementation of the pilot program.

Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that, by January 1, 2023, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and its MPO Policy Committee, in coordination with the Authority, shall develop and submit a report of legislative recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly regarding changes to the recovery ratio, sales tax formula and distributions, governance structures, regional fare systems, and any other changes to State statute, Authority, or Service Board enabling legislation, policy, rules, or funding that will ensure the long-term financial viability of a comprehensive and coordinated regional public transportation system that moves people safely, securely, cleanly, and efficiently and supports and fosters efficient land use. Provides for the content and development of the report. Repeals the provisions on January 1, 2024. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Moves the date on which the report of legislative recommendations shall be developed and submitted to January 1, 2024 (from January 1, 2023). Moves the repeal of the provisions to January 1, 2025 (from January 1, 2024). Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that, in developing the report of legislative recommendations, the vision, principles, and recommendations of the Authority's strategic plan shall be considered. Provides that the report shall be adopted by the MPO Policy Committee prior to submission to the Governor and General Assembly.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that all youth in care shall be assigned a mental health provider to manage their mental health care needs. Requires a youth's mental health provider to visit the youth and conduct a well-being assessment within 30 days after the youth is removed from his or her home and placed in the temporary custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that additional follow-up visits and well-being checks shall be scheduled and conducted until the youth is no longer under the custody or guardianship of the Department. Provides that any mental health care services provided to the youth shall be in addition to any care or services the youth receives from his or her primary care provider. Grants the Department rulemaking authority. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Creates the Holistic Mental Health Care for Youth in Care Task Force. Requires the Task Force to review and make recommendations regarding mental health and wellness services provided to youth in care, including a program of holistic mental health services provided 30 days after the date upon which a youth is placed in foster care, in order to determine how to best meet the mental health needs of youth in care. Provides that the Task Force shall also assess the capacity of State licensed mental health professionals to provide preventive mental health care to youth in care; review the current payment rates for mental health providers serving the youth in care population; evaluate the recruitment and retention of mental health providers who are persons of color to serve the youth in care population; and perform other specified duties. Provides that the Task Force shall consist of 9 members and that members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Requires the Task Force to meet at least once each month beginning no later than July 1, 2022 and at other times as determined by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force may hold electronic meetings and a member of the Task Force shall be deemed present for the purposes of establishing a quorum and voting. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in conjunction with the Department of Children and Family Services, shall provide the Task Force with administrative support. Requires the Task Force to prepare and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly at the end of each quarter a report that summarizes its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Children & Family Services) There is no material cost to this legislation. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the engrossed bill with the following changes: Provides that the Task Force shall include: (i) a member appointed by the Governor from the Office of the Governor who has a focus on mental health issues, (rather than a member from the Office of the Governor who has a focus on mental health issues); (ii) one member who is a former youth in care, appointed by the Governor (rather than one member who is a former youth in care recommended by the Illinois Chapter of the Foster Care Alumni of America); and (iii) one representative from the managed care entity managing the YouthCare program, appointed by (rather than recommended by) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services. Requires the Task Force to submit its final report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024. Provides that upon submission of its final report, the Task Force is dissolved.

Creates the Children's Mental Health Council Act. Creates the Children's Mental Health Council. Requires the Council to conduct at least 4 meeting each year, research and provide recommendations for the General Assembly on children with mental and behavioral disabilities and residential placements around the State and out of state, research and provide recommendations on how State agencies will be able to provide emergency placement for children with disabilities, research and provide recommendations on expanding residential beds and increasing the workforce, and review and provide recommendations for the General Assembly, State Board of Education, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, and any other agency that is involved in the process of the placement of a child. Provides guidelines for appointing members. Provides terms for members appointed by the Governor. Provides that the State Board of Education shall provide administrative support. Provides that the Council shall prepare and deliver annual reports to the General Assembly, the Governor, and certain State agencies with any recommendations for legislation and any additional recommendations regarding children's mental and behavioral health. Provides that the Act is repealed on January 1, 2032. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: New Act Adds reference to: 405 ILCS 49/5 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003. Adds a requirement that the Children's Mental Health Plan include recommendations on how to more effectively meet the emergency and residential placement needs for all children with severe mental and behavioral challenges. Adds representatives of community mental health provider trade organizations to the group of representatives to the Children's Mental Health Partnership that are appointed by the Governor. Provides that the annual report will be delivered to the Governor and the General Assembly (currently, only the Governor). House Floor Amendment No. 5 Adds reference to: 405 ILCS 49/1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003. Changes the title of the Act to the "Children's Mental Health Act". Provides that the Children's Mental Health Partnership shall advise the State of Illinois on designing and implementing short-term and long-term strategies to provide comprehensive and coordinated services for children from birth to age 25 and their families with the goal of addressing children's mental health needs across a full continuum of care. Provides that the Partnership shall have the responsibility of developing and updating the Children's Mental Health Plan and advising the relevant State agencies on implementation of the Plan (instead of developing and monitoring the implementation of the Plan as approved by the Governor). Removes provisions concerning development of previous Plans. Provides for the powers and duties of the Partnership. Provides that the Partnership shall submit: an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the progress of the Plans; recommendations regarding State policies, laws, or rules necessary to fulfill the purposes of the Act; and any additional recommendations regarding mental or behavioral health that the Partnership deems necessary. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide technical and administrative support for the Partnership. Effective January 1, 2023. House Floor Amendment No. 6 Provides that a representative of a statewide organization representing pediatricians shall also be included as one of the required public representatives of the Partnership appointed by the Governor.

Creates the Legislative Accessibility Act. Provides that the General Assembly shall make all efforts to increase the accessibility of the General Assembly for people with disabilities. Provides that the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall each appoint an accessibility coordinator who, in consultation with the Architect of the Capitol, shall be responsible for addressing accessibility needs for his or her corresponding house. Provides that the Illinois General Assembly website shall include either an email address, webform, or other similar mechanism to request reasonable accommodations to meet the accessibility needs of people with disabilities attending legislative events. Establishes the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force. Provides for the membership and meetings of the Task Force. Provides that members and ex officio members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Provides administrative support for the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall examine issues concerning accessibility of persons with a disability. Requires the Task Force to make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning General Assembly accessibility no later than December 31, 2021. Repeals specified provisions January 1, 2023. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Removes provision requiring the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force to be convened by the Department of Central Management Services in coordination with the Secretary of State. Modifies the appointment of members to the Task Force. Provides that the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the Senate, and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint 2 members to the Task Force (rather than the Governor appointing 15 members). Provides for the appointment of the Task Force chair. Provides that appointees shall include persons who self-identify as having a disability or advocates for such persons. Provides for specified State officials to serve on the Task Force as ex officio members. Provides that the Architect of the Capitol (rather than the Department of Central Management Services) shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to issue its recommendations to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2023 (rather than December 31, 2021). Repeals the Task Force on January 1, 2025 (rather than January 1, 2023). Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Further amends the Legislative Accessibility Act. Provides that the Illinois General Assembly website shall include an email address, web form, or other similar mechanism to meet the accessibility needs of persons attending legislative meetings, hearings, floor proceedings, and press conferences at the Capitol Complex (rather than persons attending legislative events, including, but not limited to, all hearings and floor proceedings). Makes a technical change.

Amends the Homelessness Prevention Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall be mindful of preventing undue administrative burden in the application process for individual tenants in applying for assistance. Provides that program staff shall endeavor to lessen any administrative burden on landlords receiving assistance payments. Amends the Eviction Article of the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a defendant shall have an affirmative defense to any action where the plaintiff has made a demand for possession that is based on unpaid rent regardless of whether the owner has joined in the action a claim for rent if the defendant, a social services agency, or a government agency offered the owner an application for emergency housing assistance and the owner refused to complete the process to obtain the emergency housing assistance and the defendant would have been eligible for the emergency housing assistance program. Provides that the owner may overcome the affirmative defense only if the court makes a finding that the application for emergency housing assistance would impose a significant administrative burden on the owner. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Defines "source of income". Provides that if a landlord requires that a prospective tenant or current tenant have a certain threshold level of income, then the landlord shall subtract any source of income in the form of a rent voucher or subsidy from the total of the monthly rent prior to calculating if the income criteria have been met. Provides that a landlord shall not apply an income or asset requirement to a tenant with a non-wage source of income that the landlord does not apply to all tenants. Provides that if an income or asset requirement serves to generally exclude participants in a housing or benefits program, that requirement shall be considered presumptively discriminatory. Makes other changes. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Human Services) HB 2775 does not have a fiscal impact to the Department of Human Services. Housing Affordability Impact Note (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 310 ILCS 70/4 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1304 310 ILCS 70/10 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1310 735 ILCS 5/9-106.4 new 775 ILCS 5/3-102.2 new 775 ILCS 5/8B-104 from Ch. 68, par. 8B-104 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Declares that it is the public policy of the State to prevent discrimination based on source of income in real estate transactions. Defines "source of income" as the lawful manner by which an individual supports himself or herself and his or her dependents. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for various people to participate in specified discriminatory actions related to real estate transactions because of an individual's source of income.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In provisions concerning the Council on Aging, provides that at least 7 citizen members shall represent underrepresented communities, including, but no limited to: one member who is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer individual; one member who is a transgender or gender-expansive individual; one member who is an African-American or Black individual; and one member who is an Asian-American or Pacific Islander individual. Creates the Illinois Commission on LGBTQ Aging to investigate, analyze, and study the health, housing, financial, psychosocial, home-and-community-based services, assisted living, and long-term care needs of LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to improve access to benefits, services, and supports for LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers. Requires the Commission to: examine the impact of State and local laws, policies, and regulations on LGBTQ older adults and make recommendations to ensure equitable access, treatment, care and benefits, and overall quality of life; and examine strategies to increase provider awareness of the needs of LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers and to improve the competence of and access to treatment, services, and ongoing care, including preventive care; and carry out other duties. Contains provisions concerning: members appointed to the Commission; Commission meetings and reports; an LGBTQ Older Adult Advocate to advocate for LGBTQ older adults and older adults living with HIV who experience barriers to accessing and utilizing services; an LGBTQ Older Adult Curriculum and Training Program; and other matters. Effective immediately.