Sen. Laura Fine

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Restaurant Meals Program to permit individuals who are elderly, persons with a disability, and homeless individuals to redeem their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits at private establishments that contract with the Department to offer meals for eligible SNAP recipients at concessional prices. Requires the Restaurant Meals Program to be operational no later than January 1, 2020. Requires the Department to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Creates the Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee Act. Requires the Governor's Cabinet on Children and Youth to create the Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee to drive the State's strategic vision for preventing homelessness among youth leaving State systems of care. Sets forth the Subcommittee's duties including: (1) reviewing the discharge planning, services plans, and discharge procedures for youth leaving the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, and the Department of Corrections to determine whether such discharge planning and procedures ensure housing stability for youth leaving State systems of care; and (2) collecting data on the housing stability of youth for one year after they are released from State custody or guardianship. Provides that the Subcommittee shall include specified members, including: (i) one representative from the Governor's office; (ii) 4 representatives from agencies serving homeless youth; and (iii) 4 youth who have a lived experience with homelessness. Contains provisions concerning a quorum, administrative support, subcommittee meetings, and reporting requirements.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop, no later than January 1, 2020, a standardized format for all Medicaid managed care organization preferred drug lists in collaboration with Medicaid managed care organizations and other stakeholders, including, but not limited to, organizations that serve individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS or epilepsy, and community-based organizations, providers, and entities with expertise in drug formulary development. Requires the Department to allow Medicaid managed care organizations 6 months from the completion date of the standardized format to comply with the new Preferred Drug List format. Requires each Medicaid managed care organization to post its preferred drug list on its website without restricting access and to update the preferred drug list posted on its website no less than 30 days prior to the date upon which any update or change takes effect. Requires the Department to establish, no later than January 1, 2020, the Illinois Drug and Therapeutics Advisory Board to have the authority and responsibility to provide recommendations to the Department regarding which drug products to list on the Department's preferred drug list. Contains provisions concerning Board meetings and correspondence; the Board's composition; voting and non-voting members; and other matters. Requires the Department to adopt rules, to be in place no later than January 1, 2020, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the Board. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Expands the membership on the Illinois Drug and Therapeutics Advisory Board by including the following members: (1) at least one clinician who specializes in the prevention and treatment of HIV, recommended by an HIV healthcare advocacy organization; and (2) at least one clinician recommended by a healthcare advocacy organization that serves individuals who are affected by chronic diseases that require significant pharmaceutical treatments. Provides that one non-voting clinician recommended by an association of Medicaid managed care health plans shall serve a term of 3 years on the Board without compensation. Includes organizations that serve individuals with rare diseases to the list of organizations that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services must collaborate with when developing a standardized format for all Medicaid managed care organization preferred drug lists. Provides that a licensed physician recommended by the Rare Disease Commission who is a rare disease specialist and possesses scientific knowledge and medical training with respect to rare diseases and is familiar with drug and biological products and treatment shall be notified in advance to attend an Illinois Drug and Therapeutics Advisory Board meeting when a drug or biological product is scheduled to be reviewed in order to advise and make recommendations on drugs or biological products. Makes technical changes.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a minor is subject to the Act if the court has made a finding of probable cause to believe that the minor is abused, neglected, or dependent under the Act prior to the minor's 18th birthday (rather than any minor under 18 years of age). Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 705 ILCS 405/2-27 from Ch. 37, par. 802-27 705 ILCS 405/5-710 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that "neglected" for purposes of the Act includes any minor under 18 years of age or a minor 18 years of age or older for whom the court has made a finding of probable cause to believe the that minor is abused, neglected, or dependent under the Act prior to the minor's 18th birthday. Provides that those who are dependent include any minor under 18 years of age or a minor 18 years of age or older for whom the court has made a finding of probable cause to believe the that minor is abused, neglected, or dependent under the Act prior to the minor's 18th birthday. Provides that these changes apply to a case that is pending on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a homestead exemption in the amount of a reduction of $5,000 from the equalized assessed value of property of police officers and firefighters with duty-related disabilities. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 200/15-169.1 new Adds reference to: 30 ILCS 105/5.891 new 30 ILCS 105/6z-107 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund. Provides that moneys in the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund shall be used to pay rebates to residential property taxpayers in the State. Provides that the Fund may accept moneys from any lawful source. Provides that the State Comptroller shall calculate a property tax rebate amount for the applicable property tax year by dividing the total amount appropriated from the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund by the total number of homestead exemptions granted for homestead property in the State. Provides that the property tax bills of non-delinquent taxpayers who received a general homestead exemption under the Property Tax Code shall be reduced by the property tax rebate amount. Effective immediately.

Creates the Seizure Smart School Act. Provides for legislative findings and defines terms. Requires the parent or guardian of a student with epilepsy who seeks assistance with epilepsy-related care in a school setting to submit a seizure action plan with the student's school. Provides that a delegated care aide shall perform the activities and tasks necessary to assist a student with epilepsy in accordance with the student's seizure action plan. Requires training for school employees and delegated care aides. Requires that an information sheet be provided to any school employee who transports a student with epilepsy to a school-sponsored activity. Provides that a school district may not restrict the assignment of a student with epilepsy to a particular school on the basis that the school does not have a full-time school nurse and a school may not deny a student access to the school or any school-related activity on the basis that the student has epilepsy. Provides for school employee protection against retaliation, immunity, and rights under federal law. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code to make a related change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. House Committee Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Makes a change to the legislative findings. Changes the definition of "delegated care aide" to mean a school employee or paraprofessional who has agreed to receive training in epilepsy and assist a student in implementing his or her seizure action plan and who has entered into an agreement with a parent or guardian of that student. Limits the definition of "school employee" to include, among other persons, a person who is employed by a school district or school as a principal, administrator, guidance counselor, or teacher. Provides that the training of a delegated care aide shall include consultation with the student's parent or guardian and may include consultation with an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America and training for school employees must be provided annually through approximately one hour of self-study review approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America or by an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America (rather than requiring training for school employees and delegated care aides to be provided by a trained health care provider with an expertise in epilepsy). Removes a provision requiring the principal of a school to coordinate the training of all delegated care aides. Provides that, if applicable, a seizure action plan (rather than an information sheet) must be provided to any school employee who transports a student with epilepsy to a school-sponsored activity; makes a conforming change. Requires a school employee to be in compliance with the training provisions of the Act in order to have immunity. Adds an effective date of July 1, 2020. House Floor Amendment No. 4 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill as amended by House Amendment No. 3 with the following changes. Provides that the definition of "school employee" may not be interpreted to require a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school to hire additional personnel for the sole purpose of the personnel to serve as a delegated care aide. Provides that if a student has been managing his or her epilepsy care in a school setting before the effective date of the Act, the student's parent or guardian may (rather than must) sign and submit a seizure action plan with the student's school. Provides that it is the responsibility of a student's parent or guardian to share the health care provider's instructions on the student's epilepsy management during the school day. Removes a provision requiring the seizure action plan to include the treating physician's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or physician assistant's instructions on the student's epilepsy management during the school day. Provides that a student's parent or guardian is responsible for informing the school, in a timely manner, of any changes to the student's seizure action plan and emergency contact information. Provides that the principal of a school shall facilitate the school's compliance with the provisions of a student's seizure action plan (rather than ensure that the school has at least one delegated care aide present and available at the school during all school hours and during school-sponsored activities). Provides that the training for school employees must be fully consistent with the best practice guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provides that the training of a delegated care aide must be provided by a licensed health care provider with an expertise in epilepsy or an epilepsy educator who has successfully completed the relevant curricula offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (rather than must include consultation with the student's parent or guardian and may include consultation with an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America). Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2020. House Floor Amendment No. 5 Removes a provision requiring training for school employees to be provided annually through approximately one hour of self-study review approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America or by an epilepsy educator approved by the Epilepsy Foundation of America.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that a child shall continue to be eligible for an Individual Care Grant if the child is placed in the guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 because the child requires care in a residential treatment facility and an application for the Family Support Program was pending with the Department Healthcare and Family Services or an active application was being reviewed by the Department when the guardianship order was entered. Provides that any minor who is placed in the guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services under the Act while an application for the Family Support Program was pending with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services or an active application was being reviewed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall continue to be considered eligible for services if all other eligibility criteria are met. Provides that the court shall conduct a hearing within 14 days upon notification to all parties that an application for the Family Support Program services has been approved and services are available. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 705 ILCS 405/2-31 from Ch. 37, par. 802-31 705 ILCS 405/2-33 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill. Further amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that wardship concerning neglected, abused, and dependent minors terminates at 21 years of age rather than 19 years of age. Provides that a provision providing the wardship of the minor and any custodianship or guardianship respecting the minor for whom a petition was filed automatically terminates when the minor attains the age of 19 years becomes inoperative on and after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to all cases that are pending on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that when terminating wardship, if the minor is over 18, or if wardship is terminated in conjunction with an order partially or completely emancipating the minor in accordance with the Emancipation of Minors Act, the court shall also consider the following factors, in addition to the health, safety, and best interest of the minor and the public: (1) the minor's wishes regarding case closure; (2) the manner in which the minor will maintain independence without services from the Department of Children and Family Services; (3) the minor's engagement in services including placement offered by the Department; (4) if the minor is not engaged the Department's efforts to engage the minor; (5) the nature of communication between the minor and the Department; (6) the minor's involvement in other State systems or services; (7) the minor's connections with family and other community support; and (8) any other factor the court deems relevant. Effective immediately.

Urges the State of Illinois to play an important role in addressing climate change.

Amends the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Minors and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Persons under 21 Years of Age and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. Raises the age for whom tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and alternative nicotine products may be sold to and possessed by from at least 18 years of age to at least 21 years of age. Defines "electronic cigarette". Repeals the Smokeless Tobacco Limitation Act. Amends various other Acts to make conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2019.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title of the Telecommunications Article.