Budget & Taxes

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Creates the Vision Benefit Managers Article. Beginning on July 1, 2026, requires a vision benefit manager to be registered with the Department of Insurance, as specified, to conduct business in the State. Requires amounts collected under provisions concerning vision benefit manager registration requirements to be deposited into the Low-Income Student Vision Examination Fund, which is created as a special fund in the State treasury. Grants the Director or the Director's designee the authority to examine a registered vision benefit manager related to all of its lines of business. Amends the Vision Care Plan Regulation Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Vision Benefit Manager Regulation Act. Establishes the legislative intent of the Act. Makes changes to defined terms. Throughout the Act, replaces references to vision care plans with vision benefit plans and vision benefit discount plans and vision care organizations with vision benefit managers. Sets forth provisions concerning required actions for noncovered services; fee schedules for eye care providers; reimbursement paid by a vision benefit manager to an eye care provider; application of the Act to a specified limited health service organization; an eye care provider's choice of vendors and affiliations; the modification of a plan; audits of an eye care provider; prohibited conduct impacting patient access and choice; credentialing; termination of agreements; prohibition on security interests; arbitration costs; nonretaliation; and private rights of action. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, in Fiscal Year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department shall advance grant funds to certified tourism and convention bureaus that received grant funding in the prior fiscal year. Provides that the advanced amount shall be equal to 50% of the total grant awarded to each bureau in the prior fiscal year. Effective immediately.