Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 5 ILCS 100/1-1 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 301/Art. 7 heading new 20 ILCS 301/7-5 new 20 ILCS 301/7-10 new 20 ILCS 301/7-15 new 20 ILCS 301/7-20 new 20 ILCS 301/7-25 new 215 ILCS 5/370c.2 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. Creates the Office of the Ombudsman for Behavioral Health Access to Care (Office) within the Department of Human Services for the purpose of assisting residents of Illinois in accessing behavioral health care. Provides that the Office and the Department shall operate in accordance with a memorandum of understanding between the 2 entities. Provides that the memorandum of understanding shall contain: (1) a requirement that the Office has its own personnel rules; (2) a requirement that the designated Ombudsman for Behavioral Health Access to Care has independent hiring and termination authority over Office employees; (3) a requirement that the Office must follow State fiscal rules; and other requirements. Provides that, by November 1, 2019, the Governor shall designate an Ombudsman for Behavioral Health Access to Care (Ombudsman) to help consumers, including consumers who are uninsured or have public or private health benefit coverage, and health care providers navigate and resolve issues related to consumer access to behavioral health care, including care for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Sets forth the Ombudsman's duties, including the duty to: (i) identify, track, and report to the appropriate regulatory or oversight agency concerns, complaints, and potential violations of State or federal rules, regulations, or statutes concerning the availability of, and terms and conditions of, benefits for mental health conditions or substance use disorders; (ii) provide appropriate information to help consumers obtain behavioral health care; and (iii) develop appropriate points of contact for referrals to other State and federal agencies. Requires the Director of Insurance and the Secretary of Human Services to each appoint a liaison to the Ombudsman to receive reports of concerns, complaints, and potential violations of State and federal rules concerning benefits for mental health conditions or substance use disorders. Requires the Ombudsman to prepare and submit a report to the Governor, the Secretary of Human Services, and other specified persons by September 1, 2021, and by September 1 of each year thereafter, concerning actions taken by the Ombudsman relating to the duties of the Office. Provides that the annual report shall be posted on the Department of Human Services' website. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that by March 1, 2020, and every other March 1 thereafter, the Director of Insurance shall submit a written report and provide a presentation of the report to the General Assembly that: (a) specifies the methodology the Director uses to verify that insurance carriers are complying with certain requirements under the Code concerning mental health or substance use disorder parity; (b) identifies market conduct examinations initiated, conducted, or completed during the preceding 12 months regarding compliance with those mental health parity requirements and with the federal Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008; and (c) details any educational or corrective actions the Director has taken to ensure insurance carrier compliance. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Provides that the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman for Behavioral Health Access to Care within the Department of Human Services shall be subject to appropriation.

Sponsored bills
Amends the Foreign Banking Office Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 205 ILCS 645/1 Adds reference to: 215 ILCS 5/355 from Ch. 73, par. 967 215 ILCS 125/4-12 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1409.5 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code and the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Provides that all individual and small group accident and health policies written in compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act must file rates for approval. Provides that rate increases not found to be reasonable in relation to benefits under the policy provided will be disapproved. Requires the Department of Insurance to provide a report to the General Assembly after January 1, 2021, regarding both on and off exchange individual and small group rates in the Illinois market. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 205 ILCS 645/1 Adds reference to: 215 ILCS 5/355 from Ch. 73, par. 967 215 ILCS 125/4-12 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1409.5 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code and the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Provides that all individual and small group accident and health policies written in compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act must file rates with the Department of Insurance for approval. Provides that rate increases found to be unreasonable rate increases in relation to benefits under the policy provided shall be disapproved. Requires the Department to provide a report to the General Assembly after January 1, 2021, regarding both on and off exchange individual and small group rates in the Illinois market. Requires that the Department approve or deny rate increases within 60 calendar days after the rate increase is filed with the Department. Provides that a rate increase that is not approved or denied by the Department on the 61st calendar day shall be automatically approved on that day. Provides that no less than 30 days after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has certified the plans described in this Section for the upcoming plan year, the Department shall publish on its website a report explaining the rates for the subsequent calendar year's certified policies. Defines "unreasonable rate increase". Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 215 ILCS 5/355 from Ch. 73, par. 967 215 ILCS 125/4-12 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1409.5 Adds reference to: 805 ILCS 5/7.05 from Ch. 32, par. 7.05 805 ILCS 5/7.15 from Ch. 32, par. 7.15 805 ILCS 5/7.30 from Ch. 32, par. 7.30 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983. Provides that if the board of directors is authorized to determine the place of a meeting of shareholders, the board of directors may determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication. Provides that a corporation may allow shareholders to participate in and act at any meeting of the shareholders through the use of remote connection; however, the corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide the shareholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the shareholders. Provides that the corporation may implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and entitled to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a shareholder. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.
Urges Congress and the President of the United States to grant the right and privilege of United States residency to all farm, agricultural, and manufacturing workers who have served and labored during the COVID-19 crisis.
Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Removes language concerning impasse procedures involving an educational employer whose territorial boundaries are coterminous with those of a city having a population in excess of 500,000. Repeals provisions concerning subjects of collective bargaining with that educational employer. Effective immediately. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate. Home Rule Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not pre-empt home rule authority. Fiscal Note (IL Educational Labor Relations Board) This bill is not expected to have any measurable fiscal impact on the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.
Amends the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 705 ILCS 135/1-1 Adds reference to: 705 ILCS 35/1 from Ch. 37, par. 72.1 705 ILCS 35/2a from Ch. 37, par. 72.2a 705 ILCS 35/2f-12 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Circuit Courts Act. Divides the 6th judicial circuit into the 6th and 24th judicial circuits on December 7, 2020. Provides that the 6th circuit shall consist of the county of Champaign, and the 24th circuit shall consist of the counties of Douglas, Moultrie, Macon, DeWitt and Piatt. Provides that of the 5 circuit judges elected in the 6th circuit before the 2020 general election, the Supreme Court shall assign 3 to the 6th circuit and 2 to the 24th circuit, based on the residency of the circuit judges then holding those judgeships. Provides that an individual seeking election or retention during the 2020 general election to one of the 6 at large judgeships assigned to the 6th circuit shall seek election or retention solely within the boundaries of Champaign County, and an individual seeking election or retention during the 2020 general election to one of the 2 at large judgeships assigned to the 24th circuit shall seek election or retention solely within the boundaries of DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, and Piatt counties. Provides that the resident judgeships elected in the counties of Macon, Moultrie, Douglas, and DeWitt shall become a resident judgeship of his or her specified county in the 24th circuit on December 7, 2020. Provides that before December 7, 2020, the Supreme Court shall allocate: the associate judgeships of the 6th circuit between the 6th and 24th circuits; and personnel, books, records, documents, property, funds, assets, liabilities, and pending matters concerning the 6th circuit between the 6th and 24th circuits. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that the one resident judgeship elected from Moultrie County and Piatt County (rather than 2 resident judgeships elected from Moultrie County) shall become a resident judgeship of his or her specified county in the 24th circuit on December 7, 2020. Balanced Budget Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Office of Management and Budget) The Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 97 (H-AM 1) as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. Balanced Budget Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Office of Management and Budget) The Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 97 (H-AM 2) as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 97 (H-AM 1) would not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in Illinois. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 97 (H-AM 2) would not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in Illinois. State Debt Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 97 (H-AM 1) would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. State Debt Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 97 (H-AM 2) would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Correctional Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept of Corrections) There is no fiscal or population impact on the Department of Corrections Correctional Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Dept of Corrections) There is no fiscal or population impact on the Department of Corrections Land Conveyance Appraisal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Transportation) No land conveyances are included this legislation; therefore, there are no appraisals to be filed. Land Conveyance Appraisal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Dept. of Transportation) No land conveyances are included this legislation; therefore, there are no appraisals to be filed. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 705 ILCS 35/1 from Ch. 37, par. 72.1 705 ILCS 35/2a from Ch. 37, par. 72.2a 705 ILCS 35/2f-12 new Adds reference to: 705 ILCS 5/11 from Ch. 37, par. 16 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Supreme Court Act. Provides that the office of marshal for the Supreme Court may also employ court security officers. Subjects such a court security officer hired by the marshal to the same training requirements and authorizes a court security officer to arrest in the same manner as a court security officer hired by a county sheriff. Allows a court security officer to carry a weapon at his or her place of employment and to and from his or her place of employment. Effective immediately.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, in order to obtain a license under the Article, a student teacher candidate may not be required to videotape himself or herself or his or her students in a classroom setting. Effective immediately.
Supports the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Calls on other Arab and Muslim countries to establish relations with Israel. Supports a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Commends the educators who instruct their students on the topic of the Holocaust each year during Holocaust Education Week in the State of Illinois and encourages school districts and residents to support the week.
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 concerning first degree murder. Provides that a person who kills an individual without lawful justification commits first degree murder if he or she acting alone, commits or attempts to commit a forcible felony other than second degree murder and, in the course of and in furtherance of the crime, he or she personally causes the death of an individual. Provides that a person who kills an individual without lawful justification commits first degree murder if he or she, when acting with one or more participants, commits or attempts to commit a forcible felony other than second degree murder, and in the course of and in furtherance of the offense, another participant in the offense causes the death of an individual, and he or she knew that the other participant would engage in conduct that would result in death or great bodily harm. Makes technical changes.
Creates the Safe Patient Limits Act. Provides the maximum number of patients that may be assigned to a registered nurse in specified situations. Provides that nothing shall preclude a facility from assigning fewer patients to a registered nurse than the limits provided in Act. Provides that nothing in the Act precludes the use of patient acuity systems consistent with the Nurse Staffing by Patient Acuity Act; however, the maximum patient assignments in the Act may not be exceeded, regardless of the use and application of any patient acuity system. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules governing the implementation and operation of the Act. Provides that all facilities shall adopt written policies and procedures for training and orientation of nursing staff and that no registered nurse shall be assigned to a nursing unit or clinical area unless that nurse has, among other things, demonstrated competence in providing care in that area. Provides that the written policies and procedures for the training and orientation of nursing staff shall require that all temporary personnel receive the same amount and type of training and orientation that is required for permanent staff. Provides that the Act's provisions are severable. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 210 ILCS 85/10.10 225 ILCS 65/50-15.15 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Defines "registered nurse", "direct care registered professional nurse", and "rapid response team". Excludes specified facilities from the definition of "facility". Adds LTAC hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers to the definition of "facility". Makes changes to the definition of "nursing care". Provides that in all units with critical care or intensive care patients, the maximum patient assignment of critical care patients to a registered nurse is 2. Provides that at least one direct care registered professional nurse shall be assigned to triage patients, shall be immediately available at all times to triage patients when they arrive in the emergency department, and shall perform triage functions only. Provides that in all units with acute rehabilitation patients the maximum patient assignment of acute rehabilitation patients to a registered nurse is 4 (rather than 3). Provides that in all units with conscious sedation patients, the maximum patient assignment of conscious sedation patients to a registered nurse is one. Provides that in all units with pediatric patients, the maximum patient assignment of pediatric patients to a registered nurse is 3 (instead of 4) and in all units with observational patients, the maximum patient assignment of observational patients to a registered nurse is 3 (instead of 4). Provides that a rapid response team nurse shall not be given direct care patient assignments while assigned as a nurse responsible for responding to a rapid response team request. Provides specified requirements for the Act's implementation by a facility. Provides that a facility shall plan for routine fluctuations in its patient census. Provides that if a health care emergency causes a change in the number of patients in a clinical care unit or patient care area, a facility must be able to demonstrate that immediate and diligent efforts were made to maintain required staffing levels. Establishes recordkeeping requirements. Provides that any method, software, or tool used to create or evaluate a staffing plan adopted by a facility shall be established in coordination with direct care registered professional nurses and shall be transparent in all respects. Requires the Department of Public Health to establish procedures to ensure that the documentation submitted is available for public inspection in its entirety. Provides specified nurse rights and protections. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that a hospital shall not mandate that a registered professional nurse delegate nursing interventions. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that the exercise of professional judgment by a direct care registered professional nurse in the performance of his or her scope of practice shall be provided in the exclusive interests of the patient. Makes other changes. Home Rule Note, House Committee Amendment No. 2 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not pre-empt home rule authority. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 2 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate. Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 2 (Dept. of Public Health) This bill would not pose any fiscal impact to the Department of Public Health.