Sen. Julie Morrison

Amends the Clerks of Court Act. Authorizes a circuit court clerk of any county to develop and maintain a will depository. Provides a procedure for the clerk to accept for safekeeping a testamentary instrument executed in compliance with the Probate Act of 1975, including a will, codicil, trust, or trust and one or more trust amendments. Allows a depositor to deposit a will with the clerk if the depositor certifies in writing that the depositor is unable to locate the testator after a diligent search. Creates a procedure for the clerk to follow in accepting, keeping, and returning these documents. Allows the clerk to charge a fee of $25 for each will deposited, and the clerk may not collect a separate fee for additional documents concurrently deposited in relation to a single testator or for a single joint will prepared for a husband and wife.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual plan of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 shall provide coverage for medically prescribed seizure detection devices. Requires all covered seizure detection devices to be approved for use by individuals, and for the choice of device to be made based upon the individual's circumstances and medical needs in consultation with the individual's medical provider. Sets forth provisions prohibiting prior authorization and cost-sharing, as specified. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage under the provisions of those Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Human Trafficking Resource Center Notice Act. Requires that the Department of Transportation post a notice as required under the Act in all public restrooms of each roadside rest area.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, on or before the 2026-2027 school year, each school board shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that: (1) prohibits a student from using a wireless communication device during instructional time, except as otherwise provided; and (2) includes guidance for secure and accessible storage of wireless devices during instructional time. Provides that the policy may not prohibit a student from using a wireless communication device during instructional time: (1) when a teacher or instructor has authorized the student to use a wireless communication device for educational purposes; (2) in an emergency or in response to an imminent threat to the health or safety of an individual; (3) when a licensed physician determines that the possession or use of a wireless communication device is necessary for the health or well-being of the student; or (4) to fulfill an Individualized Education Plan or a Section 504 plan developed under Section 504; or (5) when the wireless communication device is necessary for students who are English learners to access learning materials. Prohibits a district from enforcing the policy through fees, fines, the deployment of a School Resource Officer, or local law enforcement officer. Requires each school board to review the effectiveness of its wireless communication device policy at least every 3 years.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code to create the Hearing Care Plan Contracts Article. Provides that no hearing care organization that issues, delivers, amends, or renews a hearing care plan on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall issue a contract that requires a hearing instrument professional, as a condition of participation in the hearing care plan, to provide items or services to an enrollee at a fee set by the hearing care plan unless the items and services are covered items or covered services under the hearing care plan. Exempts de minimis reimbursements. Establishes notice and disclosure provisions for a hearing instrument professional who chooses not to accept as payment an amount set by a hearing care plan for items and services that are not covered and other hearing care plan contract requirements. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2027, to conduct business in the State, a hearing care organization must register with the Department of Insurance and submit the specified registration materials. Requires the registrant to report any specified change in information to the Department in writing within 60 days after the change occurs. Sets forth provisions concerning issuance and expiration of a registration certificate. Grants the Department of Insurance rulemaking authority over the registration provisions. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make it an unlawful practice under the meaning of the Act for any person to violate the Hearing Plan Contracts Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. Expands the Act to include counseling, referral, and other supportive services for persons with gambling disorders. Requires the Department of Human Services to collaborate with the State Board of Education in the development of instructional resources for substance use or gambling disorder prevention and awareness that may be used by school districts. Permits the Department to cooperate with institutions of higher education in the development of programs on substance use and gambling disorders. Requires the Department to establish a toll-free hotline and website that provides crisis counseling and referral services for families experiencing difficulty related to a gambling disorder. Requires the Department to promote public awareness regarding the impact of gambling disorders on individuals, families, and communities. Makes other changes.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that "school psychologist" means a psychologist who, along with other qualifications, has graduated with a specialist degree, an equivalent degree with the completion of a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours, or a higher degree in school psychology (rather than a master's degree or higher degree in psychology or educational psychology) from an institution of higher learning and has had at least 1,200 clock hours of supervised experience (rather than one school year of full-time supervised experience) in the delivery of school psychological services. Makes changes to provide that school psychological services provided by qualified specialists who hold a Professional Educator License endorsed for school psychology may include, but are not limited to: (1) providing assessments; (2) creating and implementing prevention and intervention services that support student learning; (3) providing mental and behavioral health services; (4) acting as liaisons between public schools and community agencies; (5) evaluating program effectiveness; (6) providing crisis prevention, response, and intervention within the school setting; (7) providing consultation and collaboration; (8) supervising school psychologist interns enrolled in school psychology programs; (9) screening school enrollments to identify children who should be referred for individual study; and (10) developing any other necessary programs and services. Provides that a school psychologist may not provide school psychological services outside of his or her employment to any student in any school district that employs the school psychologist. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that specified provisions of the Standard Nonforfeiture Law for Individual Deferred Annuities shall not apply to contingent deferred annuities. Provides that, notwithstanding this exemption, the Director of Insurance shall have the authority to adopt, by rule, nonforfeiture benefits for contingent deferred annuities that are, in the opinion of the Director, equitable to the contract holder, appropriate given the risks insured, and, to the extent possible, consistent with the general intent of the provisions concerning individual deferred annuities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Boat Registration and Safety Act. Provides that it is unlawful for the owner of a motorboat of more than 50 horsepower or a personal watercraft to operate or allow the operation of the motorboat or personal watercraft unless it is covered by a liability insurance policy with at least $50,000 of liability coverage per occurrence. Requires every owner or operator of a motorboat of more than 50 horsepower or a personal watercraft to carry within the motorboat or personal watercraft evidence of insurance. Provides penalties for violations. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to adopt rules as necessary to implement the provision.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Changes the title of the Urban Property Insurance Article to the Availability of Property Insurance Article. Provides for regulation of an association, commonly referred to as the Illinois FAIR Plan Association, of all admitted insurers engaged in writing in the State, on a direct basis, basic property insurance or any basic property insurance component in multi-peril policies, including, without limitation, excess and surplus insurers, but not including farm mutual companies. Replaces all references in the Article to Industry Placement Facility or Facility with Association and all references to Inspection Bureau with Inspector. Sets forth provisions concerning participation in and management of the Association. Makes changes to provisions concerning application procedures; authorized operations for issuing policies; approval of rates; the right to appeal; reporting requirements; making of assessments; and powers of the Director of Insurance. Provides that an insurer shall, for purposes of ratemaking submissions, include its proportionate share of the Association's deficit or surplus in underwriting results with the method of recognition determined from time to time by the Association's governing committee and the Director. Repeals provisions concerning the Industry Placement Program; premium financing; applications for coverage of risks by the Industry Placement Facility; the Illinois Insurance Development Fund; reimbursement of the Secretary through the Fund; insolvency of companies; and a task force that reviews policy forms and endorsements issued by the Industry Placement Facility. Effective immediately.