Sen. Patrick Joyce

Amends the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act. Provides that if a public higher education institution issues student identification cards to its students, the institution must provide contact information for certain suicide prevention and mental health resources on each student identification card. Provides that if an institution does not issue student identification cards to its students, the institution must publish the contact information on its website. Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Lowers the flat weight tax for Class C and D vehicles; Class VF farm trucks. Lowers the mileage weight tax for Class MD, ME, MF, and MG vehicles. Lowers the trailer flat weight tax for Class VDD, VDE, and VDG farm trailers. Lowers the flat weight trailer tax of Class TA, TB, TC, TD, and TE trailers.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a health insurer that provides prescription drug benefits shall offer generic alternatives to brand name epinephrine and insulin auto-injectors, where available. 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. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches may collaborate with a physician assistant if specified requirements are met for a collaborative agreement. Provides that a collaborative agreement shall be for services in the same area of practice or specialty as the collaborating physician in his or her clinical medical practice. Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Deletes language requiring a collaborative agreement to be written for a physician assistant and changes requirements for the collaborative agreement. Provides that medical care provided by a physician assistant shall be consistent with the physician assistant's education, training, and experience. Makes changes to provisions concerning prescriptive authority of a physician assistant. Provides that in a hospital, hospital affiliate, or ambulatory surgical treatment center, the medical staff (instead of the attending physician) shall determine a physician assistant's role in providing care for patients. Changes the physician assistant advisory committee to the Physician Assistant Medical Licensing Board. Changes the membership and duties of the Board. Removes provisions concerning initial terms of office for Board members. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective January 1, 2021.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews group accident and health policies providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment or services for illness entered into on or after January 1, 2021 shall ensure that the insured have timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Provides that network adequacy standards for timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions must satisfy specified minimum requirements. Provides that if there is no in-network facility or provider available for an insured to receive timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions in accordance with the minimum network adequacy standards, the insurer shall provide necessary exceptions to its network to ensure admission and treatment with a provider or at a treatment facility in accordance with those network adequacy standards. Effective immediately.

Creates the Non-Transplant Organ Donation Regulation Act. Requires non-transplant organ donation organizations that acquire or transfer human bodies or human body parts for education, research, or the advancement of medical, dental, or mortuary science to register with the office of the Secretary of State and be licensed by the Department of Public Health. Contains requirements for license application, accreditation, renewal, and fees. Provides that the Department may deny, suspend, or revoke a license; assess civil penalties; and perform inspections under the Act. Provides requirements for donor consent forms, identification of donated human bodies or human body parts, and other records. Contains requirements regarding the labeling, packaging, and final disposition of human bodies or human body parts under the Act. Provides disciplinary action for violation of the Act. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a taxpayer who may claim a qualifying student as a dependent is allowed a credit of up to $2,000 for qualified tuition and fee expenses paid by the taxpayer. Provides that the term qualifying student means a person who (i) is a resident of the State, (ii) is under the age of 24 at the close of the school year for which a credit is sought, and (iii) during the school year for which a credit is sought, is a full-time student enrolled in a program at a qualifying college or university.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning conditions for basic maintenance grants of aid to the aged, blind, or disabled.

Creates the Big Empties Site Act. Provides that property located in the State consisting of one or more PINs but under common ownership at the time of the application, that contains at least one vacant and unused building of specified square footage, is qualified to be designated as a Big Empties Site. Provides that a county or municipality that has adopted an ordinance designating a qualified site as a Big Empties Site shall make written application to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to have that site certified by the Department as a Big Empties Site. Contains procedures for certification by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, and the Public Utilities Act to provide certain tax incentives for Big Empties Sites. Amends the Property Tax Code to provide that a taxing district may issue an abatement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, neither the Department of Public Health, the health department of a unit of local government, nor a public health district may regulate a lemonade stand operated by a person under the age of 16 years. Effective January 1, 2021.