Sen. Jil Tracy

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 County Shelter Care and Detention Home Act, the Illinois Local Library Act, the Public Library District Act of 1991, the Village Library Act, the Libraries in Parks Act, the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the Nursing Home Care Act, the Child Care Act of 1969, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the Probation and Probation Officers Act to require the placement of contact information for the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Amends the School Code. With respect to the comprehensive health education program, provides that a school board shall require each public school serving students in any of grades 6 through 12 to assess courses and seminars available to those students through their regular academic experiences and implement age-appropriate, evidence-based suicide prevention curricula if opportunities for integration exist. Further amends the Unified Code of Corrections. In provisions concerning an inmate's successful transition to the community, provides that release planning shall include access to suicide prevention resources.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall allow for an alternative rural staffing model for vehicle service providers that serve a rural or semi-rural population of 10,000 or fewer inhabitants and exclusively use volunteers, paid-on-call, or part-time employees, or a combination thereof (now, the use of part-time employees is not an option). Effective immediately.

Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Changes the name of the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired to the Illinois School for the Blind. Makes conforming changes to the Personnel Code, the School Code, the School Safety Drill Act, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and the MRSA Prevention, Control, and Reporting Act.

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 Wildlife Code. Defines "wildlife rifle" as a rifle that can hold up to 3 rounds in the magazine and chamber combined. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, centerfire wildlife rifle (rather than single shot centerfire rifle), or muzzleloading rifle, or (ii) as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow, during the open season, with certain requirements. Limits legal rifles to centerfire wildlife rifles (rather than centerfire rifles that are single shot). Prohibits deer hunting while being in possession of or in close proximity to a magazine that is capable of making a rifle hold more than 3 rounds in the magazine and chamber combined (rather than making a rifle not a single shot).

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows the State Superintendent of Education to issue a short-term approval for a paraprofessional educator to an individual who does not meet the requirements necessary for issuance of an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement. Provides that the short-term approval authorizes an individual to serve as a paraprofessional educator in a school district, including a charter school, or a State-operated program, with the short-term approval expiring on June 30 immediately following the third full fiscal year after the approval was issued without renewal. Provides that upon expiration of the short-term approval, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement to the individual if the individual meets specified requirements.

Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Establishments Act. Requires each establishment to have a written plan for protection of all persons in the event of disasters, for keeping persons in place, for evacuating persons to areas of refuge, and for evacuating persons from the building when necessary. Provides that the plan shall address the physical and cognitive needs of residents and include special staff response. Provides that the plan shall be amended or revised whenever any resident with unusual needs is admitted. Establishes additional requirements for the plan. Requires each establishment to conduct at least 6 drills per year on a bimonthly basis, and at least 2 of the drills, involving staff only, shall be conducted during the night when residents are sleeping. Provides that all drills shall be held under varied conditions to ensure that all personnel on all shifts are trained to perform assigned tasks; ensure that all personnel on all shifts are familiar with the use of the firefighting equipment in the facility; and evaluate the effectiveness of disaster plans, procedures, and training. Establishes additional drill requirements.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Sets forth certain protections that must be provided to the parent or guardian of a child at the center of an abuse or neglect investigation whenever the Department of Children and Family Services refers a child to a medical professional. Defines "medical professional". Provides that the medical professional must explain to the parent or guardian of the child, whenever the medical professional has direct contact with the child or the family of the child, that the medical professional is involved for the purpose of providing an opinion to the Department regarding whether the child's injury or condition is suspicious for child maltreatment. Provides that, in any investigation where a medical professional is providing a medical opinion to the Department, the Department shall inform the parent or guardian of the child at the center of an investigation: (i) of the right to request and receive a copy of the medical professional's opinion, including the basis for the opinion, and a copy of any written report the medical professional has provided to the Department; (ii) of the right to obtain, at the parent's or guardian's own expense, and submit to the Department a second medical opinion for consideration in the investigation at any time prior to the conclusion of the investigation; (iii) that any second medical opinion submitted to the Department prior to the Department rendering a final determination in the investigation will be considered as inculpatory or exculpatory evidence; and (iv) of the Department's time frames for the investigative process. Requires the Department to annually prepare and make available on the Department's Reports and Statistics webpage a report on the number of children or families referred by the Department to a medical professional as part of an investigation of abuse or neglect by the Department. Sets forth the information that must be contained in the annual reports. Provides that the first report must be posted within 9 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that bribery and legislative misconduct include the receipt of property or personal advantage after the improper act has been performed (rather than just the intent to influence the improper act). Provides that the provisions do not apply to the promise, tender, acceptance, or receipt of any campaign contributions that are permissible under the Election Code.