Dear Friends,

As we close in on the final week and a half of the legislative session, I want to provide you with a brief update on what I have been working on.

Over the past few weeks, the Senate approved my measures to ban “patient brokering” and my legislation to address the shortage of mental health professionals. I have also been working to protect patients from mid-year health insurance changes and to encourage individuals to enroll in comprehensive health insurance plans rather than stay in short-term plans. You can read more about these measures below.

Beyond the bills I have sponsored, my primary focus has been negotiating the budget. As chair of the Senate Appropriations I Committee and vice chair of the Senate Appropriations II Committee, we’ve conducted more than 20 public budget hearings to assess the governor’s budget request and agency needs.

Illinois faces a number of new budget pressures this year:

• Gov. Bruce Rauner spent $1 billion more than lawmakers appropriated last year.

• We need to increase school funding by $350 million this year under the new evidence-based model.

• The state’s pension payment this year is about $575 million.

• Medicaid expenditures will increase as the federal government spends less.

• We need to pay the bond we used to pay down the state’s backlog of bills.

To cover some of these expenses, the governor proposed shifting pension costs to local school districts and universities and cutting funding to towns and cities. This could force many communities to raise property taxes. We are actively working to craft a reasonable budget that does not raise property taxes.

I am keenly aware of the devastation the budget impasse caused and have been working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate to negotiate a full-year budget.

Things will move quickly in the next week and a half. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on my legislation and what’s happening in the district.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather Steans
7th District – Illinois

Cracking down on health care fraud and ‘patient brokering’

“Patient brokering” by companies that use misleading advertising to lure Illinois patients into addiction and mental health treatment at out-of-state facilities would be banned under a measure I sponsored.

Patient brokers prey on individuals and families when they are vulnerable and struggling with mental health issues or addiction. These individuals have made the difficult decision to seek treatment, only to find they have been enrolled in a facility in Florida or another state.

Out-of-state facilities do not always accept Illinois insurance and may not be accredited. House Bill 4949 would require these marketers to clearly display the address of the facility they are advertising and whether it is licensed in Illinois, as well as which services are covered by insurance.

Tackling the statewide mental health professional shortage

Last week the Illinois Senate approved two measures I sponsored to address the statewide shortage of mental health professionals.

We are woefully understaffed and need to retain and recruit more mental health professionals to work in Illinois. In 80 percent of the state, people can’t easily access the counseling and treatment services they and their families desperately need.

House Bill 5109 creates a loan repayment assistance program for mental health professionals practicing in underserved or designated mental health professional shortage areas. To be eligible for the program, an applicant must work at least 12 consecutive months in the designated area and have an outstanding educational loan balance. The amount of the grant would vary based on the applicant’s degree.

The Senate also approved House Bill 5111, which would create the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center Task Force to study Illinois’ shortage of mental health professionals. The task force would submit a report of its findings to the General Assembly by the end of the summer.

Supporting patients

I do not believe insurance companies should be able to change prescription coverage for patients mid-year when they are stable on a prescribed medication and unable to change plans.

I sponsored House Bill 4146 to prohibit insurance companies from increasing the out-of-pocket cost for prescribed drugs during the plan year. This legislation would also prohibit companies from moving a drug to a more restrictive tier or denying a patient coverage during the plan year.

I hope this legislation helps patients better manage their conditions and choose insurance plans that meet their needs. It is currently under review in the Senate Special Committee on Oversight of Medicaid Managed Care.

Protecting consumers and the insurance exchange

I sponsored a measure to encourage people to enroll in comprehensive health insurance rather than remaining on a short-term plan.

The measure would limit short-term coverage to 90 days within a year, as the Obama administration did in 2016. President Trump has proposed reversing this ruling and allowing individuals to stay on short-term, limited-duration insurance plans for a year. This would drive up the cost for everyone on the exchange.

Short-term, limited-duration insurance plans are exempt from many of the Affordable Care Act’s mandates and often provide less coverage to consumers, leaving patients with expensive medical bills. House Bill 2624 would require short-term policies to include a warning message to consumers that the plan might not cover all medical bills.

This measure is currently on the order of second reading.

Dear Friends,

This week the Senate is scheduled to hear bills in committee to prohibit employers from asking job applicants about their salary history, to encourage enrollment into comprehensive health insurance plans, and to provide some immunity for individuals who break into locked vehicles when attempting to rescue animals from a vehicle.

Please find a list of noteworthy bills scheduled to be heard in committee this week below. For directions on how to submit witness slips, click here.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns. You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on my legislation and what’s happening in the district.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather Steans
7th District – Illinois

Noteworthy bills in committee this week

Civil law issues

• Court fees - HB 4594 is a comprehensive rewrite of Illinois statues that establish court fees and fines and expands assessment waiver eligibility for those unable to pay.
     o Sponsor: Senator John G. Mulroe
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Frail family - HB 4309 allows people to petition courts for visitation when a caregiver has refused to let them see their frail family member. It also requires caregivers to notify the individual's family of hospitalizations and relocations.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

Criminal law issues

• Animal rescue - HB 4191 provides limited civil immunity for individuals who cause damage to a locked vehicle when attempting to rescue a dog or cat from a vehicle.
     o Sponsor: Senator Michael Connelly
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• Demilitarization - SR 1716 voices a strong opposition to partisan impulses and the lack of adequate solutions surrounding the demilitarization of police agencies and urges the United States Congress to drastically reduce, if not eliminate, the amount of military equipment provided to local law enforcement agencies.
     o Sponsor Senator Mattie Hunter
     o Committee: Senate State Government

• License plates - SB 880 establishes that recorded license plate recognition system data can only be used for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
     o Sponsor: Senator Antonio Munoz
     o Committee: Senate Executive

• Jail time - HB 4077 allows offenders with Class 4 felony and misdemeanor convictions to credit the time they spend in jail awaiting a trial or plea toward their time on probation.
     o Sponsor: Senator Michael Hastings
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• Eavesdropping - HB 5793 provides an exemption to the eavesdropping statute for doorbells or intercommunication devices with audio and/or video capabilities installed with the consent of the owner or lessee.
     o Sponsor: Senator Iris Martinez
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

Education issues

• Charter schools - SJR 64 establishes the Task Force on Charter Public Schools Facilities to examine school facility issues.
     o Sponsor: Senator Chuck Weaver
     o Committee: Senate Education Subcommittee on Charter Schools

• Due process - HB 4193 extends the time frame for hearing officers to submit their written decision following the conclusion of a special education due process hearing from 10 days to 10 calendar days excluding Saturday, Sunday and State holidays.
     o Sponsor: Senator Sue Rezin
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Safety - HB 4799 requires school districts that teach Kindergarten through eighth grade to adopt a policy to educate students on effective methods to prevent and avoid traffic injuries while walking or biking.
     o Sponsor: Senator Mattie Hunter
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Consent - HB 5148 requires course material and instruction on sex education to include a discussion of what constitutes sexual consent and what may be considered sexual harassment or sexual assault.
     o Sponsor: Senator Linda Holmes
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Conflict resolution - HB 5786 provides that in-school suspension may focus on non-violent conflict resolution and positive interactions with other students and school personnel.
     o Sponsor: Senator Andy Manar
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Common application - SB 3566 establishes a uniform admission process online for all public Illinois institutions.
     o Sponsor: Senator Chapin Rose
     o Committee: Senate Higher Education

Health and insurance issues

• Short-term health insurance - HB 2624 creates the Short-Term, Limited Duration Health Insurance Coverage Act to protect consumers and encourage enrollment into comprehensive health insurance plans. It establishes a maximum coverage period for short-term coverage of 90 days.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Insurance

• Coverage - HB 4146 prevents insurers from changing coverage terms during a plan year for patients that are stable on a prescribed drug.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Special Committee on Oversight of Medicaid Managed Care

Human services issues

• Reimbursement - SB 355 requires the Department of Human Services to increase the reimbursement rates to child and day care home providers in the child care assistance program by 7.22 percent next year and by just over 1 percent every year thereafter until fiscal year 2022.
     o Sponsor: Senator Toi Hutchinson
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Pharmacy reimbursement - HB 3479 requires managed care community networks to establish a fair and reasonable reimbursement rate to pharmacy providers for prescription drugs.
     o Sponsor: Senator Andy Manar
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

Labor issues

• Salary history - HB 4163 prohibits employers from asking job applicants about their salary history. This aims to break the cycle of the gender wage gap.
     o Sponsor: Senator Cristina Castro
     o Committee: Senate Labor

• Wage discrimination - SB 3100 prohibits wage discrimination on the basis of race and sex. It also prohibits employers from asking job applicants about their salary history unless the applicant voluntarily discloses their salary history, their salary history is a matter of public record or if they are a current employee of the employer and applying for a new position with the same employer.
     o Sponsor: Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant
     o Committee: Senate Labor

• Workers' comp - HB 4595 creates the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Company, a nonprofit workers' comp insurance option.
     o Sponsor: Senator Daniel Biss
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Wage rulings - HB 4324 requires the Department of Labor to rule on all wage claims within 30 days of a claim and employers to deposit 10 percent of the disputed wage claim into an escrow account before the decision is made.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Labor

State government issues

• Priority funding - SB 238 provides that a number of state agencies including the Department of Human Services and the Department of Public Health must prioritize funding for communities that have historically suffered from under-investment and experienced high levels of crime, incarceration and community violence.
     o Sponsor: Senator Patricia Van Pelt
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• State property - HB 128 allows a village to lease or sell a formerly state-owned property for private purposes. If the property is leased, the village must pay 50 percent of proceeds after expenses to the state.
     o Sponsor: Senator Emil Jones, III
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Tax credit - HB 4237 creates a dollar for dollar income tax credit for individuals who donate to the state treasury and a dollar for dollar property tax credit for individuals who donate to a county treasury. This legislation is designed to address the federal tax cuts, which limited state and local tax deductions.
     o Sponsor: Senator Julie Morrison
     o Committee: Senate Revenue

Committee schedule for Monday, May 21

• Senate Veterans Affairs Committee | 4:30 p.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Subcommittee on Charter Schools| 4:30 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Education Committee | 4:35p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Committee schedule for Tuesday, May 22

• Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee| 9 a.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Judiciary Committee |10 a.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Human Services Committee | 10 a.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Higher Education Committee | 10 a.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Executive Committee | 3 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Criminal Law Committee | 4 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Insurance Committee | 5:15 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Revenue Committee | 5:15 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Committee schedule for Wednesday, May 23

• Senate Local Government Committee | 9:15 a.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Labor Committee | 10 a.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Telecommunications and Information Technology Committee | 11 a.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate State Government Committee| 4 p.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Licensed Activities and Pensions Committee | 4  p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.
• Senate Special Committee on Oversight of Medicaid Managed Care | 5  p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Dear Friends,

We are down to the final three weeks of the legislative session. With last week’s deadline for House Bills to be voted on in committee, fewer and fewer bills will be heard in committee hearings and our time in Springfield will increasingly be used for floor votes.

I encourage you to contact your Senator and Representative to voice your support or opposition on bills that are on third reading. To listen to live Senate committee hearings and floor action, click here.

Typically, the Senate proposes a budget around the middle of May after the Appropriations committees have concluded the process of holding public hearings to discuss the budget requests from all state agencies and commissions. I continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to negotiate a budget.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns. You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on my legislation and what’s happening in the district.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather Steans
7th District – Illinois

Noteworthy bills in committee this week

Civil law issues

• Frail family - HB 4309 allows people to petition courts for visitation when a caregiver has refused to let them see their frail family member. It also requires caregivers to notify the individual's family of hospitalizations and relocations.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

Criminal law issues

• License rescission - HB 5042 mandates that any court order to rescind the suspension of a driver's license must contain a factual basis for the rescission.
     o Sponsor: Michael Connelly
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Jail time - HB 4077 allows offenders with Class 4 felony and misdemeanor convictions to credit the time they spend in jail awaiting a trial or plea toward their time on probation.
     o Sponsor: Senator Michael Hastings
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• Eavesdropping - HB 5793 provides an exemption to the eavesdropping statute for doorbells or intercommunication devices with audio and/or video capabilities installed with the consent of the owner or lessee.
     o Sponsor: Senator Iris Martinez
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• License plates - SB 880 establishes that recorded license plate recognition system data can only be used for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
     o Sponsor: Senator Antonio Munoz
     o Committee: Senate Executive

Education issues

• Training - HB 4658 expands existing training for identifying warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior.
o Sponsor: Senator David Koehler
o Committee: Senate Education

• E-learning - HB 4860 makes the electronic learning pilot program permanent. The program is set to expire after the current school year.
o Sponsor: Senator Michael Connelly
o Committee: Senate Education

Environmental issues

• Gasification - HB 5198 provides that a facility that collects, separates, stores or converts post-use polymers into crude oil, fuels or other products through gasification or pyrolysis is exempt from Pollution Control Facility regulations.
     o Sponsor: Senator Pat McGuire
     o Committee: Senate Environment and Conservation

Health and insurance issues

• Short-term health insurance - HB 2624 creates the Short-Term, Limited Duration Health Insurance Coverage Act to protect consumers and encourage enrollment into comprehensive health insurance plans. It establishes a maximum coverage period for short-term coverage of 90 days.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Insurance

• Sexual assault survivors - HB 5245 outlines improved medical treatment for sexual assault survivors.
     o Sponsor: Senator Julie Morrison
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

Human service issues

• Pharmacy reimbursement - HB 3479 requires managed care community networks to establish a fair and reasonable reimbursement rate to pharmacy providers for prescription drugs.
     o Sponsor: Senator Andy Manar
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Scholarship - HB 5122 provides a tuition and fees waiver to certain youth who do not receive a scholarship or fee waivers from the Department of Children and Family Services to attend a public post-secondary school in Illinois.
     o Sponsor: Senator Cristina Castro
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

Labor issues

• Wage rulings - HB 4324 requires the Department of Labor to rule on all wage claims within 30 days of a claim and employers to deposit 10 percent of the disputed wage claim into an escrow account before the decision is made.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Labor

Pension issues

• Defined contribution - HB 5137 requires the Teachers Retirement System and the State Universities Retirement System to create an optional defined contribution benefit plan for active members.
     o Sponsor: Senator Dan McConchie
     o Committee: Senate Licensed Activities and Pensions

State government issues

• Bonuses - HB 5309 creates the State Agency and Grantee Bonus Prohibition Act, prohibiting state agencies and hospitals from paying a bonus to employees.
     o Sponsor: Senator Don Harmon
     o Committee: Senate State Government

Telecommunication issues

• Blockchain - HB 5553 provides for permitted uses and limitations of blockchain technology in transactions and proceedings. It also restricts local governments' ability to tax, impose a fee or otherwise regulate the use of blockchain technology.
     o Sponsor: Senator Toi Hutchinson
     o Committee: Senate Telecommunications and Information Technology

Transportation issues

• Contracts - SB 276 requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to evaluate each contractor that performed work for the department at the end of the construction season.
     o Sponsor: Senator James Clayborne, Jr.
     o Committee: Senate State Government

• Out-of-state drivers - HB 4472 prohibits an out of state driver from operating a vehicle without insurance.
     o Sponsor: Senator John Curran
     o Committee: senate Transportation

• Safety test - HB 4944 allows truck tractors, semitrailers or property-carrying vehicles that weight 10,000-26,000 pounds to be tested for safety every 12 months. Currently, only truck tractors in combination with a semitrailer are allowed to be inspected every 12 months.
     o Sponsor: Senator Jil Tracy
     o Committee: Senate Transportation

• Dutch Reach - HB 5143 requires the "Dutch Reach" method to be included in the Rules of the Road. The Dutch Reach method of opening the driver's side vehicle door involves checking the rear-view mirror, checking the side-view mirror, and then opening the door with the right hand.  This is intended to reduce instances of injuring bicyclists.
     o Sponsor: Senator Omar Aquino
     o Committee: Senate Transportation

Committee schedule for Tuesday, May 15

• Senate Education Committee | 1 p.m., Room 212
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Public Health Committee| 1 p.m., Room 400
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Judiciary Committee |5 p.m., Room 400
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Human Services Committee | 5 p.m., Room 409
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Committee schedule for Wednesday, May 16

• Joint Senate Appropriations I and II Committee| 8:30 a.m., Room 212
Subject matter hearing on the governor's FY 19 cost-saving initiatives for higher education and local government.
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Local Government Committee | 9:30 a.m., Room 409
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Labor Committee | 10:30 a.m., Room 212
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Executive Committee | 2 p.m., Room 212
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate State Government Committee| 2 p.m., Room 409
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Licensed Activities and Pensions Committee | 2 p.m., Room 400
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Insurance Committee | 3:30 p.m., Room 400
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Criminal Law Committee | 4:45 p.m., Room 400
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Transportation Committee | 4:45 p.m., Room 212
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Committee schedule for Thursday, May 17

• Senate Agriculture Committee | 8:30 a.m., Room 409
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee| 9 a.m., Room 400
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Telecommunications and Information Technology Committee | 3 p.m., Room 212
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Environment and Conservation Committee | 3 p.m., Room 409
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Dear Friends,

This week the Senate is scheduled to hear legislation addressing issues ranging from short-term health insurance to fair scheduling for workers and regulating blockchain technology. This Friday is the deadline for House bills to be voted on in Senate committees. For directions on how to submit a witness slip, please click here.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 or reach out online with any questions or concerns. You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on my legislation and what’s happening in the district.

Sincerely,

Senator Heather Steans
7th District – Illinois

Noteworthy bills in committee this week

Civil law issues

• Rental security deposit - HB 4951 requires that in a written residential lease, costs associated with damage to the property must be for damages beyond normal wear and tear and be reasonable to return the property to its initial condition when the lease began. This bill is designed to ensure that landlords cannot make deductions from security deposits for ordinary wear and tear or improvements to the rental unit that exceed the original condition of the unit.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kwame Raoul
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Frail family - HB 4309 allows people to petition courts for visitation when a caregiver has refused to let them see their frail family member. It also requires caregivers to notify the individual's family of hospitalizations and relocations.
    o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
    o Committee: Senate Judiciary

Criminal law and public safety issues

• Jail time - HB 4077 allows offenders with Class 4 felony and misdemeanor convictions to credit the time they spend in jail awaiting a trial or plea toward their time on probation.
     o Sponsor: Senator Michael Hastings
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• Animal rescue - HB 4191 provides limited civil immunity for individuals who cause damage to a locked vehicle when attempting to rescue a dog or cat from a vehicle.
     o Sponsor: Senator Michael Connelly
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• Crime victims - HB 5267 allows victims of who have had identifying or graphic information posted on a pornographic website to receive compensation under the Crime Victims Compensation Act.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• Sexual misconduct - HB 5597 expands the offense of custodial sexual misconduct to include law enforcement officers who engage in sexual conduct or sexual penetration with individuals in custody.
     o Sponsor: Senator Toi Hutchinson
     o Committee: Senate Criminal Law

• License plates - SB 880 establishes that recorded license plate recognition system data can only be used for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
     o Sponsor: Senator Antonio Munoz
     o Committee: Senate Executive

• Incarcerated voter access - HB 4469 increases voter access for individuals who are incarcerated but not convicted by requiring election authorities in counties with more than 3 million people to work with county jails to facilitate voting by mail requires Cook County to establish temporary branch polling in their county jails.
     o Sponsor: Senator Omar Aquino
     o Committee: Senate Executive

Education issues

• Charter schools - SJR 64 establishes the Task Force on Charter Public School Facilities to examine public charter school facilities.
     o Sponsor: Senator Chuck Weaver
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Equity targets - SR 1647 urges the state's P20 council to update the state's goal of 60 percent of adults holding degrees by 2025 to include equity-focused targets aimed at closing institutional racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Medical cannabis in schools - HB 4870 would permit the administration of medical cannabis infused products on school premises or on a school bus to students who participate in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program.
     o Sponsor: Senator Cristina Castro
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Parenting education - HB 4442 requires the Illinois State Board of Education to implement and administer a three-year pilot program to provide support to school districts that hold a unit of instruction on parenting education.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Dental exams - HB 4908 requires all children entering ninth grade at any public, private or parochial school to have a dental exam.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Class size - HB 5481 requires all school districts to report class size data to the Illinois State Board of Education each year and requires ISBE to publish the data on its website. It also sets class size goals for the 2020 school year.
     o Sponsor: Senator Omar Aquino
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Grants - HB 4208 authorizes the Illinois State Board of Education to award school safety grants to school districts that implement alternatives to law enforcement involvement for school-based offenses.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Board - HB 4284 requires three of the nine board members of the State Board of Education to be representatives of the education community.
     o Sponsor: Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Substitute teachers - HB 4742 allows schools to use recruiting firms to recruit substitute teachers.
     o Sponsor: Senator Terry Link
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Concussion - HB 4226 requires the Department of Public Health to publish and disseminate a brochure to education the public on the effects of concussions in children and how to look for concussion warning signs.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kwame Raoul
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Manufacturing - HB 5062 requires the Illinois State Board of Education to establish a program to facilitate education in advanced manufacturing technical skills.
     o Sponsor: Senator Omar Aquino
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Salary - HB 5175 increases the minimum salary for full-time teachers to $40,000 per year beginning July 1, 2019.
     o Sponsor: Senator Bill Cunningham
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Transportation - HB 5195 allows schools to provide transportation to students living within 1.5 miles of the school if they  would have to walk through dangerous areas to get to school.
     o Sponsor: Senator James Clayborne, Jr.
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Mental health - HB 5770 requires school boards to notify students and their parents or guardians that a student with a mental health diagnosis may be eligible to receive supportive health services from the school district.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Education

• Grow your own - HB 4882 creates the Grow Your Own Teacher education initiative and allows a participating institution of higher education to offer high school students a dual credit course under the program.
     o Sponsor: Senator Iris Martinez
     o Committee: Senate Higher Education

• Bridge program - HB 5696 allows a bridge program for underrepresented students to be established at Illinois universities.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Higher Education

• Student credit cards - HB 4710 creates the College Student Credit Card Marketing and Debt Task Force, which will seek to reduce the amount of credit card debt Illinois students face after graduating from institutions of higher education.
     o Sponsor: Senator Steve Stadelman
     o Committee: Senate Financial Institutions

• Broadband - SB 2312 appropriates $16.3 million for broadband expansion in school districts.
     o Sponsor: Senator Andy Manar
     o Committee: Senate Appropriations II

Environmental issues

• Foxconn - SR 1600 urges Wisconsin to consider the environmental and public health concerns over Foxconn. The Wisconsin legislature approved a measure that would allow Foxconn to discharge dredged materials or fill wetlands without a permit and forego environmental impact statements. The location of the Foxconn development sits in the Des Plaines watershed, which extends into Illinois.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Environment and Conservation

• Pipelines - SR 1534 requires the Department of Natural Resources to compile a report on the current regulations for oil and gas pipelines in Illinois and to make recommendations for changes to improve public safety.
     o Sponsor: Senator Chapin Rose
     o Committee: Senate Environment and Conservation

Health and insurance issues

• Short-term health insurance - SB 2388 creates the Short-Term, Limited Duration Health Insurance Coverage Act to protect consumers and encourage enrollment into comprehensive health insurance plans. It establishes a maximum coverage period for short-term coverage of 90 days.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Insurance

• Dense breast tissue - HB 4392 requires every provider of mammography services to notify a patient if they have dense breast tissue.
     o Sponsor: Senator John Mulroe
     o Committee: Senate Public Health

• Prescriptions - HB 4146 prevents insurers from changing coverage terms during a plan year for patients stable on a prescribed drug. It prohibits insurers from increasing the out-of-pocket costs for a covered drug, moving a drug to a more restrictive tier and removing a drug from a formulary.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Special Committee on Oversight of Medicaid Managed Care

• Opioids - HB 4707 creates the Prescription Drug Task Force to study the extent of over prescription of opioids to patients and make recommendations to address the issue.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Public Health

• Mental health professionals - HB 5111 creates the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center Task Force to address Illinois' mental health professional shortage.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Public Health

• Patient brokering - HB 4949 bans the practice of "patient brokering," where companies use false or misleading advertising to direct patients to mental health or addiction recovery facilities outside the state where the patient's insurance may not be accepted.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Mental health loans - HB 5109 provides loan repayment assistance to mental health professionals who practice in underserved or rural, federally designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Sexual assault survivors - HB 5245 outlines improved medical treatment for sexual assault survivors.
     o Sponsor: Senator Julie Morrison
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Fertility treatment - HB 2617 requires insurers to provide coverage for medically necessary expenses for standard fertility preservation services when a necessary medical treatment may directly or indirectly cause iatrogenic infertility to an enrollee.
     o Sponsor: Senator Laura Murphy
     o Committee: Senate Insurance

• Hearing aids - HB 4516 mandates that insurers cover prescribed hearing aids and medically necessary related services and repairs for minors.
     o Sponsor: Senator Julie Morrison
     o Committee: Senate Insurance

Human service issues

• Pharmacy reimbursement - HB 3479 requires managed care community networks to establish a fair and reasonable reimbursement rate to pharmacy providers for prescription drugs.
     o Sponsor: Senator Andy Manar
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Human trafficking - HB 4340 requires massage establishments, certain public event organizers and all primary and secondary schools to post notices of a helpline to assist any person who is subject to human trafficking.
     o Sponsor: Senator Michael Connelly
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• DSP pilot program - HB 4665 requires the Department of Human Services to implement a direct support person credential pilot program to assist and attract individuals into the field.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Human services

• Child care - Under HB 4885, families with children under five who have an open Department of Children and Family Services case would be eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program.
     o Sponsor: Senator Pat McGuire
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Child care redetermination - HB 4965 re-determines eligibility for the Child Care Assistance Program every 12 months instead of the current policy of every six months.
     o Sponsor: Senator Toi Hutchinson
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Child care eligibility - HB 5599 requires the income eligibility threshold for the Child Care Assistance Program for working families to be no less than 185 percent of the current federal poverty level.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Scholarship - HB 5122 provides a tuition and fees waiver to certain youth who do not receive a scholarship or fee waivers from the Department of Children and Family Services to attend a public post-secondary school in Illinois.
     o Sponsor: Senator Cristina Castro
     o Committee: Senate Human Services

• Preferred drug list - HB 4096 prohibits the Department of Healthcare and Family Services from requiring Medicaid Managed Care Organizations to use a preferred drug list and from negotiating drug pricing concessions or rebates on any drug with pharmaceutical companies.
     o Sponsor: Senator Heather Steans
     o Committee: Senate Special Committee on Oversight of Medicaid Managed Care

Labor issues

• Workers' comp - HB 4595 creates the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Company, a nonprofit workers' comp insurance option.
     o Sponsor: Senator Daniel Biss
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Fair scheduling - SB 202 would create the Fair Scheduling Act and seeks to limit unfair and unpredictable work scheduling practices that make it difficult for low-wage workers to schedule childcare, work a second job or pursue education.
     o Sponsor: Senator Cristina Castro
     o Committee: Joint Senate and House Labor

• Paramedics - HB 126 extends bargaining rights to paramedics.
     o Sponsor: Senator Linda Holmes
     o Committee: Senate Labor

• Benefits - HB 127 extends health coverage and educational benefits to paramedics, EMTs and their families if the paramedic or EMT suffers a catastrophic injury or is killed in the line of duty.
     o Sponsor: Senator Linda Holmes
     o Committee: Senate Labor

• Break time - HB 1595 requires employers to provide paid break time for nursing mothers.
     o Sponsor: Senator William Haine
     o Committee: Senate labor

• Wage rulings - HB 4324 requires the Department of Labor to rule on all wage claims within 30 days of a claim and employers to deposit 10 percent of the disputed wage claim into an escrow account before the decision is made.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Labor

• Wage discrimination - HB 4743 prohibits wage discrimination against African Americans.
     o Sponsor: Senator Kimberly Lightford
     o Committee: Senate Labor

• Ford culture - SR 1561 condemns Ford Motor Company's pervasive and ongoing culture of sexual harassment within its production plants.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Labor

Revenue issues

• Tax credit - HB 4237 creates a dollar for dollar income tax credit for individuals who donate to the state treasury and a dollar for dollar property tax credit for individuals who donate to a county treasury. This legislation is designed to address the federal tax cuts, which limited state and local tax deductions.
     o Sponsor: Senator Julie Morrison
     o Committee: Senate Revenue

• Property tax freeze - SR 1598 calls for each local government to hold a public meeting by July 1, 2019 to discuss the specific effects of a property tax freeze.
     o Sponsor: Senator Julie Morrison
     o Committee: Senate Revenue

State government issues

• State property - HB 128 would allow a village to lease or sell a formerly state-owned property for private purposes. If the property is leased, the village must pay 50 percent of proceeds after expenses to the state.
     o Sponsor: Senator Emil Jones, III
     o Committee: Senate Judiciary

• Consolidation - HB 5777 allows for the consolidation of two or more contiguous municipalities into one city or village.
     o Sponsor: Senator Julie Morrison
     o Committee: Senate Local Government

• Gender-neutral - HB 1010 makes elected offices gender neutral, i.e. chairperson rather than chairman.
     o Sponsor: Senator Melinda Bush
     o Committee: Senate Government Reform

• Springfield - HB 4295 would make Springfield the default location for employees of most state agencies and the governor's office.
     o Sponsor: Senator William Brady
     o Committee: Senate State Government

• Bonuses - HB 5309 creates the State Agency and Grantee Bonus Prohibition Act, prohibiting state agencies and hospitals from paying a bonus to employees.
     o Sponsor: Senator Don Harmon
     o Committee: Senate State Government

• Cyber security - HB 5547 requires the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit state agencies and their cyber-security practices on a biennial basis.
     o Sponsor: Senator Iris Martinez
     o Committee: Senate State Government

Telecommunication issues

• Blockchain - HB 5553 provides for permitted uses and limitations of blockchain technology in transactions and proceedings. It also restricts local governments' ability to tax, impose a fee or otherwise regulate the use of blockchain technology.
     o Sponsor: Senator Toi Hutchinson
     o Committee: Senate Telecommunications and Information Technology

• Broadband - HB 5752 creates the Broadband Advisory Council to expand access to broadband services and technology.
     o Sponsor: Senator Linda Holmes
     o Committee: Senate Telecommunications and Information Technology

Transportation issues

• Texting while driving - HB 4846 makes the first offense of using a cell phone while operating a moving vehicle a moving violation. Currently, the first offense results in a warning.
     o Sponsor: Senator Cristina Castro
     o Committee: Senate Transportation

• Two-year registration - HB 4259 permits the Secretary of State to register motor vehicles for a two-year period.
     o Sponsor: Senator Dan McConchie
     o Committee: Senate Transportation

Veterans’ issues

• Lease - HB 4317 allows family members of armed service members killed in action to terminate a lease.
     o Sponsor: Senator Dave Koehler
     o Committee: Senate Veterans Affairs

Committee schedule for Tuesday, May 8

• Senate Subcommittee on Charter Schools| 1:45 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Education Committee | 2 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Public Health Committee| 2 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Veterans Affairs Committee | 2 p.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Higher Education Committee | 3:30 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Judiciary Committee |3:30 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Human Services Committee | 3:45 p.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Transportation Committee | 5:15  p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Criminal Law Committee | 5:15 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Committee schedule for Wednesday, May 9

• Senate Appropriations I and II Committee| 8:30 a.m., Room 212
   Subject matter hearing on the governor's FY 19 cost-saving initiatives
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Local Government Committee | 9:30 a.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Financial Institutions | 10:30 a.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Government Reform Committee| 10:30 a.m., Room 400
    To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Labor Committee | 10:30 a.m., Room 212
   Subject matter hearing on SB 202
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate State Government Committee| 2:30 p.m., Room 409
To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Licensed Activities and Pensions Committee | 2:30 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Executive Committee | 2:30 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Special Committee on Oversight of Medicaid Managed Care | 4 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Insurance Committee | 5 p.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Revenue Committee | 5 p.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

Committee schedule for Thursday, May 10

• Senate Agriculture Committee | 8:30 a.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Appropriations II Committee| 9 a.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee| 9 a.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Environment and Conservation Committee | 10 a.m., Room 409
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee| 10 a.m., Room 400
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Telecommunications and Information Technology Committee | 10 a.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.

• Senate Labor  Committee | 11 a.m., Room 212
   To see submitted witness slips for this committee and submit your own, click here.