The following are disability-related bills and/or issues pending in the Illinois General Assembly that are scheduled to be heard in committee during the week of February 6, 2017:
House Judiciary-Criminal Committee
February 8, 2017, 2:00 p.m.
Room 122B, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 391, Representative Thomas Bennett
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that no person committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice may be isolated for disciplinary reasons for more than 15 consecutive days (rather than 7 consecutive days) nor more than 30 days (rather than 15 days) out of any 45 day period (rather than 30 day period) except in cases of violence or attempted violence committed against another person or property when an additional period of isolation for disciplinary reasons is approved by the chief administrative officer.
HB 461, Representative Ryan Spain
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Repeals the Section providing that if a person 14 years or older is determined to be a person with a developmental disability by a physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner, the person making the determination shall notify the Department of Health and Human Services within 7 days, who then shall notify the Department of State Police, if appropriate, to determine continuing eligibility under the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Makes a conforming change in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.
HB 541, Representative Kelly M. Burke
Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that a person may not willfully and
maliciously permit a dog that is owned, harbored, or controlled by the person to cause injury to or the death of a guide, hearing, or support dog (rather than while the guide, hearing, or support dog is in the discharge of its duties). Provides that a person may not recklessly permit a dog that is owned, harbored, or controlled by the person to cause injury to or the death of a guide, hearing, or support dog. Provides that a person convicted of the reckless offense is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor if the dog is killed or totally disabled, and may be ordered by the court to make restitution to the person with a disability having custody or ownership of the dog for veterinary bills and replacement costs of the dog. Provides that a second or subsequent violation of this offense is a Class 4 felony if the dog is killed or totally disabled, and the person convicted may be ordered by the court to make restitution to the person with a disability having custody or ownership of the dog for veterinary bill and replacement costs of the dog. Provides that a person convicted of this offense is guilty of a petty offense if the dog is not killed or totally disabled.
House Human Services Committee
February 8, 2017, 3:00 p.m.
Room 118, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 238, Representative Mary E. Flowers
Amends the Nursing Home Care Act, MC/DD Act, ID/DD Community Care Act, and Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013. Provides that a facility must not enter into a pre-dispute agreement for binding arbitration with any resident or consumer, or the resident’s representative or consumer’s guardian, nor require that a resident or consumer sign an arbitration agreement as a condition of admission to the facility. Provides that after a dispute arises, a facility may ask a resident or consumer, or his or her representative or guardian, to enter into an agreement for binding arbitration if the facility and agreement meets specified requirements.
HB 508, Representative Kathleen Willis
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that mobile specialty care providers that serve children enrolled in a managed care organization shall not be required to obtain prior authorization in order to receive reimbursement for all services within the normal scope of chronic disease management, including, but not limited to, asthma, diabetes, obesity, and reproductive health. Requires mobile specialty care providers to make all reasonable attempts, as defined by rule of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, to connect the children they serve to their primary care physician or an appropriate hospital defined as a Safety-Net Hospital under the Code to maintain a proper medical home. Defines “mobile specialty care provider”. Requires the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement these provisions.
HR 34, Representative Charles Meier
Directs the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of the oversight of the Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs) program at the Department of Human Services.
House Cost Benefit Analysis Committee
February 8, 2017, 4:00 p.m.
Room C-1, Stratton Building
Springfield, IL
HB 384, Representative David Harris
Repeals the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act and abolishes the Health Facilities and Services Review Board. Amends the Health Care Self-Referral Act to transfer the Board’s functions under that Act to the Department of Public Health. Amends various other Acts to eliminate references to the Board or the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act.
House Restorative Justice Committee
February 9, 2017, 12:00 p.m.
Room 115, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 259, Representative La Shawn K. Ford
Creates the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act. Restricts the use of isolated confinement in correctional facilities in the State. Provides that a committed person shall not be placed in isolated confinement unless there is reasonable cause to believe that the committed person would create a substantial risk of immediate serious harm to himself, herself, or another, and a less restrictive intervention would be insufficient to reduce this risk and the correctional facility shall bear the burden of establishing this standard. Provides that a committed person shall not be placed in isolated confinement before receiving a personal and comprehensive medical and mental health examination conducted by a clinician. Defines “clinician” as: (1) a physician who is licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches and is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology or the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry, or has completed 4 years of an accredited post-graduate training program in psychiatry; or (2) a licensed clinical psychologist. Provides that a committed person held in emergency confinement shall receive an initial medical and mental health evaluation within 2 hours. Establishes conditions in which a committed person may be placed in protective custody. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2018, except that the Department of Corrections rules provisions are effective immediately.
HJR 8, Representative Thomas Bennett
Urges the Department of Juvenile Justice to amend administrative rules regarding Maximum Penalties for Youth.
Joint Hearing of Senate Appropriations I Committee and Senate Human Services Committee
February 8, 2017, 9:00 a.m.
Room 212, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
SUBJECT MATTER: Medicaid Managed Care Network Adequacy Crisis in the Central Illinois Region.
- To file an electronic witness slip for the subject matter hearing: Click
Senate Insurance Committee
February 8, 2017, 4:30 p.m.
Room 400, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
SB 193, Senator Terry Link
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance must provide coverage for medically necessary preventative physical therapy for insureds diagnosed with multiple sclerosis without any treatment limitation or calendar year maximum. Removes requirements that coverage under this provision be subject to the same waiting period, cost sharing limitation, treatment limitation, calendar year maximum, or other limitation as provided for other physical or rehabilitative therapy benefits.
NOTE: If you wish to take any action regarding any of these bills/issues, you may wish to attend the committee hearing and/or contact the members of the Committee conducting the hearing and/or the legislators in your home district. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all legislators, both Representatives and Senators, can be found on the Illinois General Assembly website at: www.ilga.gov. You may check this website to find out if any of the committee hearing dates or times have been changed, which may happen upon very short notice. You may also use this website to file an electronic witness slip for any bill that is posted for hearing by clicking on “GA Dashboard” on the homepage.
For additional information, please contact:
Cheryl R. Jansen
Public Policy Director
Equip for Equality
217-544-0464 ext. 6013
