New bills introduced in the Illinois General Assembly

With the Illinois General Assembly continuing sessions this month in person and multiple bills being created dealing with the state's budget, other bills have been introduced dealing with other topics including nuclear power and family leave insurance. Here is a roundup of bills introduced recently to pay attention to.

On Feb. 7, State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, introduced Senate Bill 4068, which would create the Home Heating Relief Act of 2022, which would require the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create a Home Heating Rebate Program to provide rebates to households that use natural gas or propane gas for heating purposes and that have a median household income between 200% and 400% of the poverty guidelines in the Federal Register. The bill would provide that eligible households receive the rebates as soon as practicable after implementation.

On Feb. 1, Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, introduced SB 4057, which would amend the Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to provide that diapers, baby wipes and infant formula are exempt from the taxes imposed under those acts. The bill has been assigned to Revenue.

On Jan. 31, State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, proposed House Bill 5576, which would amend the Regulatory Sunset Act, providing that the state shall not regulate a profession, occupation, industry, business or trade in a manner that will unreasonably and adversely affect either the competitive market or equitable access to quality jobs and economic opportunities (rather than the competitive market).

The bill adds a requirement that the Office of Management and Budget's study on the performance of regulatory agencies include in its report an analysis of whether the agency or program restricts a profession, occupation, business, industry or trade any more than necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare from significant and discernible harm or damage.

Also on Jan. 31, Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Burr Ridge, introduced HB 5579, creating the Health Care Providers Identification Act, requiring a health care provider to have identification present and visible on the health care provider's person when treating a patient. That identification would be required to include the health care provider's name, licensed degree and specialty, and that the provider shall not have a general description of the provider's specialty. Any health care provider who violated the Act would be reported to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and be subject to disciplinary action.

Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, introduced HB 5589 on Jan. 31, amending the Public Utilities Act. The bill would delete language that states that no construction shall begin on any new nuclear power plant to be located in Illinois, and no certificate of public convenience and necessity or other authorization shall be issued therefore by the Illinois Commerce Commission until the Director or the Environmental Protection Agency finds the U.S. government has identified and approved a demonstrable technology or means for the disposal of high-level nuclear waste.

HB 5590, introduced by Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield on Jan. 31, would create the Health Care Billing Equity Act. The bill would provide that the Department of Public Health research, accept information on and maintain a database of any and all billing information, billing codes and CPT codes used to bill health care plans, providers of policies of health insurance and individual patients for health care procedures carried out in Illinois.

The bill would further prohibit any health care bill that contains any element in which the charge upon an individual who is covered by a health care plan or provider and who has received care exceeds the bill for the same element of health care when billed to individual patients.

Finally, HB 5594, introduced by Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, creates the Family Leave Insurance Act. The act would require the Department of Employment Security to establish and administer a family leave insurance program, providing family leave insurance benefits to eligible employees who take unpaid family leave to care for a newborn child, a newly adopted or placed foster child or a family member with a serious health condition.

The bill would authorize family leave of up to 12 weeks during any 24-month period. The bill would further authorize compensation for leave in the amount of 85% of the employee's average weekly wage subject to a maximum of $881 per week.