Pritzker signs a dozen bills Monday with dozens more due for action this week
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a dozen bills Monday, including laws regarding breast cancer screenings, to adding age-appropriate discussions on the meaning of consent in sex education classes and the unionization of court reporters.
Lawmakers sent nearly 600 bills to the governor from the Spring legislative session. The deadline for the governor to take action on those bills is this week. As of Monday afternoon, there were still dozens of bills the governor had not acted on. If he does nothing, the bills become law 60 days they were sent to his desk.
One measure signed with an announcement Monday morning was House Bill 465. Pharmacy benefit managers have new regulations that the governor’s office said will help control prescription drug costs. The measure passed both chambers unanimously.
“With this new law on the books, we’re increasing access to life-saving prescription drugs and taking steps to reduce out-of-pocket costs so every Illinoisan can live a healthy life,” Pritzker said in a statement.
The Illinois Pharmacists Association thanked the governor via Twitter. It said the new law establishes “the foundation to build upon to protect patients and preserve sustainable access to pharmacies.”
The new regulations require pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to takes steps to increase access to health care by:
- Requiring insurers to apply third-party payments, discounts, vouchers and co-pay cards to a deductible
- Preventing gag clauses which limit pharmacists from advising patients when lower-cost alternatives may be available or when paying cash is cheaper than using insurance
- Protecting consumers entering the emergency room from being denied coverage, even if their ailment turns out to be a non-emergency
- Providing more transparency in the pricing and reimbursement models PBMs utilize by requiring Health and Family Services to approval contracts that impact Medicaid
House Bill 465 takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Pritzker also had a signing ceremony in DeKalb on Monday afternoon with Republicans and Democrats for Senate Bill 162.
Beginning Jan. 1, both private insurance and Medicaid will cover ultrasounds and MRIs when deemed medically necessary by a physician, advanced practice nurse or physician assistant.
“This new law will allow us to continue to make major strides to prevent breast cancer and ensure that women have access to the screenings and life-saving care they need,” state Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, said in a statement released by the governor’s office.
Other bills Prtizker signed Monday were:
Bill Number: HB 2800
Description: Updates the fees and reporting statute of the Illinois Secretary of State.
Action: Signed
Effective: July 1, 2019
Bill Number: HB 3550
Description: Adds an age-appropriate discussion on the meaning of consent to Illinois sex education curriculum.
Action: Signed
Effective: January 1, 2020
Bill Number: SB 397
Description: Allows state-paid court reporters to be paid more than what is currently set in statute, and allows court reporters of individual circuits to unionize in lieu of bargaining on a statewide basis.
Action: Signed
Effective: January 1, 2020
Bill Number: SB 664
Description: Ensures tobacco products are in written compliance with federal and state labeling standards.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill Number: SB 1239
Description: Strengthens the roles of Mandated Reporters under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill Number: SB 1418
Description: Ensures appointments to the Bi-State Development Agency represent local governments that contract with the agency and pays for the agency’s services.
Action: Signed
Effective: January 1, 2020
Bill Number: SB 1515
Description: Ensures Illinois residents are not subject to double taxation on a type of income.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill Number: SB 1524
Description: Authorizes the State Treasurer to promote college affordability through income-sharing agreements, linked deposits and low-interest loans.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill Number: SB 1702
Description: Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.
Action: Signed
Effective: January 1, 2020
Bill Number: SB 1726
Description: Strengthens the Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee and creates a full-time Dementia Coordinator position within the Department of Public Health.
Action: Signed
Effective: January 1, 2020
(105 ILCS 5/27-9.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-9.1) Sec. 27-9.1. Sex education. (a) In this Section: "Adapt" means to modify an evidence-based program model for use with a particular demographic, ethnic, linguistic, or cultural group. "Age appropriate" means suitable to particular ages or age groups of children and adolescents, based on the developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group. "Evidence-based program" means a program for which systematic, empirical research or evaluation has provided evidence of effectiveness. "Medically accurate" means verified or supported by the weight of research conducted in compliance with accepted scientific methods and published in peer-reviewed journals, if applicable, or comprising information recognized as accurate, objective, and complete. (a-5) No pupil shall be required to take or participate in any class or course in comprehensive sex education if his parent or guardian submits written objection thereto, and refusal to take or participate in such course or program shall not be reason for suspension or expulsion of such pupil. Each class or course in comprehensive sex education offered in any of grades 6 through 12 shall include instruction on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Nothing in this Section prohibits instruction in sanitation, hygiene or traditional courses in biology. (b) All public school classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse in grades 6 through 12 shall emphasize that abstinence from sexual intercourse is a responsible and positive decision and is the only protection that is 100% effective against unwanted teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) when transmitted sexually. (c) All classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse in grades 6 through 12 shall satisfy the following criteria: (1) Course material and instruction shall be |
developmentally and age appropriate, medically accurate, and complete. |
(1.5) Course material and instruction shall replicate |
evidence-based programs or substantially incorporate elements of evidence-based programs. |
(2) Course material and instruction shall teach honor |
and respect for monogamous heterosexual marriage. |
(3) Course material and instruction shall place |
substantial emphasis on both abstinence, including abstinence until marriage, and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases among youth and shall stress that abstinence is the ensured method of avoiding unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS. |
(4) Course material and instruction shall include a |
discussion of the possible emotional and psychological consequences of preadolescent and adolescent sexual intercourse and the consequences of unwanted adolescent pregnancy. |
(5) Course material and instruction shall stress that |
sexually transmitted diseases are serious possible hazards of sexual intercourse. Pupils shall be provided with statistics based on the latest medical information citing the failure and success rates of condoms in preventing AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. |
(6) Course material and instruction shall advise |
pupils of the laws pertaining to their financial responsibility to children born in and out of wedlock. |
(7) Course material and instruction shall advise |
pupils of the circumstances under which it is unlawful for males to have sexual relations with females under the age of 18 to whom they are not married pursuant to Article 11 of the Criminal Code of 2012. |
(8) Course material and instruction shall teach |
pupils to not make unwanted physical and verbal sexual advances and how to say no to unwanted sexual advances. Pupils shall be taught that it is wrong to take advantage of or to exploit another person. The material and instruction shall also encourage youth to resist negative peer pressure. The material and instruction shall include, with an emphasis on the workplace environment and life on a college campus, discussion on what constitutes sexual consent and what may be considered sexual harassment or sexual assault. |
(9) (Blank). (10) Course material and instruction shall teach |
pupils about the dangers associated with drug and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. |
(d) An opportunity shall be afforded to individuals, including parents or guardians, to examine the instructional materials to be used in such class or course. (e) The State Board of Education shall make available resource materials, with the cooperation and input of the agency that administers grant programs consistent with criteria (1) and (1.5) of subsection (c) of this Section, for educating children regarding sex education and may take into consideration the curriculum on this subject developed by other states, as well as any other curricular materials suggested by education experts and other groups that work on sex education issues. Materials may include without limitation model sex education curriculums and sexual health education programs. The State Board of Education shall make these resource materials available on its Internet website. School districts that do not currently provide sex education are not required to teach sex education. If a sex education class or course is offered in any of grades 6 through 12, the school district may choose and adapt the developmentally and age-appropriate, medically accurate, evidence-based, and complete sex education curriculum that meets the specific needs of its community. (Source: P.A. 100-684, eff. 8-3-18.)
