Key Bills

Representative Collins is dedicated to our shared values and has passed significant legislation.

This bill creates guidance to any state agency or department that will administer the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The guidelines in this bill make sure that the program is consistent with federal law, remove barriers people faced during the previous rental assistance program (like the lease requirement), and ensure that those most in need of assistance are prioritized.
Requires that, during a public health-related emergency, a health professional, shall permit people eligible for critical or intensive care services to remain eligible and shall not deny a patients care regardless of age, disability, status, age, ancestry, color, creed, disability, domestic partnership or civil union status, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, health insurance status, marital status, national origin, nationality, place of residence, race, sex, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status if the characteristics are not relevant to the patient's medical diagnosis and treatment.
Creates the Consumer Choice in Maternal Care for African-American Mothers Pilot Program Act. Requires the Task Force on Infant and Maternal Mortality Among African Americans to partner with community-based maternal care providers to develop rules and regulations for a Medicaid voucher pilot program to expand consumer choice for Black mothers that includes planned home birth services and in-home perinatal and postpartum care services provided by racially concordant nationally accredited certified professional midwives.
Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may issue a temporary permit authorizing the practice of dentistry (rather than dentistry or dental hygiene) if specified conditions are satisfied, including a collaborative agreement with and under the direct supervision of an Illinois licensed dentist. Provides that the temporary permit shall only permit the holder to practice dentistry within the scope of the dental studies and in conjunction with a charitable organization or a continuing education program provided by a continuing education sponsor approved by the Department. Provides for the licensure of continuing education sponsors by the Department. Provides that a temporary visiting dentist may not administer conscious sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia. Provides that a patient who seeks treatment from a temporary visiting dentist must sign a consent form acknowledging that the care the patient will receive will be provided by a dentist not licensed in the State of Illinois. Provides that a temporary permit shall be valid for no longer than 5 consecutive clinical days within 6 months from the date of issuance. Provides for the cancellation of temporary permits and licenses by the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation. Amends the Good Samaritan Act. Provides that provisions concerning exemption from civil liability for certain dental services performed without compensation do not apply to a dentist issued a temporary visiting dentist permit.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, in determining income eligibility for child care benefits beginning in State fiscal year 2022, the income threshold shall be no less than 200% of the then-current federal poverty level for each family size. Effective July 1, 2021.
Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that any party may file a motion requesting the court to review the decision of a temporary custodian or guardian appointed under the Act to deny a minor under the age of 18 access to the media. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services bears the burden of demonstrating by clear and convincing evidence that its decision to deny the minor access to the media is in the minor's best interest. Provides that, in making its determination, the court shall weigh specified factors. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall provide notice to a minor's guardian ad litem and attorney appointed under this Act any time that the Department, in its capacity as the minor's temporary custodian or guardian, denies a request by the media to speak with the minor. The Department shall provide the notice within one business day of its decision. The notice must at a minimum include the following: the name of the child, the name of the media, the date of the inquiry from the media, and the rationale for the Department's decision.
Amends the State Employee Health Savings Account Law. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions about delinquent property, provides that a county may take steps necessary (currently, shall take all steps necessary) to acquire title to the property and may manage and operate the property, including, but not limited to, mowing of grass, removal of nuisance greenery, removal of garbage, waste, debris or other materials, or the demolition, repair, or remediation of unsafe structures. Provides costs to be distributed to taxing districts, including operation and maintenance costs and all costs associated with county staff and overhead used to perform the duties of the trustees. Reduces the maximum penalty bids for the annual tax sale from 18% to 12%. In provisions about redemption of property, limits the assessments of penalties from every 6 months to 12 months. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Counties Code and Illinois Municipal Code. Modifies the requirements to have a circuit court declare property abandoned.