Public Act 097-0128

HB2043 Enrolled LRB097 08980 KTG 49113 b

AN ACT concerning aging.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,

represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Act is

amended by changing Section 15 as follows:

(320 ILCS 50/15)

Sec. 15. Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Review

Committee.

(a) The Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Review Committee

is created. The Committee shall consist of 17 members as

follows:

(1) Twelve members appointed as follows: 2 members of

the General Assembly and 1 member of the general public,

appointed by the President of the Senate; 2 members of the

General Assembly and 1 member of the general public,

appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; 2 members

of the General Assembly and 1 member of the general public,

appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

and 2 members of the General Assembly and 1 member of the

general public, appointed by the Minority Leader of the

House of Representatives. These members shall serve at the

pleasure of the appointing authority.

(2) The Director of Aging or his or her designee.

(3) The Director of Revenue or his or her designee.

(4) The Director of Healthcare and Family Services or

his or her designee.

(5) The Secretary of Human Services or his or her

designee.

(6) The Director of Public Health or his or her

designee.

(b) Members appointed from the general public shall

represent the following associations, organizations, and

interests: statewide membership-based senior advocacy

organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacists,

dispensing pharmacies, physicians, and providers of services

to senior citizens. No single organization may have more than

one representative appointed as a member from the general

public.

(c) The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of

Representatives shall each designate one member of the

Committee to serve as co-chairs.

(d) Committee members shall serve without compensation or

reimbursement for expenses.

(e) The Committee shall meet at the call of the co-chairs,

as deemed necessary but at least quarterly.

(f) The Committee may conduct public hearings to gather

testimony from interested parties regarding pharmaceutical

assistance for Illinois seniors, including changes to existing

and proposed programs.

(f-5) The Committee may review federal legislation with

regard to e-prescribing to determine what provisions, if any,

would improve health care in Illinois.

(f-6) The Committee may conduct public hearings to gather

testimony regarding federal procedure for pandemic

preparedness and response to determine whether or not the State

should update its preparedness procedures and tactics.

(g) The Committee may advise appropriate State agencies

regarding the establishment of proposed programs or changes to

existing programs. The State agencies shall take into

consideration any recommendations made by the Committee.

(h) The Committee shall report to the General Assembly and

the Governor annually or as it deems necessary regarding

proposed or recommended changes to pharmaceutical assistance

programs that benefit Illinois seniors and any associated costs

of those changes.

(h-5) The Committee may conduct public hearings to gather

testimony from interested parties regarding prescription drug

abuse to determine whether the State should increase penalties

against those engaged in conduct potentially harmful to

Illinois residents, particularly those under age 25. In order

to do this, the Committee may review guidelines from State

universities addressing prescription drug abuse.

(i) In the event that a prescription drug benefit is added

to the federal Medicare program, the Committee shall make

recommendations for the realignment of State-operated senior

prescription drug programs so that Illinois residents qualify

for at least substantially the same level of benefits available

to them prior to implementation of the Medicare prescription

drug benefit, provided that a resident remains eligible for

such a State-operated program. The Committee shall report its

recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor by

January 1, 2005.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 96-1183, eff. 7-22-10.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon

becoming law.