Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB1301

LRB104 06753 BDA 16789 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB1301

Introduced 1/28/2025, by Rep. Amy Briel

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Rural Hospital Task Force Act. Establishes the Rural Hospital Task Force within the Department of Public Health for the purpose of investigating the current state of rural hospitals and providing recommendations to prevent further closures of rural hospitals and to potentially expand rural hospital services. Provides that the Task Force shall convene to conduct business on at least 4 separate days. Requires the Department of Public Health to provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Requires each agency and entity represented on the Task Force to share with the Task Force any data of the agency or entity necessary to achieve the purpose of the Task Force. Provides that all findings and recommendations made by the Task Force must be reported to the General Assembly before January 1, 2027. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved, and the Act is repealed, on January 1, 2027

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Rural Hospital Task Force Act.

Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Between January 2013 and February 2020, over 100 rural hospitals closed in Illinois.

(2) Rural hospitals struggle for several reasons:

(A) low patient volume;

(B) high fixed costs; and

(C) a greater reliance on public payers than privately insured patients.

(3) A task force to investigate the current state of rural hospitals and to provide legislative action could prevent further closures and expand services.

Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:

"Rural hospital" has the meaning given in subsection (d) of Section 8 of the Hospital Licensing Act.

"Task Force" means the Rural Hospital Task Force established under this Act.

Section 15. Rural Hospital Task Force.

(a) The Rural Hospital Task Force is created within the Department of Public Health. The purpose of this Task Force is to investigate the current state of rural hospitals and to provide recommendations to prevent further closures of rural hospitals and to potentially expand services provided by rural hospitals.

(b) The Task Force shall be composed of the following members:

(1) the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the Speaker's designee;

(2) the President of the Senate or the President's designee;

(3) the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or the Minority Leader's designee;

(4) the Minority Leader of the Senate or the Minority Leader's designee;

(5) one member appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(6) one member appointed by the Director of Financial and Professional Regulation;

(7) one member appointed by the Director of Healthcare and Family Services;

(8) one member appointed by the Director of Aging;

(9) one member representing the Illinois Rural Health Association, appointed by the Governor; and

(10) one member representing the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, appointed by the Governor.

(b) The Task Force shall convene to conduct business on at least 4 separate days, the first of which shall be held within 30 days after the members of the Task Force have been appointed.

(c) The members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(d) The Department of Public Health shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Each agency and entity represented on the Task Force shall share with the Task Force any data of the agency or entity necessary to achieve the purpose of the Task Force under this Act.

Section 20. Task Force deadline; repeal.

(a) All findings and recommendations made by the Task Force must be reported to the General Assembly before January 1, 2027.

(b) The Task Force is dissolved, and this Act is repealed, on January 1, 2027.