Public Act No. 22-146 Summary

• Allocates federal American Rescue Plan funds totaling hundreds of millions of dollars across fiscal years 2022-2025 to state agencies and departments for education, infrastructure, healthcare, housing, workforce development, and community programs.

• Establishes a Community Ombudsman program within the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman to investigate complaints about home care services and advocate for elderly persons and people with disabilities receiving long-term services and supports.

• Creates cannabis regulatory and investment account and social equity and innovation account to manage cannabis-related tax revenues and fees for regulatory costs and social equity programs through June 30, 2023, with remaining funds transferred to dedicated funds thereafter.

• Modifies homeownership incentive programs to allow municipalities to provide income tax exemptions (in addition to property tax relief) to eligible renters and owner-occupants in designated low-homeownership areas, and allows municipalities to waive property tax interest for certain social or recreational clubs.

• Requires health insurers and pharmacy benefits managers to credit third-party payments and discounts toward patient cost-sharing obligations for health insurance plans, including high-deductible plans, to the maximum extent permitted by federal law.