HB2452 - Ensuring Essential Services Act

• Creates the Ensuring Essential Services Act to ensure Illinois meets its obligation to provide home and community-based services for approximately 27,000 individuals with developmental disabilities at consistent quality levels while protecting against service disruptions due to labor disputes.

• Requires all Department of Human Services contracts with agencies providing developmental disability services to include a provision assuring uninterrupted service delivery, which must be satisfied through binding labor peace agreements with labor organizations representing frontline and direct support staff.

• Mandates the Department of Healthcare and Family Services apply for federal waiver or State Plan amendment within 90 days, and the Department of Human Services adopt implementing rules within 60 days of the Act's effective date.

• Establishes enforcement mechanisms including 30-day cure periods for non-compliance, notice of non-renewal for agencies failing to comply, withholding of state payments by the Comptroller, and ineligibility for recertification or relicensure unless the agency appeals and demonstrates compliance.

• Takes effect June 1, 2023, and applies to all contracts entered into, renewed, or amended on or after that date.