Full Text of SB3034

LRB104 17922 JRC 31358 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3034

Introduced 1/28/2026, by Sen. Celina Villanueva

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 301/30-5
740 ILCS 110/7	from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 807

Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. Provides that disclosure of nonexempt records protected under the Act may be disclosed for research activities under the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act. Amends the Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act. Provides that staff and any designee of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, members of the Ad Hoc Statewide Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Board, and the regional domestic violence fatality review teams are entitled to receive, inspect, copy, and share HIV-related information of any person subject to a domestic violence fatality review as part of and in accordance with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act. Provides that the information disclosed is subject to the confidentiality requirements of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning civil law.

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

Section 5. The Substance Use Disorder Act is amended by changing Section 30-5 as follows:

(20 ILCS 301/30-5)

Sec. 30-5. Patients' rights established.

(a) For purposes of this Section, "patient" means any person who is receiving or has received early intervention, treatment, or other recovery support services under this Act or any category of service licensed as "intervention" under this Act.

(b) No patient shall be deprived of any rights, benefits, or privileges guaranteed by law, the Constitution of the United States of America, or the Constitution of the State of Illinois solely because of his or her status as a patient.

(c) Persons who have substance use disorders who are also suffering from medical conditions shall not be discriminated against in admission or treatment by any hospital that receives support in any form supported in whole or in part by funds appropriated to any State department or agency.

(d) Every patient shall have impartial access to services without regard to race, religion, sex, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or other disability.

(e) Patients shall be permitted the free exercise of religion.

(f) Every patient's personal dignity shall be recognized in the provision of services, and a patient's personal privacy shall be assured and protected within the constraints of his or her individual treatment.

(g) Treatment services shall be provided in the least restrictive environment possible.

(h) Each patient receiving treatment services shall be provided an individual treatment plan, which shall be periodically reviewed and updated as mandated by administrative rule.

(i) Treatment shall be person-centered, meaning that every patient shall be permitted to participate in the planning of his or her total care and medical treatment to the extent that his or her condition permits.

(j) A person shall not be denied treatment solely because he or she has withdrawn from treatment against medical advice on a prior occasion or had prior treatment episodes.

(k) The patient in residential treatment shall be permitted visits by family and significant others, unless such visits are clinically contraindicated.

(l) A patient in residential treatment shall be allowed to conduct private telephone conversations with family and friends unless clinically contraindicated.

(m) A patient in residential treatment shall be permitted to send and receive mail without hindrance, unless clinically contraindicated.

(n) A patient shall be permitted to manage his or her own financial affairs unless the patient or the patient's guardian, or if the patient is a minor, the patient's parent, authorizes another competent person to do so.

(o) A patient shall be permitted to request the opinion of a consultant at his or her own expense, or to request an in-house review of a treatment plan, as provided in the specific procedures of the provider. A treatment provider is not liable for the negligence of any consultant.

(p) Unless otherwise prohibited by State or federal law, every patient shall be permitted to obtain from his or her own physician, the treatment provider, or the treatment provider's consulting physician complete and current information concerning the nature of care, procedures, and treatment that he or she will receive.

(q) A patient shall be permitted to refuse to participate in any experimental research or medical procedure without compromising his or her access to other, non-experimental services. Before a patient is placed in an experimental research or medical procedure, the provider must first obtain his or her informed written consent or otherwise comply with the federal requirements regarding the protection of human subjects contained in 45 CFR Part 46.

(r) All medical treatment and procedures shall be administered as ordered by a physician and in accordance with all Department rules.

(s) Every patient in treatment shall be permitted to refuse medical treatment and to know the consequences of such action. Such refusal by a patient shall free the treatment licensee from the obligation to provide the treatment.

(t) Unless otherwise prohibited by State or federal law, every patient, patient's guardian, or parent, if the patient is a minor, shall be permitted to inspect and copy all clinical and other records kept by the intervention or treatment licensee or by his or her physician concerning his or her care and maintenance. The licensee or physician may charge a reasonable fee for the duplication of a record.

(u) No owner, licensee, administrator, employee, or agent of a licensed intervention or treatment program shall abuse or neglect a patient. It is the duty of any individual who becomes aware of such abuse or neglect to report it to the Department immediately.

(v) The licensee may refuse access to any person if the actions of that person are or could be injurious to the health and safety of a patient or the licensee, or if the person seeks access for commercial purposes.

(w) All patients admitted to community-based treatment facilities shall be considered voluntary treatment patients and such patients shall not be contained within a locked setting.

(x) Patients and their families or legal guardians shall have the right to present complaints to the provider or the Department concerning the quality of care provided to the patient, without threat of discharge or reprisal in any form or manner whatsoever. The complaint process and procedure shall be adopted by the Department by rule. The treatment provider shall have in place a mechanism for receiving and responding to such complaints, and shall inform the patient and the patient's family or legal guardian of this mechanism and how to use it. The provider shall analyze any complaint received and, when indicated, take appropriate corrective action. Every patient and his or her family member or legal guardian who makes a complaint shall receive a timely response from the provider that substantively addresses the complaint. The provider shall inform the patient and the patient's family or legal guardian about other sources of assistance if the provider has not resolved the complaint to the satisfaction of the patient or the patient's family or legal guardian.

(y) A patient may refuse to perform labor at a program unless such labor is a part of the patient's individual treatment plan as documented in the patient's clinical record.

(z) A person who is in need of services may apply for voluntary admission in the manner and with the rights provided for under regulations promulgated by the Department. If a person is refused admission, then staff, subject to rules promulgated by the Department, shall refer the person to another facility or to other appropriate services.

(aa) No patient shall be denied services based solely on HIV status. Further, records and information governed by the AIDS Confidentiality Act and the AIDS Confidentiality and Testing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 697) shall be maintained in accordance therewith.

(bb) Records of the identity, diagnosis, prognosis or treatment of any patient maintained in connection with the performance of any service or activity relating to substance use disorder education, early intervention, intervention, training, or treatment that is regulated, authorized, or directly or indirectly assisted by any Department or agency of this State or under any provision of this Act shall be confidential and may be disclosed only in accordance with the provisions of federal law and regulations concerning the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records as contained in 42 U.S.C. Sections 290dd-2 and 42 CFR Part 2, or any successor federal statute or regulation.

(1) The following are exempt from the confidentiality protections set forth in 42 CFR Section 2.12(c):

(A) Veteran's Administration records.

(B) Information obtained by the Armed Forces.

(C) Information given to qualified service organizations.

(D) Communications within a program or between a program and an entity having direct administrative control over that program.

(E) Information given to law enforcement personnel investigating a patient's commission of a crime on the program premises or against program personnel.

(F) Reports under State law of incidents of suspected child abuse and neglect; however, confidentiality restrictions continue to apply to the records and any follow-up information for disclosure and use in civil or criminal proceedings arising from the report of suspected abuse or neglect.

(2) If the information is not exempt, a disclosure can be made only under the following circumstances:

(A) With patient consent as set forth in 42 CFR Sections 2.1(b)(1) and 2.31, and as consistent with pertinent State law.

(B) For medical emergencies as set forth in 42 CFR Sections 2.1(b)(2) and 2.51.

(C) For research activities as set forth in 42 CFR Sections 2.1(b)(2) and 2.52 and the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act.

(D) For audit evaluation activities as set forth in 42 CFR Section 2.53.

(E) With a court order as set forth in 42 CFR Sections 2.61 through 2.67.

(3) The restrictions on disclosure and use of patient information apply whether the holder of the information already has it, has other means of obtaining it, is a law enforcement or other official, has obtained a subpoena, or asserts any other justification for a disclosure or use that is not permitted by 42 CFR Part 2. Any court orders authorizing disclosure of patient records under this Act must comply with the procedures and criteria set forth in 42 CFR Sections 2.64 and 2.65. Except as authorized by a court order granted under this Section, no record referred to in this Section may be used to initiate or substantiate any charges against a patient or to conduct any investigation of a patient.

(4) The prohibitions of this subsection shall apply to records concerning any person who has been a patient, regardless of whether or when the person ceases to be a patient.

(5) Any person who discloses the content of any record referred to in this Section except as authorized shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(6) The Department shall prescribe regulations to carry out the purposes of this subsection. These regulations may contain such definitions, and may provide for such safeguards and procedures, including procedures and criteria for the issuance and scope of court orders, as in the judgment of the Department are necessary or proper to effectuate the purposes of this Section, to prevent circumvention or evasion thereof, or to facilitate compliance therewith.

(cc) Each patient shall be given a written explanation of all the rights enumerated in this Section and a copy, signed by the patient, shall be kept in every patient record. If a patient is unable to read such written explanation, it shall be read to the patient in a language that the patient understands. A copy of all the rights enumerated in this Section shall be posted in a conspicuous place within the program where it may readily be seen and read by program patients and visitors.

(dd) The program shall ensure that its staff is familiar with and observes the rights and responsibilities enumerated in this Section.

(ee) Licensed organizations shall comply with the right of any adolescent to consent to treatment without approval of the parent or legal guardian in accordance with the Consent by Minors to Health Care Services Act.

(ff) At the point of admission for services, licensed organizations must obtain written informed consent, as defined in Section 1-10 and in administrative rule, from each client, patient, or legal guardian.

(Source: P.A. 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

Section 10. The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act is amended by changing Section 7 as follows:

(740 ILCS 110/7) (from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 807)

Sec. 7. Review of therapist or agency; use of recipient's record.

(a) When a therapist or agency which provides services is being reviewed for purposes of licensure, statistical compilation, research, evaluation, or other similar purpose, a recipient's record may be used by the person conducting the review to the extent that this is necessary to accomplish the purpose of the review, provided that personally identifiable data is removed from the record before use. Personally identifiable data may be disclosed only in accordance with Section 5 of this Act. Licensure and the like may not be withheld or withdrawn for failure to disclose personally identifiable data if consent is not obtained.

(b) When an agency which provides services is being reviewed for purposes of funding, accreditation, reimbursement or audit by a State or federal agency or accrediting body, a recipient's record may be used by the person conducting the review and personally identifiable information may be disclosed without consent, provided that the personally identifiable information is necessary to accomplish the purpose of the review.

For the purpose of this subsection, an inspection investigation or site visit by the United States Department of Justice regarding compliance with a pending consent decree is considered an audit by a federal agency.

(c) An independent team of experts under Brian's Law shall be entitled to inspect and copy the records of any recipient whose death is being examined by such a team pursuant to the mortality review process authorized by Brian's Law. Information disclosed under this subsection may not be redisclosed without the written consent of one of the persons identified in Section 4 of this Act.

(d) Staff and any designee of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, members of the Ad Hoc Statewide Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Board, and the regional domestic violence fatality review teams are entitled to receive, inspect, copy, and share the records covered by this Act of any recipient subject to a domestic violence fatality review, including, but not limited to, a recipient who experienced or caused a near-fatality or fatality related to domestic violence, for the purposes of domestic violence fatality review and in accordance with the responsibilities required and authorized by the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act. Information disclosed under this Section is subject to the confidentiality requirements of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act.

(Source: P.A. 98-378, eff. 8-16-13.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.