Illinois

Declares May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Urges all Illinoisans to engage in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.

Commends Dr. Ken Hendriksen on his extraordinary career and his many contributions to the educational advancement of the youth of the State.

Reinserts provisions of the bill with these changes. Authorizes a circuit court clerk of any county to develop and maintain a will depository. Provides a procedure for the clerk to accept for safekeeping a will that is defined as a document intended to be a testamentary instrument. Defines "depositor" as the person who is delivering the will for deposit and includes the testator, who is a resident in the county where the will is being deposited or a person authorized by court order. Creates a procedure for the clerk to follow in accepting, keeping, and returning these documents. Allows the clerk to charge a fee of up to $25 for each will deposited, and the clerk may not collect a separate fee for additional documents concurrently deposited in relation to a single testator or for a single joint will prepared for a husband and wife. During the lifetime of the testator, the clerk may release the deposited will only to the testator in person upon proof of identity or pursuant to an order. Makes other changes.

Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that beginning in State fiscal year 2027, the State (instead of the Chicago Board of Education) shall contribute for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2059, a minimum contribution to the Fund in an amount determined by the Fund to be sufficient to bring the total assets of the Fund up to 90% of the total actuarial liabilities of the Fund by the end of fiscal year 2059. Provides that, in making these determinations, the required contribution shall be calculated each year as a level percentage of the applicable employee payrolls over the years remaining to and including fiscal year 2059 and shall be determined under the projected unit credit actuarial cost method. Amends the School Code to make a conforming change in provisions concerning evidence-based funding. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Elizabeth "Betsy" Shapiro, D.D.S., J.D. on her outstanding career in dentistry. Commends her many contributions to the American Dental Association, the Illinois State Dental Society, and the profession at large. Wishes her continued success in her service to organized dentistry.

Congratulates the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the founding of the first chapter of the YMCA that was based in the United States, and commends the YMCA's role in responding to community needs, connecting people, fostering support, and building relationships and a sense of belonging.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Voting Rights Act of 2025. Creates the Voting Rights Act of 2025 Article. Provides that a political subdivision, State agency, or any other government official or entity responsible for election administration shall not implement or enforce any election policy or practice, or take any other action or fail to take any action that results in, is likely to result in, or is intended to result in disparate outcomes. Creates the Language Access in Elections Article. Provides that a local election authority shall provide language assistance for elections conducted in a political subdivision if that political subdivision meets specified conditions. Creates the Voting Rights Act of 2025 and the Language Access in Elections Articles in the Code. Effective July 1, 2025.

Commends the Chakota Therapeutic Riding Center (Chakota-TRC), a community-based human service organization in Germantown, for its important work in providing therapeutic horseback riding to children and adults with disabilities. Wishes the organization continued success in advancing therapeutic activities to improve the quality of life for individuals living with disabilities.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the award of certain contracts to the lowest responsible bidder, provides that a contract for goods, services, or management in the operation of a school's food service entered into between a school board and a food service management company shall (1) be for a duration of no longer than one year, with options for yearly renewal of the contract not exceeding 4 additional years and (2) include a termination clause whereby either party may cancel for cause after a 60-day notification. Provides that all competitive bids for a contract for goods, services, or management in the operation of a school's food service entered into between a school board and a food service management company are subject to standardized evaluation criteria created by the State Board of Education for scoring that have been published on the State Board's website in advance. Provides that the school board shall maintain a record of the evaluation scoring, to be disclosed to all bidders within 10 days after the date of the award of the contract.

Creates the Protective Medical Equipment Freedom Act. Provides that all individual in the State have the right to wear protective medical equipment in any place of public accommodation where they have a lawful right to be without obligation to disclose health status or any other protected information, and no person, entity, or authority shall deny, restrict, or infringe upon this right. Provides that operators and public officials shall not discriminate against or penalize medical device wearers for exercising their right to wear protective medical equipment. Provides that discrimination under the Act includes, but is not limited to: denial of service; eviction from premises; any form of harassment to remove or refrain from wearing such equipment for any amount of time; specified actions taken by employers; and provision of unequal goods, services, facilities, advantages, or accommodations. Sets forth provisions concerning the protection against retaliation, the exceptions for security requirements, operational safety, age and identity restricted products, and financial institution customer identification, and an undue hardship exemption. Effective immediately.

Creates the Transit-Oriented Overlay and Opportunity Retail Integration Zoning Act. Provides that the area located within a one-mile radius of a transit-oriented development is an ORI zone. Provides that the ORI zone is created automatically by operation of law. Provides that, if a conflict exists between the provisions of the ORI zone and a county or municipality, then the provisions of the ORI zone shall control. Provides that, within the ORI zone, the following uses shall be permitted by right: (1) retail, restaurant, and personal service establishments; (2) office, professional, medical, and administrative uses; (3) residential uses of all types, including single-family, multifamily, and mixed-use residential; (4) light manufacturing, research and development, storage warehousing, maker spaces, and innovation or technology-oriented industrial uses that do not involve heavy industrial processes; (5) institutional, educational, cultural, and governmental uses; (6) lodging and hospitality uses; (7) structured and accessory parking facilities; and (8) any other substantially similar use. Provides that a county or a municipality may enforce objective development standards applicable within the ORI zone. Provides that, if a county or municipality does not approve a proposal for a development in an ORI zone for a use that is permitted within an ORI zone within 90 days after receiving the application for the project, then the development proposal is deemed approved. Limits home rule powers. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that if a continuance is requested and granted for a hearing on pretrial detention, the hearing shall be held within 72 (rather than 48) hours of the defendant's first appearance if the defendant is charged with first degree murder or a Class X, Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3 felony.

Declares March 2026 as Illinois Whole Child Month to recognize the value of assuring that each student is challenged, supported, healthy, safe, and engaged. Urges parents, educators, and community members to support a whole child approach to education for each student. Urges every school in Illinois to celebrate Whole Child Month by adopting at least one of the whole child tenets to promote and encourage throughout the month.

Amends, repeals, and reenacts various Acts. Restores the statutes to the form in which they existed before their amendment by Public Acts 101-652, 102-28, and 102-1104. Makes other technical changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Human Services Workforce Sustainability Act. Requires the Departments of Human Services, Children and Family Services, Juvenile Justice, and Public Health, and other specified State agencies, to complete, by June 30, 2027, a look-back calculation for each contracted human services organization that compares the funding amount awarded to the human services organization in State fiscal years 2026 and 2021 in order to identify the percentage change in funding, if any, to the human services organization between those fiscal years. Provides that based on the look-back calculations, each State agency shall identify the total aggregate amount of additional appropriations needed to ensure that grant amounts awarded by the State agency in State Fiscal Year 2028 are at least 25% more than the grant amounts awarded to grantees in State Fiscal Year 2021. Contains provisions concerning implementation of increased grant funding, subject to appropriation; additional percentage increases in grants amounts beginning in State Fiscal Year 2029; expenditure and certification requirements on contracted human services organizations that receive increased grant funding; oversight by the Department of Central Management Services; the adoption of administrative rules; and other matters. Effective July 1, 2026.

Restores certain provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 to the form in which they existed before their amendment by Public Act 101-652 by amendment or reenactment. Retains provisions that crime victims shall be given notice by the State's Attorney's office of the preliminary hearing as required in the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act and shall be informed of their opportunity at this hearing to obtain an order of protection under the Protective Orders Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Amends the Statute on Statutes to provide that whenever there is a reference in any Act to the term "pretrial release", "denial of pretrial release", "conditions of pretrial release", or "violations of the conditions of pretrial release", the terms shall be construed to mean "bail", "denial of bail", "conditions of bail", or "forfeiture of bail" respectively. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. In provisions concerning legend drugs, provides that, at the request of a person dispensing a drug or medicine, the label affixed to a box, bottle, vessel, or package containing mifepristone, misoprostol, or any generic alternative may include the name of the dispensing health care practice instead of the name of the person dispensing the drug or medicine. Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. In provisions concerning the label of a drug, medicine, or poison that is lawfully sold or dispensed, provides that, at a prescriber's request, the label affixed to a box, bottle, vessel, or package containing mifepristone, misoprostol, or any generic alternative may include the name of the prescribing health care practice instead of the name of the prescriber.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that an individual operating a bicycle approaching a stop sign may proceed through the intersection without stopping if the individual slows to a reasonable speed and the individual yields the right-of-way to pedestrians and traffic. Sets forth exemptions.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if, at the time an act is alleged to have been committed by any person while driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, there was an alcohol concentration of 0.05 (rather than 0.08) or more, it shall be presumed that the person was under the influence of alcohol. Makes conforming changes in the Act, the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act, the Boat Registration and Safety Act, and the Workers' Compensation Act.

Creates the Building Remedies to End Abusive Tear Gas and Harmful Exposures Act. Establishes the Chemical Agent Review Board within the Department of Public Health, and sets forth the Board's membership and duties. Prohibits deployment or possession of lachrymatory agents in the State, except for limited purposes. Requires the Department to adopt rules for approval of pepper spray formulations, including safety standards, testing protocols, and restrictions on delivery mechanisms. Directs the Department to maintain a public database of approved formulations and adverse event reports. Provides for reporting of chemical irritant deployments other than for personal self-defense. Creates a private right of action and enforcement authority for the Attorney General and certain organizations, with remedies including damages, civil penalties, and injunctive relief. Establishes the Illinois Human Rights Enforcement Fund. Includes home rule limitation and severability provisions and transition and compliance periods. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that 20% of the lesser of (rather than the lesser of): (i) the purchase price or (ii) the fair market value shall constitute the rate base associated with the water or sewer utility as acquired by and incorporated into the rate base of the district designated by the acquiring large public utility, subject to any adjustments that the Illinois Commerce Commission deems necessary to ensure such rate base reflects prudent and useful investments in the provision of public utility service. Provides that the difference between the rate base and the purchase price or fair market value shall be borne by the shareholders of the acquiring large public utility. In provisions concerning the acquisition of a water or sewer utility, provides that, at the next election following the public meeting and notice requirements, a referendum shall be placed on the ballot for all electors within the area the water or sewer utility operates. Provides that, if a majority of the electors voting on the referendum within the service area of the water or sewer utility vote in favor of the referendum, then the acquisition may continue. Provides that, if less than a majority of the electors voting on the referendum within the service area of the water or sewer utility vote in favor of the referendum, the Commission shall not approve the large public utility's acquisition of the water or sewer utility. Removes a provision that provides that the Commission may authorize a water or sewer utility to file a surcharge which adjusts rates and charges to provide for recovery of costs associated with an investment in qualifying infrastructure plant, independent of any other matters related to the utility's revenue requirement. Makes other changes.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Restores certain provisions of the Act to the form in which they existed before Public Act 104-17 took effect. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits the payment of wages and fringe benefits for work performed under the Act that is based upon the craft and the skill level of the laborers, mechanics, or other employees who perform the work if the wages and fringe benefits are established and are paid in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement or understanding between an employer or an employer association and a bona fide labor organization for work performed of a similar character in the locality in which the work is performed. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Counties Code. In provisions concerning energy storage systems, provides that the farmland drainage plan that a facility owner must file with a county shall include, among other things, plans to repair any subsurface drainage affected during construction or deconstruction using procedures outlined in the agricultural impact mitigation agreement (rather than outlined in the decommissioning plan) and procedures for the repair and restoration of surface drainage affected during construction or deconstruction. Provides that a county shall (rather than may) require a facility owner to provide a decommissioning plan to the county. Makes changes to the requirements of a decommissioning plan. Provides that a county shall (rather than may) require the facility owner to submit to the county (i) a commercial operation a commissioning report meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; (ii) a hazard mitigation analysis meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; (iii) an emergency operations plan meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; and (iv) a warning that complies with specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association. Provides that the energy storage system owner shall enter into one agricultural impact mitigation agreement for each energy storage system. Requires the agricultural impact mitigation agreement for an energy storage system to include specified plans. Requires a commercial renewable energy facility owner to make available a copy of the signed agricultural impact mitigation agreement at the site of the commercial renewable energy facility during any construction or deconstruction activities. Makes other changes.

Creates the 340B Drug Pricing Program Reporting Act. On or before April 1, 2027 and each April 1 thereafter, requires a 340B covered entity to report the specified information and transactions to the Department of Public Health concerning the 340B covered entity's participation in or participation on behalf of the 340B covered entity in the federal 340B Program for the previous calendar year. On or before November 15, 2027 and each November 15 thereafter, requires the Department to prepare a report that aggregates the data submitted; submit the report to the General Assembly in an electronic format; and post the report on the Department's website. Provides that pharmaceutical manufacturers may request a 340B covered entity to provide specified information concerning the dispensation of 340B drugs. Sets forth provisions concerning penalties, exemptions for pharmaceutical manufacturers, and rulemaking. Provides that the Act is repealed on January 1, 2031. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that notwithstanding any other provisions of the Code, if the defendant is charged with a violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act involving the manufacture or delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance, a counterfeit substance, or controlled substance analog of 15 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl, or an analog thereof, then the burden of proof is on the defendant to show by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant's pretrial release does not pose a real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community, based on the specific articulable facts of the case.