Illinois

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections concerning executive clemency. Provides that, upon request, the Department of Corrections shall provide disciplinary records of the petitioner to the State's Attorney of the county in which the conviction had been entered. Provides that any State's Attorney provided disciplinary records of a petitioner is prohibited from disseminating the disciplinary records or their contents. Provides that the records and the information contained in the records may only be disclosed as part of a response to a petition for clemency or during a related clemency hearing. Provides that upon an application for compassionate release, the Department of Corrections shall provide the State's Attorney serving the county in which the applying petitioner's conviction was entered with a copy of the petitioner's complete disciplinary files and complete medical file and any evaluations, whether by prison medical staff or outside medical providers, which form the basis for the petitioner's application for compassionate release. Provides that the records shall remain in the exclusive possession of the State's Attorney and shall not be disclosed other than in hearings on compassionate release or written responses to the petitioner's compassionate release petition.

Amends the School Code. Requires every public elementary and high school to include in its curriculum the study of the contributions made by Latin Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the requirement during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit and make recommendations for improvement. Provides that the failure by a school district or school to comply with the requirement shall result in a written warning for the first offense, and if the school district or school continues to fail to comply with the requirements, the school district or school shall face disciplinary action at the discretion of the regional superintendent. Requires the State Superintendent of Education to prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials and professional development opportunities that may be used as guidelines for the development of a Latin American unit of study. Effective August 1, 2026.

Amends the Accident and Health Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028 shall cover a medically necessary coronary calcium scan and scoring every 36 months for individuals over the age of 40. Defines "coronary calcium scan and scoring". Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, broadband providers shall offer affordable rates to serve the needs of low-income broadband customers. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish and implement appropriate rules to ensure that low-income broadband rates are developed by broadband providers, including, but not limited to, rules establishing minimum Internet service speeds at affordable rates and setting a maximum low-income broadband rate for broadband service. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Latina and Latino history, including the history of Latinas and Latinos in Illinois and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of Latinas and Latinos toward advancing civil rights from the 19th century onward. Provides that these events shall include the contributions made by individual Latinas and Latinos in government and the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as the contributions of Latina and Latino communities to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that the studying of this material shall constitute an affirmation by students of their commitment to respect the dignity of all races and peoples and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in their lives and careers. Establishes requirements for the State Superintendent of Education, regional superintendents, and each school board concerning instructional materials and guidelines. Permits a school to meet requirements through an online program or course.

Amends the School Code. Requires each school district maintaining any elementary grades to provide its public school pupils enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8 with age-appropriate, active-transportation safety training. Sets forth the requirements for the active-transportation safety training. Allows a nonpublic school maintaining any elementary grades to provide its nonpublic school pupils enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8 with active-transportation safety training. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to maintain a comprehensive collection of active-transportation safety training materials. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act. Provides that each self-insured commercial vehicle rental company may collect and shall pay into the Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Trust Fund an amount equal to $1.00, or a lesser amount determined by the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council, multiplied by each car rental contract providing physical damage insurance coverage written by it in the State during the preceding calendar year. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Director of Corrections shall establish a 5-year pilot program in 3 institutions or facilities of the Department of Corrections to permit a committed person who has a gang tattoo to have that tattoo removed by a physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse licensed in this State or by a person who has a certificate of registration issued by the Department of Public Health under the Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Act to operate a tattoo and body piercing establishment. Provides that the institutions or facilities selected by the Director shall be provided with equipment and sanitary needs to accomplish the removal of the tattoos in a safe manner, including medical-grade cosmetic laser removal equipment. Provides that a committed person in a designated pilot institution or facility of the Department who has a gang tattoo may have that tattoo removed by an authorized person. Provides that a committed person may request training as a body artist. Establishes qualifications for that training. Provides that successful completion of the program qualifies the person as a body artist after completion of the committed person's sentence. Provides that, if the balance in the committed person's Residents' Benefit Fund is $500 or more, the moneys in the Fund shall be used to pay for the committed person's gang tattoo removal. Provides that if the balance in the committed person's Residents' Benefit Fund is less than $500, the committed person shall receive the tattoo removal free of charge. Provides that the Director shall establish reasonable costs to be charged to a committed person with at least a $500 balance in the committed person' Residents' Benefit Fund who has his or her gang tattoo removed. Defines "gang tattoo" and "tattoo".

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person convicted of a felony, after the completion of his or her sentence, including the completion of his or her parole or mandatory supervised release term, shall be eligible to be nominated for, and elected to, an elective public office. Provides that the provision does not apply to a person convicted of a felony, bribery, perjury, or other infamous crime for an offense committed while he or she was serving as a public official in the State. Defines "elective public office". Amends the Election Code and the Illinois Municipal Code to make conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act and the Public Utilities Act. Provides that "agrivoltaic system" means a ground-mounted photovoltaic solar energy system that meets the following criteria: (1) the applicable farm plan and the system have been intentionally designed with agricultural producers, agrivoltaics experts, or both agricultural producers and agrivoltaics experts; (2) the system is constructed, installed, and operated to achieve an integrated and simultaneous production of both solar energy and current or future marketable agricultural products, including all products and activities described in the definition of "production agriculture" in the Use Tax Act and apiaries if the apiary is paired with another qualifying marketable agricultural product, by an agricultural producer; (3) the agricultural production of the system occur on land beneath or between rows of solar panels; and (4) the agricultural production of the system begins as soon as agronomically feasible and optimal for the agricultural producer after the commercial operation date of the solar panels and continues until decommissioning. Provides that "agrivoltaic system" does not include a system that has a pollinator habitat as the sole dual use of the system.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2027, certain services shall be eligible for reimbursement at approved programs through the Brain Injury waiver for eligible individuals over the age of 21, including, but not limited to: (1) case management; (2) nursing services; (3) medical oversight by consulting medical director; (4) physical therapy; and (5) occupational therapy. Requires the Department of Human Services to reimburse approved programs at the rates in effect for the Home and Community-Based Services Waiver program most recently approved. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to intimidate, threaten, coerce, use violence or force, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, coerce, or use violence or force against: (1) an election worker in the performance or discharge of his or her election-related duties; or (2) an individual who is lawfully present at a polling place or a location where a canvass of votes is conducted. Provides that any person who violates the provision is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense committed within 3 years of a previous conviction for the same offense.

Declares March 2026 as Women's History Month in the State of Illinois. Honors the achievements and contributions of women throughout the State of Illinois, the United States, and the world. Encourages citizens to recognize and celebrate the women in their lives and communities whose dedication, service, and leadership strengthen our State and nation.

Amends the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange Law. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Election Code. Repeals provisions that prohibit a person that is serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution from voting until his or her release from confinement. Further amends the Election Code and amends the Unified Code of Corrections making conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group health plan or an accident and health insurer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall not discriminate with respect to participation under the plan or coverage against any health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider's license or certification under applicable State law. Provides that nothing in the provisions shall be construed as preventing a group health plan, an accident and health insurer, or the Director of Insurance from establishing varying reimbursement rates based on quality or performance measures.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, effective December 31, 2029, no person shall manufacture or accept for sale a personal care product that contains nonbiodegradable plastic glitter. Specifies that, until December 31, 2030, a person may continue to accept for sale an existing stock of personal care products containing nonbiodegradable plastic glitter that was acquired and transported into the State before December 31, 2029. Defines "nonbiodegradable plastic glitter". Effective January 1, 2028.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the sentence credit for various offenses in which the prisoner could receive no more than 7.5 days sentence credit for each month of his or her sentence of imprisonment shall be changed to one day of sentence credit for each day of his or her sentence of imprisonment. Provides that each day of sentence credit shall reduce by one day the prisoner's period of imprisonment or recommitment. Provides that the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice shall recalculate the release dates for sentences under this provision within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that the maximum fine that may be levied against any licensee shall not exceed $20,000 per violation (instead of the maximum fine that may be levied against any licensee, for the period of the license, shall not exceed $20,000). Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that "community health center" means a migrant health center, community health center, health care program for the homeless or for residents of public housing supported under the federal Public Health Service Act, or FQHC, including an FQHC Look-Alike, as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that operates at least one federally designated primary health care delivery site in Illinois. Provides that "physician" means a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all of its branches and does not include a chiropractic physician. In provisions concerning acts constituting the practice of dental hygiene, provides that a public health dental hygienist may not administer local anesthesia except as provided in the amendatory provisions. Provides that a dental hygienist practicing in a community health center may administer local anesthetics upon the successful completion of a training program approved by the Department and under the general supervision of a dentist as long as the community health center: (i) has adopted written policies and procedures establishing supervision by a dentist or physician at the time the local anesthetics are administered, and (ii) ensures that a dentist or physician is physically present in the clinic at the time the local anesthetics are administered.

Amends the Cemetery Maintenance District Act. Provides that, on January 1, 2027, all cemetery associations in the State shall be incorporated as cemetery maintenance districts subject to the Act. Provides that the initial territory incorporated in a district shall be the land the cemetery association operated as a cemetery on the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the Cemetery Association Act to make conforming changes. Repeals the Cemetery Association Act on January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that an election authority may elect to mail a vote by mail ballot to all qualified voters instead of sending notices and applications for permanent vote by mail status. Requires the election authority to make a list of all voters to whom the vote by mail ballots will be sent, publicly post that list, and send the list to the State Board of Elections. Provides that a person who has never voted before may not be sent a vote by mail ballot under the provisions unless the person first provides the election authority with sufficient proof of identity and the election authority verifies the person's proof of identity. Provides that a person may request, in writing, to the election authority that the person not receive a ballot sent under the provisions. Provides that the election authority shall keep a record of a person who has made a request and, in all future elections following receipt of the request, shall instead send the person who made the request a notice and application for permanent vote by mail status.

Amends the School Code. Requires a policy on bullying to establish escalating interventions for students who engage in known, pervasive, and persistent bullying. Provides that in the event of the death by suicide of a student enrolled in a school district, the school district shall initiate a complete and transparent investigation to determine whether bullying or harassment related to the educational environment played a contributing role; sets forth investigation requirements. Requires the school district, upon completion of the investigation, to prepare a written investigative report summarizing findings, conclusions, and recommended corrective actions; sets forth report requirements. Allows the State Board of Education to review the report for compliance and to require a corrective action plan or an additional review if deficiencies are identified.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, if a public employer files a petition to review an award of an arbitrator of the Commission, the award shall draw interest, retroactive to the date of the injury, at a rate equal to 10% or at a rate equal to the yield on indebtedness issued by the United States Government with a 26-week maturity next previously auctioned on the day on which the decision is filed, whichever is greater. Sets forth limitations on interest assessed under the provision. Defines "public employer". Effective July 1, 2026.