Illinois

Amends the Notice by Publication Act. Provides that when any notice is required by law, court order, or by any contract, to be published in a newspaper, it is considered to be in compliance with the publication requirements if published in an online news media or digital news media platform as long as the media or platform serves the locale in which the notice is required to be published. "Online news media" or "digital news platform" means any website or digital platform that is regularly updated with content at least 5 days per week, has maintained this frequency of publication for no less than one year, and serves the geographic area relevant to the notice. Provides that the provision applies to all notices required to be published on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Corrections Family Notification Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall notify all approved visitors of a committed person when that person is: (1) placed in restrictive housing; (2) removed from restrictive housing; (3) housed in a unit subject to lockdown; or (4) returned to normal operations following a lockdown. Establishes the contents of the notification. Provides that no security-sensitive details shall be disclosed. Provides that notification shall be provided via email and SMS text message, if the visitor opts in. Provides that the Department shall maintain an online portal for visitors to update contact information and select preferred notification methods. Provides that notification of the end of confinement or lockdown must be sent within 2 hours of normal operations resuming. Provides that if a notification is sent in error, the Department shall issue a corrected notification within 2 hours of identifying the error. Provides that the Department shall publish an annual report summarizing compliance. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules necessary to implement the provision, including: (1) visitor contact management; (2) communication protocols; and (3) data privacy protections. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Changes the child support formula for shared physical care. Provides that if each parent exercises 3,504 hours or more (now, 146 or more overnights) per year with the child, the basic child support obligation is multiplied by 1.5 to calculate the shared care child support obligation.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that, upon receipt of a petition for forfeiture prior to trial seeking the permanent forfeiture of a seized companion animal, the court shall set a hearing on the petition. Further provides that the permanent forfeiture of the companion animals seized shall be conducted within 14 days after the filing of the petition, or as soon as practicable, but not more than 45 days after the filing of the petition.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the County Board in each county, except in counties having a population of 3,000,000 inhabitants or over, shall, at its regular meeting in June or an adjourned meeting in July, divide its election precincts so that each precinct shall contain, as near as may be practicable, 1,800 registered voters (rather than 1,200 registered voters). Provides that the Board of Election Commissioners shall change the boundaries of election precincts after each decennial census as soon as is practicable following the completion of congressional and legislative redistricting and such precincts shall contain as nearly as practicable 1,800 registered voters (rather than 1,200 registered voters if the precinct is located in a county with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants; or 1,800 registered voters if the precinct is located in a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants). Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes the definition of "gambling device" to include any vending or other electronic machine or device, including, without limitation, a machine or device that awards credits and contains a circuit, meter, or switch capable of removing and recording the removal of credits that offers a person entry into any contest, competition, sweepstakes, scheme, plan, or other selection process that involves or is dependent upon an element of chance for which the person may receive a gift, award, or other item or service of value if that offer is incidental to or results from: (A) the purchase of an item or service of value; or (B) the purchase or gratuitous receipt of a coupon, voucher, certificate, or other similar credit that can be redeemed for or applied towards an item or service of value from such machine or device or elsewhere. Provides that participants in a game of skill or chance where money or other things of value can be won but no payment or purchase is required to participate shall not be convicted of gambling except where participation in such game of skill or chance is accomplished using a gambling device prohibited by these changes to the definition. Provides that a gambling offense involving such a gambling device is a Class 4 felony. Amends the Video Gaming Act. Removes a provision allowing for the use of a game device without a license if the game device is used in an activity that is not gambling under the Criminal Code of 2012. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes changes to Tier 2 benefits, including changing the amount of the automatic annual increases for the General Assembly and Judges Articles, changing the limit on the amount of salary for annuity purposes to the Social Security wage base, and changing the calculation of final average salary and the retirement age for certain persons. Makes changes concerning eligibility for the alternative retirement annuity under the State Employees Article. Adopts the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act (Article 20 of the Code) for the Downstate Police, Downstate Firefighter, Chicago Police, and Chicago Firefighter Articles. Authorizes SLEP status under IMRF for certain persons. Makes changes to the funding formula for the 5 State-funded retirement systems and the downstate police and downstate firefighter pension funds. Makes changes to the retirement age under the Downstate Firefighter Article. Establishes a deferred retirement option plan under the Chicago Police Article and the Downstate Police Article. Makes other changes. Amends the Budget Stabilization Act to make transfers to the Pension Stabilization Fund for fiscal years 2030 through 2049. Amends the General Obligation Bond Act. Provides that each fiscal year after certain State pension funding bonds and income tax proceed bonds are retired, the State Treasurer and the State Comptroller shall transfer $250,000,000 to the Pension Unfunded Liability Reduction Fund, which shall be used for making additional contributions to the 5 State-funded retirement systems and the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund, and $250,000,000 to the Local Government Distributive Fund. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Transportation to create an intercity bus program. Provides that the Department shall plan for and implement intercity bus routes that (i) add missing frequencies to existing passenger rail routes, (ii) begin frequent departures throughout the day in advance of Amtrak service, and (iii) add smaller towns into the network. Requires bus schedules to be coordinated with intercity and commuter trains so that passengers can conveniently connect between buses and trains. Provides that passengers shall be able to purchase a single ticket for journeys combining intercity buses and intercity trains. Provides that bus-only tickets shall be available for purchase from the same ticketing system used by intercity trains. Allows the Department to implement the program by (i) contracting directly with intercity bus carriers through competitive bids, (ii) contracting through Amtrak's Thruway bus program, or (iii) contract directly with a local transit authority within the State.

Creates the Higher Education Enrollment Fraud Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to convene a working group to develop policies and procedures for institutions of higher education to prevent fraudulent enrollment in online courses for the purpose of gaining access to financial aid, campus information technology systems, and student support services. Requires each institution of higher education to complete an annual cybersecurity self-assessment of its information technology infrastructure to determine its Information Technology Laboratory score and annually report local and systemwide technology and data security measures that support improved oversight of fraud mitigation, online learning quality, and cybersecurity efforts to the Board. Requires the self-assessment and report to be submitted to the Board by December 15, 2026 and each December 15 thereafter and the Board to compile a report of these submissions and submit that report to the General Assembly by January 15, 2027 and each January 15 thereafter. Includes other information an institution of higher education must submit related to enrollment fraud. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires the Illinois Investment Policy Board to make its best efforts to identify all for-profit companies that contract to shelter incarcerated or detained persons and to include those companies in the list of restricted companies for purposes of investment distributed to each retirement system and the Illinois State Board of Investment. Provides that an exception to divestment requirements for investments that are equal to or less than 0.5% of the market value of all assets under management by the retirement does not apply to investments in for-profit companies that contract to shelter incarcerated or detained persons. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Public Funds Investment Act. Provides that a municipality with a population of 500,000 or more or a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more shall not invest public funds in an investment instrument issued by for-profit companies that contract to shelter incarcerated or detained persons. Requires such a municipality or county to instruct its investment advisors to sell, redeem, divest, or withdraw all holdings of a for-profit company that enters into a contract to shelter incarcerated or detained persons from the local government's assets under management in an orderly and fiduciarily responsible manner within 12 months after the company's most recent appearance on the list of restricted companies published by the Illinois Investment Policy Board. Effective immediately.

Amends the Common Interest Community Association Act and the Condominium Property Act. Prohibits an association in both Acts from requiring permission before a unit owner removes Illinois designated noxious weeds and Illinois designated exotic weeds as designated by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that any provision in the association's community instruments requiring permission is null and void.

Amends the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975. Provides that before the effective date of the amendatory Act, the additional organization license, issued by the Illinois Racing Board for standardbred racing to a racetrack located in specified townships of Cook County, shall not be issued within a 35-mile radius of another organization license issued by the Board, unless the person having operating control of such racetrack has given written consent to the organization licensee application, which consent must be filed with the Board at or prior to the time application is made. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to collect data related to the operation and performance of certified community behavioral health clinics. Requires the Department to contract with a statewide behavioral health association that represents more than 75% of the certified community behavioral health clinics operating within the State to serve as the State's official entity responsible for analyzing and reporting data collected by the Department. Establishes data analysis and reporting requirements for the statewide behavioral health association, including the annual Illinois Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Statewide Performance Report. Requires the Department to provide sufficient funds for the statewide behavioral health association to meet its requirements. Grants rulemaking authority to the Department. Effective immediately.

Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, the statewide surcharge shall be $2.50 per connection.

Amends the Vital Records Act. Provides that, as part of an investigation by a coroner or medical examiner, the coroner or medical examiner shall collect social information about the decedent to limit instances of misidentification, including, but not limited to, the decedent's manner of dress, relevant information about the area where the decedent was found, and any inconsistency in official records.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Requires a licensed veterinarian to examine each dog or cat that is imported into the State from another state by an animal shelter or an animal control facility and provide an examination document to the animal shelter or animal control facility. Provides that, for such dogs or cats, the animal shelter or animal control facility must provide the examination document provided by the licensed veterinarian to the adopter prior to the time of adoption.

Amends the Smart Start Illinois Act. Sets forth eligibility requirements for Smart Start Workforce Grants. Provides that a grant applicant must: (i) be a licensed day care home, day care center, or group day care home as of the month prior to the applicant submitting an application and maintain the applicable license for the duration of the grant; (ii) regularly provide year-round child care; (iii) meet minimum enrollment levels for children whose care is paid for by the Child Care Assistance Program, child care subsidies for foster child care, or military child care subsidies. Provides that if an applicant does not meet the minimum enrollment requirements under the Child Care Assistance Program, the applicant may qualify if the applicant maintains specified enrollment levels for children with an individualized education program or children who are English learners. Sets forth the eligibility requirements for licensed day care centers applying for a Smart Start Workforce Grant. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Special License Plates and Special License Plate Stickers Article of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that each special license plate that the Secretary is required to issue to a second division vehicle weighing 8,000 pounds or less shall also be issued to a second division vehicle weighing between 8,001 and 10,000 pounds.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that an oral, written, or sign language confession of a person made as a result of a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act is presumed to be inadmissible as evidence against the person making the confession in a criminal proceeding for an act that would be a misdemeanor offense under the Sex Offenses Article of the Criminal Code of 2012 or a felony offense under the Criminal Code of 2012 if, during the custodial interrogation, a law enforcement officer knowingly engages in deception. Provides that the presumption of inadmissibility of a confession of a person at a custodial interrogation at a police station or other place of detention, when such confession is procured through the knowing use of deception, may be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence that the confession was voluntarily given, based on the totality of the circumstances. Provides that the burden of going forward with the evidence and the burden of proving that a confession was voluntary is on the State. Provides that objection to the failure of the State to call all material witnesses on the issue of whether the confession was voluntary must be made in the trial court. Defines terms.

Amends the Hospital Services Trust Fund Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to pay safety-net hospitals a low volume add-on payment of $200 for each inpatient General Acute and Psychiatric day of care, removes the December 31, 2026 sunset date for such add-on payments. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. Provides that a power of attorney not otherwise invalidated or revoked is suspended on the appointment of the Office of State Guardian or public guardian as a temporary, limited, or plenary guardian of the principal. Provides that after the appointment the court may revoke a power of attorney only if the named agent or successor agent under the power of attorney received notice of a petition for guardianship of the principal in accordance with the Probate Act of 1975, and that the agent failed to assert authority as agent before appointment of the Office of State Guardian or public guardian. Provides that if an agent or successor agent under a power of attorney does not receive notice of the petition for guardianship of the principal or an individual does not know that the individual was named as an agent or successor agent under a power of attorney for the principal, that agent, successor agent, or individual may petition the court presiding over the guardianship to lift the suspension of the agency upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that it is in the principal's best interests to reinstate the agency so that the agent, successor agent, or individual may act in accordance with the terms of the agency. Provides that notice of a petition to lift the suspension of the agency and a copy of the petition shall be given to the guardian, the person with a disability, to those persons whose names and addresses are listed in the petition for guardianship under the Probate Act of 1975, and any guardian ad litem not less than 14 days before the hearing.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in specified provisions of law, a person serving a term of imprisonment, including terms of natural life, in a Department of Corrections institution or facility is eligible for earned reentry. Provides that for the first year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 35 consecutive years. Provides that for the second year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 25 consecutive years. Provides that for the third year following the effective date of the amendatory Act and each year thereafter, a person is eligible for earned reentry if he or she has served a term of imprisonment of at least 20 consecutive years. Provides that hearings for earned reentry shall be administered by the Prisoner Review Board. Establishes procedures for the hearing. Removes provision that no person serving a term of natural life imprisonment may be paroled or released except through executive clemency. Provides that if any incarcerated person is released on earned reentry, his or her sentence shall be considered complete after the term of mandatory supervised release. Applies retroactively. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to delay parole or mandatory supervised release consideration for petitioners who are or will be eligible for release earlier than the provision provides. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed as a limit, substitution, or bar on a person's right to sentencing relief, or any other manner of relief, obtained by order of a court in proceedings other than as provided in the provision. Contains a severability provision. Defines "earned reentry". Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning coverage for cleft lip and cleft palate, provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for the medically necessary care and treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate for children or adults (instead of only for children under the age of 19). Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Includes the care and treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate in provisions concerning coverage for dental services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for a taxpayer who owns, operates, or manages a hotel. Provides that the amount of the credit is equal to 25% of the qualified renovation expenditures incurred during the taxable year, subject to specified limitations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Time Standardization Act. Provides that daylight saving time shall be the year-round standard time of the entire State. Makes other changes.