Illinois

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a Manufacturing Promise Scholarship Program to award scholarships to State residents who are enrolled in a public community college or other program with a major in manufacturing or a skilled trade. Provides that, subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for a scholarship. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a scholarship if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that the Commission shall reserve 20% of the amount appropriated in a given fiscal year for students who are from underrepresented areas. Provides that the Commission shall make scholarships available to traditional college-aged students, adults, and non-traditional students. Provides that an applicant who receives a scholarship may not be required to return scholarship funds. Provides for rulemaking.

Amends the Medical Patient Rights Act. Provides that every health care facility in this State shall permit the next of kin of a patient who is on life support to remain with the patient, at the patient's bedside, irrespective of regular hours of visitation. Provides that health care facilities may institute reasonable policies, including reasonable requirements that promote the health, safety, and welfare of the next of kin, the patient, and the employees and other patients of the health care facility without revoking the basic right afforded to the next of kin of a patient who is on life support. Defines "next of kin".

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. In provisions concerning High Impact Businesses, adds utility-scale brownfield site photovoltaic projects and over 5,000 kilowatts and utility-scale solar projects to High Impact Businesses that may be located, at the time of designation, in an enterprise zone. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Provides that "brownfield site photovoltaic project" includes photovoltaics that are interconnected to an electric utility, a municipal utility, a public utility, or an electric cooperative, where at least 50% of the acreage occupied by the photovoltaics is located on the property regulated under specified United States Environmental Protection Agency or Illinois Environmental Protection Agency programs. Makes other changes

Amends the Level of Lake Michigan Act. Requires a municipality that receives water from Lake Michigan to use the revenue from the sale of the water from Lake Michigan for the operation and maintenance of the municipality's drinking water infrastructure. Requires a municipality that receives water from Lake Michigan to follow guidance published by the American Water Works Association when establishing the rates at which the municipality sells the water from Lake Michigan.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Illinois Competitiveness and Innovation Working Group within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Sets forth the membership of the Working Group. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall review and propose a megaproject incentive framework for the State, including performance-based tax credits, capital assistance, and workforce training tools. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall continue to conduct annual international trade missions to priority markets. Provides for a statewide tourism connectivity plan. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish certain grant programs. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall monitor and annually report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the affordability, reliability, and capacity of energy for industrial users.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education may provide statewide guidance to school districts concerning a workforce development curriculum or programming or both that can be adopted at the school district, school, or classroom level and that provides best practices for teaching artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other types of rapidly growing technologies as deemed necessary, in a manner that prepares students for workforce, job, and career competencies in the future and informs students of new or growing job or career opportunities in these new fields. Provides that the State Board shall prepare a comprehensive review of any workforce development preparation curriculum and programming specifically designed around technology implemented or considered in other states through other state actions, policies, pilot programs, or school-based programs implemented or tested on a statewide or school-district basis. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may convene meetings with stakeholders from the public or private sector in preparing the guidance and may allow for the submission of public comments from individuals, organizations, or other entities prior to finalizing the prepared guidance.

Amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Provides that any covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not be enforceable with respect to individuals employed as health care professionals, regardless of whether an individual is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act. With regard to the retirement systems established under the General Assembly, State Employees, State Universities, Downstate Teachers, or Judges Article of the Code and the Illinois State Board of Investment, prohibits direct investment of any additional pension assets in the stocks, securities, or other obligations of any fossil fuel company or any subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of a fossil fuel company. Provides that each board of trustees of a pension system shall ensure the pension system does not make further indirect investments unless, upon exercising due diligence, the board of trustees is satisfied that the investment vehicle is unlikely to have more than 2% of its assets invested in fossil fuel companies. Requires pension system trustees to identify the pension system's holdings, whether directly or indirectly invested, including private investments. Requires pension system trustees to identify holdings that are invested in the stocks, securities, equities, fixed income, corporate bonds, prime commercial paper, or other obligations of fossil fuel companies. Requires pension systems to, in accordance with sound investment criteria and consistent with fiduciary obligations, divest any fossil fuel holdings, which must be completed by January 1, 2030. Requires pension systems to adopt an update to their written investment policies if necessary. Requires each pension system to disclose the analytic methods used, if any, in determining the climate-related financial risks posed by its fossil fuel investments (both publicly traded and private investments) and the results of the analysis. Sets forth provisions concerning definitions, de minimis exposure to fossil fuel securities, and annual reporting. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Radio and Television Grant Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Public Media Grant Act. Provides that public, educational, and government access channels are included in the grant program under the Act. Makes changes concerning the distribution of grants under the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that only tow truck operators holding a valid current license or registration issued by the Illinois Commerce Commission may obtain registration plates for tow trucks, as long as: (1) each light-duty tow truck is equipped as a self-loader or a flatbed truck; (2) each medium-duty tow truck is equipped as a wrecker, a flatbed or a self-loader or combination truck; and (3) each heavy-duty tow truck or tractor is equipped as a wrecker truck. Provides that upon revocation of any such license or registration issued by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the tow truck operator shall immediately surrender the registration plates to the Secretary of State.

Mourns the passing of Mia Webster-Cross.

Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides for the licensure of consolidated transport centers. Specifies requirements for consolidated transport centers, including operating documents, security plans, facility requirements, plant monitoring, prohibitions on ownership, and prohibitions on offering things of value to certain persons and licensees. Provides that cannabis business entities shall adhere to the traceability and consumer protection guidelines established by the Department of Agriculture when utilizing the cannabis plant monitoring system or cannabis transport GPS tracking system. Provides that entities awarded a transporting license may defer paying the associated license fee for a period of no more than 3 years. Provides that all products received and shipped to and from a consolidated transport center shall be tracked within the cannabis plant monitoring system. Provides that a craft grower or infuser may enter into a contract with a transporting organization to transport cannabis to a consolidated transport center or a different transporting organization at the consolidated transport center. Provides that no person, cannabis business establishment, or entity other than a licensed transportation organization shall transport cannabis or cannabis-infused products on behalf of a cannabis business establishment to or from a consolidated transport center, unless otherwise authorized by rule. Makes other changes. Authorizes emergency rulemaking. Makes a conforming change in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Common Interest Community Act. Specifies which records of a common interest community association must be provided to a unit owner upon request. Specifies records that may not be disclosed. Requires a board to maintain a secure website accessible only to unit owners and their authorized agents so that they may download the association's records in an electronic format at no cost. Provides that a board has no obligation to produce electronic records otherwise if it maintains the accessible, secure website. Provides that if the unit owner requests the records to be delivered in paper and the association has a photocopy machine available where the records are maintained, it must provide unit owners with copies on request during the inspection if the entire request is limited to no more than 25 pages. Provides that the board may charge up to 25 cents per page for copies made on the association's photocopier if more than 25 pages. Provides that a board must allow a unit owner to use a portable device capable of scanning or taking photographs to make an electronic copy of the official records at no cost in lieu of the board's providing the unit owner with a copy of records. Provides that the board may impose fees to cover the costs of providing paper copies of the records if the time spent retrieving and copying the records exceeds one-half hour and if the personnel costs do not exceed $20 per hour and the personnel costs may not be charged for records requests that result in the copying of 25 or fewer pages. Authorizes the board to adopt reasonable written rules governing the frequency, time, location, notice, records to be inspected, and manner of inspections with some limitations. Provides that the board must make available to unit owners or their authorized agents on a quarterly basis on its secure website any transactions that the board has entered into, to include, but not be limited to, contracts, signed proposals, proof of payments, and final inspections of parcels in the association. Makes other changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that dark stores shall be assessed as active properties. Defines "dark store". Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, for each violation of a provision of the Code or a local ordinance recorded by an automated traffic law enforcement system, the county or municipality having jurisdiction shall issue a written notice of the violation to the registered owner of the vehicle who shall be liable for the violation unless otherwise provided. Provides that the notice shall be delivered to the registered vehicle owner within 30 days after the municipality or county confirms the identity of the owner of the vehicle (rather than 30 days after the Secretary of State notifies the municipality or county of the identity of the owner of the vehicle), but in no event later than 90 days after the violation. Provides that there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a school bus was stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging pupils and the visual signals were in operation on the school bus when recorded images produced by an automated traffic law enforcement system show: (1) an activated stop signal arm; and (2) an electronic indicator indicating activation of school bus visual signals. Provides that the motor vehicle owner is subject to a mandatory civil penalty of $300 (rather than a penalty not exceeding $150) for a first time violation or $1,000 (rather than a penalty not exceeding $500) for a second or subsequent violation. Provides that the compensation paid for an automated traffic law enforcement system may not be based exclusively on the number of traffic citations issued or the revenue generated by the system. Provides that the driver of a vehicle upon a highway divided by a raised median or physical barrier (rather than a highway having 4 or more lanes which permits at least 2 lanes of traffic to travel in opposite directions) need not stop such vehicle upon meeting a school bus which is stopped in the opposing roadway across the divided highway.

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In a provision permitting an interactive video conference in establishing a quorum for a local workforce investment area in an open meeting of that public body, with certain conditions, adds that a tourism board, convention center board, or civic center board also is permitted to use an interactive video conference in establishing a quorum, with the same conditions. In a provision exempting a local workforce innovation area, with certain conditions, from requirements to be physically present at the location of a closed meeting, adds the same exemption for a tourism board, convention center board, or civic center board, with the same conditions. In a provision exempting a local workforce innovation area, with certain conditions, from limitations regarding attendance by members of a public body by a means other than physical presence, adds the same exemption for a tourism board, convention center board, or civic center board, with the same conditions. Replaces references to "local workforce innovation areas" with references to "local workforce investment areas" in provisions regarding exemptions from requirements to be physically present at the location of a closed meeting and exemptions from limitations regarding attendance by other than physical presence.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the State Finance Act. Provides for a sales tax holiday on school supplies during the first 7 days of August of each calendar year. Effective immediately.

Amends the People Over Parking Act. Provides that the Act applies to municipalities with a population of more than 2,000,000 (rather than all units of local government). Effective June 1, 2026.

Amends the Probation Community Service Act. Provides that the court may give credit toward the fulfillment of community service hours for participation in activities and treatment as determined by court services.

Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides that from the tax revenue from riverboat or casino gambling deposited into the State Gaming Fund, an additional amount equal to 0.50% of the adjusted gross receipts generated by a riverboat in the City of Waukegan shall be divided and remitted monthly to the Lake County State's Attorney Office for the Lake County State's Attorney's Gun Violence Prevention Initiative and community violence intervention partners with at least 0.40% directly funding the Lake County State's Attorney's Gun Violence Prevention Initiative.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall issue an annual Freestanding Emergency Center license to a facility if the facility complies with specified requirements, except that: (i) the Freestanding Emergency Center may be located in a municipality with a population greater than 50,000 inhabitants and (ii) the Freestanding Emergency Center may, if operated as provider-based under specified federal regulations, describe itself or hold itself out to the general public as a hospital emergency department in its advertising and marketing activities.

Amends the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides that a health insurance issuer may not require prior authorization for: a prescription drug prescribed to a patient by a health care professional for 6 or more consecutive months, regardless of whether the prescription drug is a non-preferred medication pursuant to the patient's health insurance coverage; the following prescription drugs or the therapeutic equivalent approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration: insulin; human immunodeficiency virus prevention medication; human immunodeficiency virus treatment medication; viral hepatitis medication; estrogen; and progesterone; or human immunodeficiency virus pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration; Truvada; Harvoni; Descovy; and Apretude.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Allows a licensed lottery sales agent to enter into an agreement with a third-party entity to assist with processing the sale of lottery tickets on behalf of the licensed lottery sales agent. Requires the licensed sales agent to provide a copy of agreement to the Lottery Control Board within 5 business days of execution. Requires the agreement to include at least the following: (1) terminal usage cannot be commingled at the location; (2) a ticket may only be sold to a person physically located in the State; (3) a third-party entity shall not share or sell user data to an entity unaffiliated with the retailer or third-party entity; and (4) the third-party entity shall adhere to all rules established by the Board related to the sale of lottery tickets. Effective immediately.

Creates the Agricultural Protection Area Act. Directs the Department of Agriculture to establish and administer a voluntary statewide program for the creation and recognition of agricultural protection areas and to adopt rules. Authorizes the Department to appoint an Agricultural Protection Area Commission to advise the Department and to make recommendations on applications to designate land as an agricultural protection area. Provides procedures for review of an initial application to designate land as an agricultural protection area, for renewal after 20 years, and for adding land to or removing land from an agricultural protection area. Requires recording of agricultural protection areas. Limits local regulations within agricultural protection areas and limits home rule powers and functions. Declares that agricultural activities within an agricultural protection area are not a public nuisance. Restricts eminent domain for nonagricultural purposes. Declares findings. Defines terms.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Adds to the definition of "community college benefit recipient" a person who is receiving retirement income from a self-managed plan account under the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code and who meets other requirements. Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In the definition of "retire" and "retirement", provides that a participant in the self-managed plan retires, and the participant's retirement begins, when the participant is eligible for retirement under the Article, and the Retirement System Reciprocal Act (Article 20 of the Code) if applicable, and the participant begins receiving retirement income from the participant's self-managed plan account.