Illinois

Amends the Installment Sales Contract Act. Changes the definition of "seller" under the Act to mean an individual or legal entity that possesses a legal or beneficial interest in real estate and that enters into an installment sales contract more than 3 times during a continuous 12-month period to sell residential real estate. Provides that the Installment Sales Contract Act applies only to contracts entered into once an individual or legal entity has qualified as a seller. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that applicants who are 21 years of age or older may not be required to obtain any collegiate-level education or a collegiate level degree as a prerequisite to take an examination for a position as a policeman or for appointment to active duty with the police department. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the School Code. Establishes within the State Board of Education the shortage differential salary incentive program to support licensed teachers who provide instruction in special education and hard-to-staff locations. Sets forth the various shortage differential grants under the program based on specified criteria. Provides that teachers who receive an annual shortage differential grant for being assigned to a position in a hard-to-staff location shall be assigned to a position in: (1) a complex area identified as a hard-to-staff location by a school district; (2) a complex area whose rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program has been below this State's average rate of teachers who have completed a State-approved educator preparation program for the last 3 years; (3) a geographically isolated complex area; or (4) a complex area whose combined number of vacant teaching positions and emergency hires was higher than 10% in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that any amendment to a budget implementation bill or to an omnibus appropriations bill must be reported to the applicable appropriations committee of each chamber of the General Assembly at least 2 business days before being heard in any committee. Effective immediately.

Creates the Educational Choice for Illinois Children Act. Contains legislative findings. Provides that the State Board of Education, in coordination with the Department of Revenue, shall establish and approve a list of scholarship granting organizations that meet the requirements of Section 70411 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to facilitate opting the State of Illinois into the school choice tax credit provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the Healthy Soils Task Force Act. Establishes the Healthy Soils Task Force in the Department of Agriculture, with specified members. Provides timelines for initial appointments and the first meeting. Lists duties of the Task Force. Allows the Task Force to consult with specified agencies and entities. Requires the Task Force to submit a report on or before December 31, 2027. Dissolves the Task Force and repeals the Act on July 1, 2028. Makes findings. Defines terms.

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 a person shall not be convicted of gambling if the person participates 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, except where conducted through the use of a gambling device or by means of the Internet. 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 Children and Family Services Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, if a municipality adopts zoning regulations, then the zoning regulations adopted by the municipality must include a minimum of 5 of 14 specified housing strategies, applicable to the majority of the area where residential development is permitted in the municipality. Provides that, if a municipality has adopted one of the specified housing strategies before the effective date of the amendatory Act, then the housing strategy is considered adopted. Provides that, if a municipality adopts a housing strategy that satisfies 2 or more of the specified housing strategies, then only one strategy may be considered to have been adopted for purposes of compliance with the requirements added by the Amendatory Act.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with a population of 200,000 or more that classify property, any residential property used in whole or in part as a short-term rental accommodation for 30 or more days in any year shall be assessed on the same basis of assessment as commercial property

Amends the Task Force on Internationally-Licensed Health Care Professionals Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Safe Voting Act. Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person who, in good faith, attends a polling place, ballot drop box, or election authority for the purpose of casting a vote, including early voting, or submitting a vote by mail ballot, and is legally qualified under the laws of this State to cast the vote or submit the ballot, is privileged from civil arrest while going to, remaining at, and returning from the polling place, ballot drop box, or election authority. Sets forth provisions concerning civil damages and limitation of the provision.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, with regard to all applicants who meet the household income and other qualifications set forth for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, and notwithstanding any other law, for property tax bills prepared for tax year 2026 and thereafter, the county collector shall bill the eligible household an amount that shall not exceed the property tax bill for the same household for the prior tax year. Provides an exception to the level tax billing privilege when an assessed improvement is made by the owner or occupant of the real property. Provides that eligibility for level property tax billing is contingent upon the household's continuing eligibility for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.

Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Specifies that, for purposes of the Act, the term "sports event" includes any awards show. Provides that "awards show" means the Emmy Awards Show, the Grammy Awards Show, the Academy Awards Show, the Tony Awards Show, or any other live competition or talent contest. Grants rulemaking and emergency rulemaking powers to the Illinois Gaming Board to authorize wagering on awards shows. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the rate of tax on individuals, trusts, and estates shall be (i) 4.5667% of the taxpayer's net income for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026 and ending before January 1, 2027, (ii) 4.1833% of the taxpayer's net income for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027 and ending before January 1, 2028, and (iii) 3.8% of the taxpayer's net income for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2028 (currently, 4.95%). Provides that the rate of tax for corporations is (i) 6.3% of the taxpayer's net income for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026 and ending before January 1, 2027, (ii) 5.6% of the taxpayer's net income for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027 and ending before January 1, 2028, and (iii) 4.9% of the taxpayer's net income for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person committed to the Department of Corrections who is paid wages performing a work assignment must receive a rate of compensation that is not less than the minimum wage required under the Minimum Wage Law.

Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all subcontractors and subrecipients who receive State grants, whether directly or indirectly, are subject to the provisions of the Act, including auditing by the Auditor General and the transparency provisions of the Act.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that if the court enters an order for the detention of the defendant pursuant to the denial of pretrial release provisions of the Code, the defendant shall be brought to trial on the offense in accordance with the speedy trial provisions of the Code (rather than brought to trial for the offense for which he is detained within 90 days after the date on which the order for detention was entered). Deletes the provision that if the defendant is not brought to trial within the 90-day period, he or she shall not be denied pretrial release.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. In the provisions concerning disability history and awareness, requires a school district to also provide instruction on disability awareness and inclusion education. Provides that the instruction on disability history and awareness shall include: (1) grade-appropriate content on understanding different disabilities and accessible practices; (2) peer inclusion training and collaborative classroom projects promoting interaction between students with and without disabilities; (3) hands-on workshops; (4) school-wide programming during March; and (5) recognition systems for students, classes, and schools demonstrating exemplary inclusion practices.

Amends the Motor Vehicle Franchise Act. Provides that it shall be deemed a violation for a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, or other specified entity to distribute new motor vehicles directly to consumers or to circumvent franchise distribution obligations under the Act. Provides that a manufacturer, common entity, or distributor, other than a manufacturer or distributor that was lawfully licensed to sell new motor vehicles directly to customers in the State before January 1, 2022, shall not own or operate a dealership or directly sell new vehicles in the State. Provides that it shall be deemed a violation for any manufacturer with an established franchise dealer network in the State to engage in the sale, lease, or servicing of new motor vehicles in a manner that bypasses or competes with the manufacturer's existing franchisee network. Makes conforming and other changes. Defines terms.

Amends the Public Building Commission Act. Makes a technical change to a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that when determining which conditions reasonably ensure the appearance of the defendant as required or the safety of any other person or persons of the community, the court shall consider the ability of the court or pretrial services to effectively monitor the defendant's compliance with the conditions of pretrial release that are imposed. Provides that upon verified application by the defendant, the court before which the proceeding is pending may reconsider the current pretrial conditions imposed and determine whether the current conditions imposed are necessary to reasonably ensure the appearance of the defendant as required, the safety of any other person, and the compliance of the defendant with all the conditions of pretrial release. Provides that the defendant shall be required to present a verified application setting forth in detail any new facts not known or obtainable at the time of the previous hearing determining conditions of pre-trial release. Provides that if the court removes a pretrial release condition, the court shall state on the record of the proceedings the findings of facts and conclusions of law upon which such order is based.

Creates the District Energy and Thermal Storage Parity Act. Contains only a short title provision.