Illinois

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Defines "pathogens of epidemiological concern". Provides that each hospital shall develop and implement comprehensive interventions to prevent and control pathogens of epidemiological concern (instead of multidrug-resistant organisms) that take into consideration guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or recommendations from the Infectious Disease Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, or the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society for the management of multidrug-resistant organisms in health care settings. Within 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, requires each hospital to adopt a policy for preventing and controlling the transmission of pathogens of epidemiological concern. Establishes reporting requirements for hospitals with patients carrying pathogens of epidemiological concern. Repeals the MRSA Screening and Reporting Act.

Amends the Illinois State University Law. Repeals a provision regarding the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education.

Amends the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Defines terms. Provides that an application shall not be automatically placed on hold, delayed, denied, or otherwise not processed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation due to the application being submitted by a person who is incarcerated. Provides that the Department shall process applications of a person who is incarcerated. Provides that the Department shall process applications for licensure, including the renewal, endorsement, or restoration of a license submitted by a person who is incarcerated without any additional requirements or delays. Provides that the Department shall issue licenses to, and renew and restore the licenses of, a person who is incarcerated, who has submitted an application, and who otherwise qualifies for licensure. Provides that the Department may waive the 3-year time limitations under specific provisions and any continuing education requirements for a person who is incarcerated. Provides that when determining the qualifications of licensure for a person who is incarcerated, including the renewal, endorsement, and restoration of a license, the Department shall consider any relevant experience that was supervised by a licensee in the same manner as training and experience gained in another jurisdiction. Adds provisions concerning apprenticeships and the requirements for cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, nail technology, and hair braiding apprenticeship programs. Makes related changes in provisions concerning barber, cosmetologist, esthetician, nail technician, and hair braider examination, failure to take examination, licensure requirements, and qualifications. Removes the requirement that applicants for licensure as a barber, cosmetologist, esthetician, or nail technician must complete a specific amount of hours in the respective study before they may take their licensure examination in either barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, or nail technology. Requires hair braider license applicants to pass an examination authorized by the Department. Provides that individuals who have completed a specific number of hours in an apprentice program for barbering or cosmetology or individuals who have completed apprenticeship programs for estheticians, nail technicians, or hair braiders may qualify for licensure. Makes other changes.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that, on or before July 1, 2026 or 15 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, whichever is later, and on or before July 1 of each year thereafter, in addition to the amount required, the Director shall charge an amount to be included in a company's obligation to pay the annual Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission Operations Fund Surcharge. Sets forth provisions concerning the process for calculating the additional amount and notice requirements for the Department of Insurance before collecting the additional amount. Provides that the additional amount shall be deposited into the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission Operations Fund. Establishes procedures for determining the additional amount if a company survives or was formed by a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or reincorporation. Further amends the Workers' Compensation Act. In provisions concerning the amount of compensation which shall be paid for an accidental injury to the employee resulting in death, provides that the sum of $10,000 (rather than $8,000) for burial expenses shall be paid by the employer to the widow or widower, other dependent, next of kin or to the person or persons incurring the expense of burial. Sets forth provisions concerning the development of standards to be used as part of the utilization review process. Provides that any adverse determination made during the utilization review process shall be made by a physician if the health care services are to be delivered or are recommended by a physician. Provides that certification made under the utilization review process shall be valid for the 3 months immediately after the date on which the employee and health care provider receive the certification or for the length of treatment as determined by the employee's health care provider. Sets forth procedures for the appeal of a non-certification. Provides that, if an employer asks a medical practitioner for an examination of the reasonableness and necessity of the medical services proposed or provided, instead of a utilization review, the examination and the report of the examination shall be provided by the medical practitioner to the employee or the employee's representative and the employee's treating health care professional within 90 days after receipt of the request for the examination of the reasonableness and necessity of treatment. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Sale Price Ad Act. Provides that a retail mercantile establishment that owns and operates a mobile or computer application through which the retail mercantile establishment advertises, offers, delivers, or redeems digital promotions available in the retail mercantile establishment shall ensure that the benefits of a digital promotion are provided to any eligible consumer who meets the stated terms and conditions of the digital promotion. Provides that a retail mercantile establishment may establish any redemption mechanism that allows an eligible consumer a practical means of receiving the digital promotion in the ordinary course of a transaction. Provides that a person may bring an action for injunctive relief to obtain compliance with the Act. Provides for the recovery of reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Provides that no fine shall be imposed on a person or a retail mercantile establishment for a violation of the Act unless the person or retail mercantile establishment is afforded 15 days after receipt of a notice to cure the violation. Defines "digital promotion".

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the use of red or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights or blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights on vehicles owned or operated by volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMS providers, but only when responding to an emergency call or parked or stationary while engaged in motor vehicle assistance or at the scene of the emergency. Allows a vehicle operated by a volunteer firefighter or volunteer EMS provider to be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell, to be used only when responding to an emergency call.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Provides that the Radiation Protection Act of 1990 shall be repealed on January 1, 2037 (rather than January 1, 2027). Amends the Election Code. In provisions concerning the Public Financing of Judicial Elections Task Force, provides that the Task Force shall complete its study no later than July 1, 2027 (rather than June 30, 2024). Specifies that the provisions shall be repealed on July 1, 2027 (rather than July 1, 2026). In provisions concerning the Ranked Choice and Voting Systems Task Force, provides that, on or before January 1, 2027 (rather than June 30, 2025), the Task Force shall publish a final report of its findings. Specifies that the provisions shall be repealed on January 1, 2027 (rather than July 1, 2026). Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Specifies that provisions concerning a home visiting program shall be repealed on July 1, 2027 (rather than July 1, 2026). Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Specifies that provisions concerning a safe gun storage awareness campaign shall be repealed on July 1, 2027 (rather than July 1, 2026). Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Provides that home rule provisions shall be repealed on January 1, 2031 (rather than January 1, 2028). Amends the Renewable Energy Component Recycling Task Force Act. Changes the final report date of the Task Force to July 1, 2027 (rather than January 1, 2026). Specifies that the Act shall be repealed on July 1, 2027 (rather than July 1, 2026). Amends the Design-Building Procurement Act. Specifies that the Act shall be repealed on January 1, 2030 (rather than January 1, 2027). Amends the Progressive Design-Build Pilot Program Act. Specifies that the Act shall be repealed on January 1, 2028 (rather than January 1, 2027). Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes changes to dates in provisions concerning employment as a teacher for an annuitant receiving a retirement annuity other than a disability retirement annuity. Amends the Bias-Free Child Removal Pilot Program Act. Specifies that the Act shall be repealed on January 1, 2028 (rather than January 1, 2027). Amends the Early Intervention Services Systems Act. Specifies that the Act shall be repealed on July 1, 2027 (rather than July 1, 2026). Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Specifies that the Community College Cannabis Vocational Pilot Program Article is repealed January 1, 2031 (rather than July 1, 2026). Amends the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act. Provides that the Act is effective July 1, 2027 (rather than July 1, 2026). Amends Public Act 103-594. Extends the effective date of a repealer in the Act. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 1 with the following changes. Provides that, by July 1, 2028, a covered operator shall request from a covered manufacturer an age bracket signal for the primary user of an Internet-enabled device when the user downloads or launches a covered platform. Provides that, if the signal indicates that a user is under 18, then the covered operator shall treat the signal as an authoritative indicator of the user's age bracket and the covered operator shall be deemed to have actual knowledge that a user is a covered minor with respect to that specific device. Limits the use of information collected to determine a user's age bracket to specified purposes. Provides that a parent of a covered minor or a covered minor determined by a covered operator to be over the age of 16 may override the default privacy settings. Provides that a parent of a covered minor may override the default privacy settings for a covered minor under the age of 16. Provides that the Act does not apply to any entity whose primary purpose is news media and that has a majority of its workforce consisting of individuals engaging in news media. Provides for enforcement of the Act by the Attorney General. Defines terms. Removes amendatory changes to the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Effective January 1, 2028.

Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that the Secretary of State shall establish a program to be known as the Blue Envelope Program through which the Office of the Secretary of State shall design and make publicly available blue envelopes that may be used by individuals who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to hold documents required for the operation of a motor vehicle. Sets forth additional requirements. Provides that an individual diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder may voluntarily participate in the program. Provides that any information provided on the outside of the envelope shall be used solely to support safe and effective communication during interactions with first responders and law enforcement officers and shall not be entered into any federal, State, or local database. Provides that the Secretary of State may adopt rules to implement and administer the program.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes: In provisions listing the type of relief a court might grant in a case of financial exploitation of an eligible adult, removes from the list: (i) specified fees to be paid by any financial institution that holds the eligible adult's unencumbered assets, if any; and (ii) a final cost judgment against the respondent and in favor of the clerk of the circuit court for all the clerk's filing fees and service charges. Provides that where the court has found that the respondent has engaged in exploitation of the eligible adult, a court may enter a final cost judgment against the respondent and in favor of the petitioner for all taxable costs and damages. Provides that the court must allow an advocate (rather than an advocate from a State's Attorney's Office or a law enforcement agency) to be present with the petitioner or the respondent in order to provide emotional support during any court proceedings or hearings related to a temporary restraining order. Requires the petitioner (rather than the clerk of the circuit court) to furnish a copy of the petition, the financial affidavit, the notice of hearing, and any temporary restraining order to the sheriff or special process server (rather than to the sheriff or a law enforcement agency) of the county in which the respondent resides or can be found, who shall serve it upon the respondent as soon thereafter as possible on any day of the week and at any time of the day or night. Permits the petitioner (rather than the clerk of the circuit court, upon request of the sheriff) to transmit a facsimile copy of a temporary restraining order to be served in the same manner as a certified copy. Removes provisions that: (i) permit the chief judge of each judicial circuit, in consultation with the appropriate sheriff, to authorize a law enforcement agency within the jurisdiction to effect service; (ii) require the clerk of the circuit court to furnish a copy of the petition, the financial affidavit, the notice of hearing, and any temporary restraining order to the sheriff or a law enforcement agency of the county in which the eligible adult resides or can be found, who shall serve it upon the eligible adult; and (iii) permits the clerk of the circuit court, at the request of the sheriff, to transmit a facsimile copy of a certified temporary restraining order to be served in the same manner as a certified copy. Removes provisions requiring any court ordered assessment or fine to enforce a temporary order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction to be collected by the clerk of the circuit court and transferred to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Domestic Violence Fund. Makes other changes.

Amends the Currency Exchange Act. Removes provisions requiring the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation to investigate a currency exchange business at least once in each year and to review and report on the cost of operation of the Currency Exchange Section. Establishes fee-setting provisions for the administration of the Act. Amends the Sales Finance Agency Act, the Consumer Installment Loan Act, and the Safety Deposit License Act. Makes changes to the authority of the Secretary and the Director of the Division of Financial Institutions to examine and investigate a business to determine if it is in compliance with those Acts. Establishes fee-setting provisions for the administration of those Acts. Amends the Debt Management Service Act, the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act, and the Payday Loan Reform Act. Establishes fee-setting provisions for the administration of those Acts. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the bill as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1 with these changes. Requires that a person or persons seeking to commence an action under the Act each have a household income of under 80% of area median income as determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for the county where the lands or tenements are located; and that the person or persons bringing the action have conducted a search, with due diligence, for anyone who may have an ownership interest in the property.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that, for persons dying on or after January 1, 2027, the exclusion amount is $8,000,000. Provides that, for persons dying on or after January 1, 2028, the exclusion amount shall be adjusted according to the inflation adjustment described in the Internal Revenue Code. Provides that the exclusion amount includes any deceased spousal unused exclusion amount available after a valid election is made under the Internal Revenue Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Authorizes quick-take proceedings by the Village of Hoffman Estates for a period of one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act for the acquisition of specified property for the purpose of constructing improvements on portions of Shoe Factory Road from Essex Drive to Beverly Road, along with portions of Beverly Road and Rohrssen Road connecting to Shoe Factory Road. Repeals the provisions 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that certain provisions concerning the recomputation and adjustment of a school district claim for general State aid or evidence-based funding shall end with Fiscal Year 2026. Provides that when a child from an orphanage, foster family home, other State agency, children's home, or State residential unit eligible for special education services is placed in a separate public day school, that school shall meet the programmatic requirements and regulations for separate public day schools. Provides that any funds appropriated for the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program must be used, among other purposes, for indirect costs necessary for Program operation. Provides that an annual retention bonus of up to $4,000 (rather than $4,000) per year for 2 consecutive years shall be awarded to National Board certified teachers employed in hard-to-staff schools and such funds must be disbursed equally on an annual basis among all qualified educators (rather than on a first-come, first-served basis). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Makes changes to defined terms and the required information that must be studied by the Department of Insurance under the 340B Drug Discount Program study. Provides that all 340 covered entities, and pharmaceutical manufacturers doing business in the State of Illinois (rather than all 340B covered entities, insurers as defined in a provision of the Illinois Insurance Code, pharmacy benefit managers, third-party administrators, pharmaceutical manufacturers doing business in the State of Illinois, and administrative service organizations of the State Employees Group Insurance Program), shall comply with requests for information relevant to the study. Makes changes to penalty provisions. Establishes severability provisions. Effective immediately or on the effective date of House Bill 2371 of the 104th General Assembly, as amended by Senate Amendment No. 2, whichever is later; however, the Act does not take effect at all unless House Bill 2371 of the 104th General Assembly, as amended by Senate Amendment No. 2, becomes law.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the rules and regulations of the Department of Corrections shall also provide that sentence credit may be provided to an inmate who was held in pretrial detention prior to his or her current commitment to the Department of Corrections and successfully completed a substance abuse program (rather than a full-time, 60-day or longer substance abuse program), county jail or detention facility work assignments, or parenting program, or re-entry planning facilitated (rather than provided) by the county department of corrections, county jail, or other provider. Provides that the rules and regulations shall also provide that sentence credit may be provided to a committed person who participated in supervised community work or activities in accordance with the Code prior to his or her commitment to the Department of Corrections.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that a prescriber is not subject to civil or criminal liability or professional discipline for failure to register with the Prescription Monitoring Program due to technological or electrical failures or operational issues that prevent registration. Provides that each prescriber or the prescriber's designee shall document an attempt to access patient information in the Prescription Monitoring Program to assess patient access to controlled substances when providing an initial prescription for any stimulant substances listed in Schedule II and all prescriptions (rather than an initial prescription) for Schedule II opioids and Schedule IV benzodiazepine (rather than Schedule II narcotics, such as opioids). Provides that a prescriber is not subject to criminal (rather than civil or criminal) liability or professional discipline for failure to register with the Prescription Monitoring Program due to technological or electrical failures or operational issues that prevent registration.

Amends the Illinois Health Care Facilities Planning Act. Repeals the January 1, 2027 inoperative date affecting a change of ownership among related persons. Amends the Illinois Antitrust Act. Repeals the January 1, 2027 inoperative date affecting notice provisions to the Attorney General before a health care merger or affiliation. Amends provisions requiring health care entities to notify the Attorney General within 30 days before a merger or affiliation to include a "covered transaction" even if the parties to the transaction are not themselves a health care facility or provider organization but own or control, directly or indirectly, one or more of the 2 or more health care facilities or provider organizations that will be under common ownership or contracting affiliation if the transaction is consummated, including if parties to the covered transaction are private equity companies. Defines "private equity company" to mean any company or partnership that collects capital investments from individuals or entities and purchases, as a parent company, at any level of corporate ownership, or through another entity or entities so that the company completely or partially owns or controls, a direct or indirect ownership share of an Illinois health care entity or an out-of-state health care entity that generates $10,000,000 or more in annual revenue from patients residing in this State. Changes notice provisions. Defines terms.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that, upon discovery of a fire-related death at the scene of the incident (rather than just upon discovery of a fire-related death), the chief of the fire department or the chief's designee shall notify the Office to initiate its investigation (rather than shall notify the Office for an investigation of the cause, origin, and circumstances). Allows the Office to request the fire chief or the chief's designee to take reasonable steps to maintain control of the scene and, if making such request, directs the office to provide an estimated time of arrival to the fire chief or the chief's designee (rather than directs the chief of the fire department or designee to maintain control of the scene until a representative of the Office arrives on the scene and initiates the investigation). Provides that, if the fire chief or the chief's designee has agreed to maintain control of the scene, the fire chief or the chief's designee may turn over control of a scene to a law enforcement officer. Provides that the fire chief, designee, or law enforcement officer is not required to maintain a scene (i) after the arrival of a representative of the Office or (ii) upon advisement from the Office that it is no longer necessary to maintain control of the scene, whichever is first.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships may also be known as School Social Work scholarships. Includes, as a qualified applicant subject to meeting the other requirements, (i) a person who is pursuing a clinical social work license or social work license and (ii) a person who will obtain a master's degree in social work from an approved program before enrolling the academic program that the scholarship would support. Allows scholarships to be applied to the payment of tuition and mandatory fees at a private, not-for-profit institution of higher education in the State that prepares students to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement in School Social Work. Provides that a scholarship for a recipient attending a private, not-for-profit institution shall not exceed the maximum grant payable to a student enrolled in the most expensive comparable program of study at a public university in the State. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision concerning trustees elected by contributors who are not administrators, provides that candidacy petitions shall be filed with the recording secretary of the Fund on or before October 1st of the election year (instead of on or after September 15 of each year and not later than October 1st of that year). Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes: Adds provisions requiring the Director of Healthcare and Family Services to appoint a PACE Advisory Board to consult with the Department on the administration of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Act. Contains provisions concerning the composition of the Board and Board meetings. Provides that the Advisory Board shall advise the Department of Healthcare and Family Services on all aspects of its responsibilities under the Act, including, but not limited to, the format and content of any rules adopted by the Department and the development of capitation rate methodologies. Provides that during its review of rules or rate methodologies, the Advisory Board shall analyze the economic and regulatory impact of those actions on the sustainability of PACE organizations and the quality of care provided to participants.

Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the MC/DD Act, and the ID/DD Community Care Act. Provides that notice of closure of an establishment or facility licensed under those Acts shall be given to the Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that a building inspector who performs inspections or examinations under the provisions may be credentialed through a nationally or state-recognized inspection certification or apprenticeship program approved by the United States Department of Labor in the discipline the inspector is inspecting or examining (rather than through an nationally or state-recognized building certification or apprenticeship program that is equivalent to the International Code Council approved by the United States Department of Labor in the area the building inspector is inspecting or examining). In the Counties Code, provides that a "building inspector" does not include an employee of the Office of the State Fire Marshal acting in the employee's capacity as an employee of the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Provides that building inspectors may have a grace period of 2 years (rather than 18 months) from the date of hire or January 1, 2027, whichever is later, to acquire the required certification or credentials. Provides that building inspectors employed by a municipality or county on or before January 1, 2026 who have 5 years or more experience working as a building inspector are not subject to the provisions.