Illinois

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Makes changes to defined terms. Provides that each licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, and licensed veterans establishment at which video gaming terminals are available shall have a payout device approved by the Board. Removes provisions requiring a player to turn in the player's ticket to the appropriate person at those establishments. Provides that no cash award for the maximum wager on any individual hand shall exceed the W-2G reporting requirements set by the Internal Revenue Service (instead of $1,199). Requires credits to be awarded to players as authorized by the Act. Removes provisions prohibiting the cash award for the maximum wager on a jackpot from exceeding $10,000. Removes provisions concerning in-location bonus jackpot games.

Amends the Clerks of the Courts Act. Authorizes a circuit court clerk of any county to develop and maintain a will depository. Provides a procedure for the clerk to accept for safekeeping a testamentary instrument including a will, codicil, trust, or trust and one or more trust amendments of a living testator. Provides that the depositor must deposit the will with the clerk in the county in which the testator resided when the will was executed. A depositor may be the testator or an attorney who is in possession of the will with written authorization by the testator. Provides that the clerk is not required to determine if the clerk's county is the correct county for the filing. Creates a procedure for the clerk to follow in accepting, keeping, and returning these documents. Allows the clerk to charge a fee of $25 for each will deposited, and the clerk may not collect a separate fee for additional documents concurrently deposited in relation to a single testator or for a single joint will prepared for a husband and wife.

Amends the Wrongful Tree Cutting Act. Provides that if a tree along a fence line abutting a roadway is on a property that was formerly used as farm land and is now owned or managed by the Department of Transportation and encroaches onto, over, or beneath a neighboring parcel that is currently used for farming, the parcel owner may petition the Department of Transportation to remove the tree if the tree's growth is affecting crop growth or otherwise hindering the parcel owner's economic use of the land to the extent that the problem can only be effectively remediated by removing the tree. Permits the neighboring parcel owner to remove the tree at the parcel owner's own expense without any obligation to compensate the Department of Transportation for the tree's removal if the Department of Transportation does not either remove the tree, grant the neighboring parcel owner permission to remove the tree, or explain in writing why the tree cannot in good faith be removed within 60 days. Provides that if the Department of Transportation cannot in good faith remove the tree within 60 days, the maximum delay allowed is an additional 60 days for it to remove the tree. Provides that if a neighboring parcel owner has been given authority to remove a tree, the parcel owner is immune from a claim of damages to the property, except in the cases of gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows a person under the age of 18 to use a low-speed electric scooter to get to and from a school that offers secondary education.

Amends the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986. In provisions concerning the execution of forms, provides that a filing with the Secretary of State that reflects a change in the composition of the corporation's directors or officers or a change of the corporation's registered agent, from its most recent filing with the Secretary of State, shall be signed by at least 3 of the corporation's directors or officers. Sets forth additional requirements.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. In a provision concerning the office allowance that is paid to General Assembly members, provides that "travel in connection with a member's duties" includes travel by a member to participate in a meeting or event held by the National Conference of State Legislatures or the Council of State Governments. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $1,000,000 to the Department of Public Health to fund nursing education scholarships. Effective July 1, 2026.

Appropriates $500,000 to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to fund the Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program. Effective July 1, 2026.

Appropriates $1,000,000 to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to fund the Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program and make grants to reimburse universities for unfunded liabilities related to the Program. Effective July 1, 2026.

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 Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act. Makes changes concerning the circumstances under which officer-worn body camera footage may be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act. Requires a requester of officer-worn body camera footage under the Freedom of Information Act to certify specified information with the request. Exempts officer-worn body camera footage from disclosure if it reveals certain information, depicts certain information, involves an active investigation, relates to pending criminal charges, would prejudice a jury or compromise prosecution, will be used for a listed forbidden purpose, or is otherwise exempt. Requires a law enforcement agency to make available for inspection and copying officer-worn body camera footage that is not exempt from disclosure. Allows a law enforcement agency to deny a request that violates certain provisions or standards established under certain provisions. Provides that a public body, law enforcement agency, or employee acting in good faith reliance is not subject to civil liability solely for denying or limiting access to a body-worn camera recording, as long as the denial or limitation is based on a reasonable interpretation of applicable law. Repeals the provisions added to the Officer-Worn Body Camera Act by the amendatory Act 5 years after the amendatory Act's effective date.

Amends the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, and the Township Code. Provides that, if a county, township, or municipality offers microtransit services, then the county must provide riders with a method to prepay for the microtransit service with a smartphone application.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits threatening another person when that person knowingly delivers or conveys, directly or indirectly, to another person by any means, whether verbal, written, or through social media, a communication containing: (1) a threat that would place another person or a member of his or her immediate family in reasonable apprehension of immediate or future bodily harm, death, sexual assault, confinement, or restraint; or (2) a threat that would place another person or a member of his or her immediate family in reasonable apprehension that damage will occur to property in the custody, care, or control of the person or his or her immediate family. Provides that threatening another person is a Class 3 felony for a first offense and a Class 2 felony for a second or subsequent offense. Defines "immediate family" and "social media".

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that upon notification of a child's death through the State Central Register that is subsequently accepted for investigation of abuse or neglect, the Department of Children and Family Services shall conduct a formal review of all available internal records if any of the following conditions are present: (i) the deceased child was a youth in care at the time of death; (ii) the deceased child or the child's parent is or has been the subject of a permanency or intact family case with the Department; or (iii) the Department has a history of one or more prior investigations of abuse or neglect involving the deceased child or the child's parents. Requires the Department to evaluate the quality, timeliness, and appropriateness of previous actions taken and services provided to address identified safety and risk issues. Contains provisions concerning information that the Department must include in its report, including, but not limited to, the manner of the child's death, a summary of the abuse or neglect report made to the State Central Register, and other information. Requires the Department to complete its review within 10 days of receiving a case. Contains provisions requiring annual reports. Removes provisions concerning reporting requirements on cases where a child has experienced a life-threatening injury.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall monitor the impact of each public utility in the State on overall consumer savings and on the electrical grid of the State. Requires the Commission to submit an annual report to the Governor, the Attorney General, and the General Assembly that summarizes the results of the Commission's efforts no later than one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act and annually thereafter. Provides that a utility shall cap residential rates for qualifying households at a set monthly maximum during a city, county, or State declaration of a winter weather emergency or an extreme heat warning that covers the area of the utility in which the qualifying household is located. Provides that each utility in the State shall file with the Commission prior to December 1 of each year a plan detailing the implementation of a residential rate cap. Provides that all plans are subject to review and approval by the Commission and that the Commission may direct a utility to modify its plan to comply with the requirements of the amendatory provisions. In provisions concerning Disconnection Protection Programs, provides that a customer who submits documentation that shows that the customer is enrolled in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), or Medicaid shall be granted protection under a utility's Disconnection Protection Program upon the receipt of the customer's documentation. Provides that, if the utility, upon reviewing the customer's documentation, determines that the documentation does not provide sufficient proof that the customer is enrolled in LIHEAP, PIPP, or Medicaid, the utility may remove the customer from the utility's Disconnection Protection Program. Provides that an electric utility that offers at least one market-based rate option, including, but not limited to, net electricity metering, for retail customers who choose to take power and energy supply service from the utility shall limit peak hour rates under the market-based rate option to no more than 150% of the rate that the customer would otherwise pay if the customer was not using the market-based rate option. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may designate a business that intends to establish a new wind power facility or a utility-scale solar facility as a high impact business only if the municipality in which the facility will be located (or the county in which the facility will be located, if the facility will be located in an unincorporated area of the county) approves, in writing, the designation of the business as a high impact business. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Prevailing Wage Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that the reimbursement rate a health insurance issuer must pay to nonparticipating ground ambulance service providers subject to a unit of local government is equal to the rate established or approved by the governing body of the local government providing ground ambulance service (instead of the local government having jurisdiction for that area or subarea).

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that any utility bill for service provided to a member's district office in the immediately preceding fiscal year may be paid from funds appropriated for such expenditures in the current fiscal year. Provides that any utility bill for service provided to a member's district office in fiscal year 2015 through fiscal year 2017, as well as any interest or penalties on those amounts, may be paid from funds appropriated for such expenditures in any fiscal year. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming changes. Effective immediately.

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 Nursing Home Care Act. In provisions concerning a facility's safe resident handling policy, provides that "safe lifting equipment and accessories" includes emerging technologies approved by the Department of Public Health by rule.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district may offer a firearm safety training course to students in grades 9 through 12, which may include instruction on hunting safety. Provides that if a school district offers the course, a student may not be required to take the course. Provides that if a school board intends to offer a firearm safety training course, it must develop a policy to implement the course and must publish that policy on the district's website.

Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides immunity for any licensed engineer or licensed architect or other person working under the direct supervision of the licensed person who provides services without compensation in emergency response activities.

Amends the Illinois TRUST Act. Provides that certain limitations under the Act regarding actions that may be taken by law enforcement agencies and officials do not apply with respect to an individual who is not a citizen of the United States and who has been charged or convicted of a criminal offense under Illinois law. Directs a law enforcement agency or official to immediately notify an immigration agent whenever it has in its custody such an individual. Effective immediately.