Illinois

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall exercise the powers to impose campaign disclosure penalties; to hear and adjudicate alleged violations of registration requirements; to revoke or suspend the raffle licenses of political committees that violate the Raffles and Poker Runs Act; and to inform the Attorney General or the State's Attorney of credible alleged criminal violations.

Amends the Election Code. Provides the procedure for filling a vacancy of a Senator or Representative in the General Assembly. Provides that within 3 days after a vacancy, the committee for that legislative or representative district shall create a uniform application for candidates seeking appointment and determine the date, time, and location at which the committee shall make the appointment (allowing for at least 7 days of public notice). Provides that applications received within 2 days before the appointment shall be made publicly available. Provides that candidates shall be granted an opportunity to present their credentials publicly and take questions from the committeepersons. Provides for a proxy for a committeeperson that is ineligible to vote for an appointment. Effective immediately.

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 Election Code. In provisions concerning primary election ballots, provides that the lettering of candidate names on a ballot shall be in both capital and lowercase letters in conformance with standard English language guidelines, unless compliance is not feasible due to the election system utilized by the election authority.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Prohibits a court from entering a default judgment against a party if the party: (1) is a pro se litigant; (2) has a specified disability or health condition; and (3) failed to appear at a hearing due to that disability or health condition. Provides that a party who meets these requirements is not required to give notice to the court of the party's inability to appear at a hearing. Provides that any default judgment entered against a party who meets these requirements shall be set aside and the party may seek relief from the default judgment. Applies to all default judgments, whether entered before, on, or after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Kratom Control Act. Provides that a person (rather than a minor under 18 years of age) shall not knowingly purchase or possess any product containing any quantity of Kratom. Provides that a person shall not knowingly sell, buy for, distribute samples of, or furnish any product containing any quantity of Kratom to any person (rather than a minor under 18 years of age). Provides that a violation is a Class B misdemeanor. Provides that the knowing sale, buying for, distributing samples of, or furnishing any product containing any quantity of Kratom is a Class B misdemeanor for which the offender shall be fined an amount of not less than $500.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. In the definition of "professional judgment", removes language providing that situations in which an employing entity does not interfere with an employed physician's professional judgment includes reasonable referral restrictions that do not, in the reasonable professional judgment of the physician, adversely affect the health or welfare of the patient. Effective immediately.

Urges the 119th United States Congress to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Urges Congress to implement an orderly and just transfer of essential and basic legally required functions in a manner that upholds values of due process, equality under the law, and family unity upon or before the abolition of ICE.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that projects funded in whole or part with proceeds of certain transferable tax credits are considered public works within the meaning of the Prevailing Wage Act. Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that "public works" includes projects financed in whole or part with, among other things, funds received from the sale or transfer of tax credits awarded by the State, other than tax credits awarded under the Film Production Services Tax Credit Act of 2008 or the Live Theater Production Tax Credit Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Requires a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 to cover up to 12 mental health provider visits per plan year, with no visitation restrictions, if a local or State emergency is declared due to immigration enforcement activity and the insured has experienced loss, trauma, or displacement due to such activity. Provides that the coverage shall not be subject to deductibles, copayments, or other forms of cost sharing. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if a person who is convicted of violating a speed restriction is found to have driven a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than 100 miles per hour, the court shall order that the person have installed an intelligent speed assistance device in any motor vehicle owned or operated by the person for at least 12 months or for the duration of the license suspension or revocation, whichever is longer. Requires the person to provide proof of installation. Requires the person to request permission to remove the intelligent speed assistance device at the end of the mandated period of use. Provides that the cost of installing and maintaining an intelligent speed assistance device shall be incurred by the person subject to the requirement unless the court or the Secretary of State determines that the person is financially unable to afford the cost, in which case the cost may be waived. Requires the Secretary to create a list of approved intelligent speed assistance devices and a list of service providers that are qualified to install, service, inspect, and remove an approved intelligent speed assistance device. Prohibits a person from tampering with or circumventing an otherwise operable intelligent speed assistance device. Provides that violating the provisions, or assisting another person to violate the provisions, is a Class A misdemeanor. Requires the Secretary to submit a report every 24 months to the Governor and the General Assembly with information about the intelligent speed assistance device mandates. Creates the Indigent Intelligent Speed Assistance Device Fund. Sets forth exemptions for a person who is required to use an intelligent speed assistance device and must drive an employer-owned vehicle in the course of the person's employment duties. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Creates the Secure Jobs Act. Establishes a framework for employee discipline and discharge. Prohibits the unjust discharge of an employee. Contains provisions concerning factors to be considered when determining whether an employee has been discharged for just cause and the conditions that allow for a discharge based on bona fide economic reasons. Requires employers to use progressive discipline measures. Limits the use of electronic monitoring. Provides for severance pay. Directs the Department of Labor to adopt rules and administer the Act. Provides statutory remedies for wrongfully discharged employees and authorizes the recovery of damages. Creates the Wrongful Discharge Enforcement Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits stalking when he or she uses any electronic tracking system or acquires tracking information to determine the targeted person's location, movement, or travel patterns without the targeted person's consent and the person knows or should know that the use of the electronic tracking system or the acquisition of tracking information would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of a third person. Defines "electronic tracking system".

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Removes a provision that prohibits the aggregate amount awarded for volunteer emergency worker credits from exceeding $5,000,000 in any calendar year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Herptiles-Herps Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any administrative rule to the contrary, common snapping turtles may be taken by live trap, subject to the following conditions: (1) live traps must be checked every 24 hours; (2) live traps must be equipped with flotation equipment, adequate to have at least 2 inches of the containment area above the surface of the water; and (3) every live trap must be marked with the owner's name and address or Department of Natural Resources customer number (rather than notwithstanding any administrative rule to the contrary, snapping turtles may be taken by trap).

Creates the Prohibition of Nicotine Sales Near Schools Act. Provides that, by January 1, 2027 every municipality shall regulate, within its territorial limits, the retail sale of nicotine-containing products near schools and day care centers. Provides that, by January 1, 2027, every county shall regulate, within its territorial limits but outside of the territorial limits of any municipality, the retail sale of nicotine-containing products near schools and day care centers. Provides that, if a county or municipality does not comply with the Act by January 1, 2027, then the retail sale of nicotine-containing products near schools and day care centers within the county or municipality shall be governed by the Department of Revenue. Provides that, if a municipality or county fails to comply with the Act, then the Department of Revenue may not grant licenses for retailers that would permit the retail sale of nicotine-containing products near a school or day care center in the municipality or county. Provides that any establishment in existence before January 1, 2027 shall be able to keep or renew its retailer license that permits the establishment to sell nicotine containing products if the principal of the school or owner of the day care center located near the establishment has not indicated opposition to the issuance or renewal of the license in writing to the Department of Revenue. Limits home rule powers. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education from developing, purchasing, or requiring a school district to administer, develop, or purchase a standardized assessment for students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 12 (rather than grade 2), other than for diagnostic purposes. Prohibits the State Board of Education from providing funding for any standardized assessment of students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 12 (rather than grade 2). Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Urges the Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to consult with nonprofit safety net hospitals, including those in Chicago Community Area No. 33 (Near South Side), and craft a report for the General Assembly in which the Director recommends policies and legislation to establish one or more programs to curb the price that manufacturers charge certain hospitals for certain medical devices.

Creates the Passenger Rail Planning Act. Sets forth intercity passenger rail routes serving or originating in the State. Requires the Department of Transportation to incorporate the aspirational frequencies into the Illinois State Rail Plan and the Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan. Authorizes the Department to nominate corridors for inclusion in the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program and enter into memoranda of understanding or other cooperative agreements for each identified interstate corridor to provide for shared data, joint investment prioritization, and aligned performance measures and planning schedules. Requires the Department to include a recurring section titled Progress Toward High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail within each update to the Illinois State Rail Plan and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Requires each Metropolitan Planning Organization in the State to: (1) recognize the target intercity and long-distance passenger rail frequencies; (2) identify relevant rail corridors within or adjacent to the Metropolitan Planning Organization planning area; and (3) include a narrative discussion of how regional transportation investments can support achievement of those frequency targets. Requires the Department and each Metropolitan Planning Organization to consider progress toward the target passenger rail frequencies when developing project prioritization criteria for multimodal investments. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, any line-of-duty disability pension shall be at least $40,000 per year (instead of $400 per month), without regard to whether the disability or death of the police officer occurred before July 1, 2026. In provisions concerning an annual increase in the line-of-duty disability pension, removes requirements that an applicant must file an affidavit stating that the applicant has not earned any income from gainful employment during the most recently concluded tax year; have service credit in the Fund for at least 7 years of active duty; and have been receiving a line-of-duty disability pension for a period which, when added to the officer's total service credit in the Fund, equals at least 20 years. Provides that, if a disabled police officer is receiving a line-of-duty disability pension and is an annuitant of a municipality that sponsors a group hospital and medical plan that includes police officers or is participating in certain group insurance coverage, then the pension fund shall pay the total monthly premium on behalf of that police officer for such group insurance coverage. Amends the Property Tax Code. Sets forth a homestead exemption for property owned by a person receiving a line-of-duty disability pension in an amount equal to 50% of the equalized or assessed value of the property if the person is age 25 or over and under the age of 36, 75% of the equalized or assessed value of the property if the person is age 36 or over and under the age of 50, and 100% of the equalized or assessed value of the property if the person is age 50 or over. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Personnel Code. Provides that a veteran is qualified for a preference of 5 points if the veteran served in active service for a total consecutive or non-consecutive period of at least 3 years, including as a member of the Illinois National Guard in service to the State of Illinois and including for training or other purposes. Adds definitions. Amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act. Expands the scope of the Act to provide necessary assistance and services to military veterans who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and active or former members of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States (rather than military veterans who served in the Armed Forces of the United States). Adds a definition.

Amends the General Assembly Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Restricts participation in the General Assembly Retirement System to persons who became participants before the effective date of the amendatory Act and provides that, beginning on that date, the System shall not accept any new participants. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Coroner Division of the Counties Code. In provisions regarding preliminary investigations where a drug overdose is determined to be the cause or a contributing factor in a death, modifies the definition of "overdose" to exclude death caused by fentanyl, which shall be considered poisoning. Provides that, in every case in which fentanyl is determined to be the cause or a contributing factor in the death, the coroner or medical examiner shall report the death to the Department of Public Health as "fentanyl poisoning". Provides that, in the monthly report of overdose deaths, the Department shall also report on fentanyl poisoning deaths.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits criminal damage to property when he or she intentionally damages, destroys, or tampers with equipment in a critical infrastructure facility without authorization from the critical infrastructure facility. Provides that a violation is: (1) a Class 4 felony when the damage to property does not exceed $500; (2) a Class 3 felony when the damage to property exceeds $500 but does not exceed $10,000; and (3) a Class 2 felony when the damage to property exceeds $10,000. Provides that a person may be liable in any civil action for money damages to the owner of the critical infrastructure facility for any damage resulting from a violation. Provides that it is an affirmative defense to a violation that the owner of the property or land damaged consented to the damage. Provides that a person may also be liable to the owner for court costs and reasonable attorney's fees resulting from a violation. Changes the name of the offense of criminal trespass to a nuclear facility to criminal trespass to a critical infrastructure facility. Includes as an element of the offense that the person must have the intent to damage, destroy, or tamper with equipment of the facility. Provides that a person may also be liable in a civil action for money damages to the owner of the critical infrastructure facility for any damage to personal or real property of the facility resulting from the trespass. Provides that a person may also be liable to the owner for court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Defines "critical infrastructure facility" and "with the intent to damage, destroy, or tamper with equipment of the facility".