Illinois

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that no State employee may receive monetary or other compensation from any private party for work performed within the scope of his or her employment by a State agency. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in consultation with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, to conduct a comprehensive study on parenting-time presumptions in child custody proceedings. Provides that the study examine how statutory presumptions and judicial practices affect fairness, parental involvement, and child outcomes in custody cases. Requires that the review pay particular attention to ensuring that both parents, regardless of gender, are given equitable opportunities to maintain meaningful relationships with their children. Requires that the Department submit a final report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than December 31, 2026 and include findings, recommendations, and potential statutory language to update Illinois law. Repeals the Act on December 31, 2027.

Commends Bishop Dr. Claude Porter and Lady Bishop Earnestine Porter on achieving their 53rd year of dedicated and impactful service at Proviso Missionary Baptist Church of Maywood.

Congratulates Lori Orozco on the occasion of her retirement. Expresses heartfelt gratitude for her many years of dedicated public service. Wishes her continued happiness, health, and fulfillment in the years to come.

Repeals the Illinois TRUST Act. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Effective immediately.

Repeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Clean Slate Act. Amends the Personnel Code. Provides that all employees who are employed by the Illinois State Police with duties related to criminal history records, sealing records, or expunging records are exempt from jurisdictions A, B, and C. Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Authorizes the Illinois State Police to provide reports of cases with missing disposition information to the clerk of the circuit court. Requires any entity required to report information concerning criminal arrests, charges, and dispositions under specified provisions of the Act to respond to any notice advising the entity of missing or incomplete information or an error in the reporting of the information. Modifies the definition of "seal". Makes changes to the categories of records eligible for sealing. Replaces references to "offender" with "petitioner". Modifies provisions relating to when records are eligible to be sealed. Removes provisions preventing subsequent felony conviction records from being sealed under specified circumstances. Removes provisions requiring a petitioner to attach a negative drug test to a petition for sealing and concerning the denial of a petition to expunge or seal because the petitioner has submitted a drug test taken within 30 days before filing of the petition to expunge or seal that indicates a positive test for the presence of cannabis. Establishes procedures for automatic sealing of records and sealing of municipal ordinance violations and Class C misdemeanors. Makes other changes. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Requires, upon request, the circuit court clerk to provide the disposition information for any case or record required to be reported to the Illinois State Police. Allows the Illinois State Police to provide reports of cases with missing disposition information to the clerk of the circuit court. Makes other changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, except as provided with respect to mobile homes, a building or structure that is not affixed to or installed on a permanent foundation or connected to utilities for year-round occupancy is not considered real property. Effective immediately.

Creates the Firefighter Health and Wellness Act. Provides that the Firefighter Health and Wellness Unit is created within the Department of Public Health to investigate the impact of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure and the rising incidence of cancer among firefighters in Illinois. Provides that the Unit shall conduct a comprehensive study, including baseline PFAS sampling for Illinois firefighters and the provision of cancer screenings. Provides that funding for the Unit shall be allocated from the Firefighter Health and Wellness Fund for the purpose of long-term research focused on understanding the higher rates of cancer within the Illinois firefighter community. Provides that the Unit shall collaborate with Illinois-based universities to develop testing parameters, establish guidelines for voluntary firefighter participation and screening, and identify the root causes contributing to the increased cancer risks faced by Illinois firefighters. Creates the Firefighter Health and Wellness Fund as a separate fund in the State treasury. Provides that moneys in the Fund shall be appropriated by the General Assembly to the Firefighter Health and Wellness Unit for the purposes described in the provision. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that an applicant who receives the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities and who submits documentation by the examining provider that the applicant is totally and permanently disabled need not be reexamined to receive the exemption in a subsequent taxable year, provided that (i) the applicant attaches the original documentation of total and permanent disability to his or her application in the subsequent taxable year, (ii) the exemption has not been deemed erroneous since the last application, and (iii) the claimant has not reported their ineligibility to receive the exemption.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Motor Vehicle Insurance Fairness Act. Provides that no insurer shall refuse to issue or renew a policy of automobile insurance based in whole or in part on specified prohibited underwriting or rating factors. Sets forth factors that are prohibited with respect to underwriting and rating a policy of automobile insurance. Sets forth provisions concerning the use of territorial factors. Provides that every insurer selling a policy of automobile insurance in the State shall demonstrate that its marketing, underwriting, rating, claims handling, fraud investigations, and any algorithm or model used for those business practices do not disparately impact any group of customers based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, or gender expression. Provides that no rate shall be approved or remain in effect that is excessive, inadequate, unfairly discriminatory, or otherwise in violation of the provisions. Provides that every insurer that desires to change any rate shall file a complete rate application with the Director of Insurance. Provides that all information provided to the Director under the provisions shall be available for public inspection. Provides that any person may initiate or intervene in any proceeding permitted or established under the provisions and challenge any action of the Director under the provisions. Provides that the Department of Insurance shall adopt rules. Provides that all insurers subject to the provisions shall be assessed a fee of 0.05% of their total earned premium from the prior calendar year, and that the fee shall be payable to the Department no later than July 1 of each calendar year and shall be used by the Department to implement the provisions.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable years 2026 and thereafter, the maximum reduction under the senior citizens homestead exemption is $8,000 in all counties (currently, $8,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $5,000 in all other counties). Provides that the maximum income limitation for the senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption is $75,000 (currently, $65,000). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes changes to Tier 2 benefits, including changing the amount of the automatic annual increase to 3% of the originally granted retirement annuity or 3% of the retirement annuity then being paid for the General Assembly and Judges Articles, changing the limit on the amount of salary for annuity purposes to the Social Security wage base, changing the calculation of final average salary to the Tier 1 calculation for persons who are active members on or after January 1, 2026, and changing the retirement age. Establishes an accelerated pension benefit payment option for the General Assembly, Chicago Teachers, and Judges Articles of the Code. Provides that, with regard to persons subject to the Tier 2 provisions, a security employee of the Department of Human Services, a security employee of the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice, an investigator for the Department of the Lottery, or a State highway worker is entitled to an annuity calculated under the alternative retirement annuity provisions of the State Employee Article of the Code. Authorizes the conversion of service to eligible creditable service. Provides that the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act (Article 20 of the Code) is adopted and made a part of the Downstate Police, Downstate Firefighter, Chicago Police, and Chicago Firefighter Articles. Authorizes SLEP status under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund for a person who is a county correctional officer or probation officer and for a person who participates in IMRF and qualifies as a firefighter under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. In the Downstate Firefighter Article, includes a de facto firefighter in the definition of "firefighter". Defines "de facto firefighter". Provides that the monthly pension of a firefighter who is receiving a disability pension shall be increased at the rate of 3% of the original monthly pension. Makes changes to the minimum retirement annuity payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension. Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may certify a taxpayer for an exemption from any State or local use tax or retailers' occupation tax on building materials that will be incorporated into real estate at a megaproject site. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that a retailer that makes a qualified sale of building materials to be incorporated into real estate at a megaproject site may deduct the receipts from such sales when calculating the taxes imposed by those Acts. Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates the Megaproject Assessment Freeze and Payment Law. Provides that a "megaproject" is a project that meets certain investment and job creation specifications. Provides that the megaproject property is eligible for an assessment freeze. Provides that megaproject property may be granted an abatement. Provides that a company that operates a megaproject shall enter into an agreement with the municipality in which the project is located and other local taxing districts to make certain special payments. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for qualified physicians who work in hospitals, health clinics, or independently and who work in underserved areas or in rural counties or rural municipalities. Provides that the credit shall be in the amount of $5,000. Effective immediately.

Repeals the provisions of Public Act 102-1116 that make amendatory changes to the Firearms Restraining Order Act that provide that a petitioner for a firearms restraining order may request a plenary firearms restraining order of up to one-year, but not less than 6 months (restores the 6 months provision). Repeals provisions that the firearms restraining order may be renewed for an additional period of up to one year. Repeals amendatory provisions of the Criminal Code of 2012 making it unlawful for any person within the State to knowingly possess an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge, with exemptions. Repeals provisions that make it unlawful for any person within the State to knowingly manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase, or cause to be manufactured, delivered, sold, or purchased a large capacity ammunition feeding device, with specified exemptions. Repeals amendatory provisions of the Criminal Code of 2012 that prohibit the manufacture, possession, sale, or offer to sell, purchase, manufacture, import, transfer, or use any device, part, kit, tool, accessory, or combination of parts that is designed to and functions to increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic firearm above the standard rate of fire for semiautomatic firearms that is not equipped with that device, part, or combination of parts. Repeals amendatory provisions of the Freedom of Information Act that exempt from disclosure under the Act certain information concerning assault weapons endorsements received by the Illinois State Police. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that provisions related to crashes involving the death or personal injuries, crashes involving damage to vehicles, the duty to give information and render aid, and the duty upon damaging unattended vehicle or other property also apply to drivers of mopeds, low-speed electric bicycles, and low-speed gas bicycles.

Amends the Seizure and Forfeiture Reporting Act. Provides that each law enforcement agency that seizes, forfeits, or receives property subject to reporting under the Act shall report certain information about each seizure and forfeiture of property to the Illinois State Police no later than 60 days after December 31 of the year in which the property is seized or forfeited. Adds certain required information, including the accused person's race, sex, age, and zip code, as well as a citation to the statutory authorities under which the property was seized and the accused person was arrested, to the information to be submitted in a report. Adds certain required information from court records about each forfeiture of property to the information to be reported to the Illinois State Police. Provides that if an agency did not seize, forfeit, receive, or spend forfeiture funds, it shall file a null report with the Illinois State Police. Provides that the annual report shall include an aggregate summary of all seizures and forfeitures carried out and their respective proceeds, as well as other information, including categories of expenditures, such as investigation and litigation expenses, software, hardware, appliances, canines, surveillance technology, IMSI catchers, operating expenses, and administrative expenses. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall post annually on its website aggregate data for each law enforcement agency with certain information. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall, 120 days after the end of each calendar year, submit to the General Assembly, Attorney General, and Governor, as well as post on its website, a written report that summarizes certain activity in the State for the preceding year regarding property seized and related expenditures at the State and local levels, with categorized accounting and other requirements. Provides that the Illinois State Police may include certain recommendations in its report. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall, on or before January 1, 2026 (rather than 2019), establish and implement the requirements of this Act. Makes other changes.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Prisoner Review Board shall be the authority for setting conditions for mandatory supervised release under specified provisions and determining whether a violation of those conditions warrant revocation of mandatory supervised release or the imposition of other sanctions. Provides that the Board shall hear by at least one member and through a panel of at least 3 members determine the conditions of mandatory supervised release, determine the time of discharge from mandatory supervised release, impose sanctions for violations of mandatory supervised release, and revoke mandatory supervised release for those sentenced under specified provisions. Provides that if a person was originally prosecuted under the provisions of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012, sentenced under the provisions of the Act pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, and convicted as an adult and committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Juvenile Justice shall, no less than 120 days prior to the date that the person reaches the age of 21, send written notification to the Prisoner Review Board indicating the day upon which the committed person will achieve the age of 21. Requires the Prisoner Review Board to conduct a hearing with no less than 3 members to determine whether or not the minor shall be assigned mandatory supervised release or be transferred to the Department of Corrections prior to the minor's 21st birthday.

Amends House Rule 39. Provides that, within 24 hours after adjournment of a committee or task force meeting, the Clerk shall make accessible on the General Assembly website any audio recording of a meeting required under the House Rules.

Amends Rule 37. Provides that, when the House or any of its committees has amended an appropriation bill, a vote on final passage of the bill shall not be taken until the second calendar day following the day an amendment was adopted, unless the amendment is tabled. Requires the affirmative vote of 79 members elected to suspend the requirement. Adds a Rule concerning appropriations bills. Prohibits the House from considering a motion to concur with one or more amendments to an appropriation bill until the second calendar day following the day the Senate adopted an amendment to the bill, unless the amendment is tabled. Provides that a conference committee report for an appropriation bill shall not be considered by the House until the second calendar day following the day the conference committee report was filed with the Clerk. Specifies that the Rule does not limit consideration of a motion to concur or conference committee report by a committee of the House or a joint committee of the House and Senate. Makes conforming changes in Rule 75.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning the conviction of certain offenses as grounds for disqualification for licensure or suspension or revocation of a license, includes the sex offense of abuse by an educator or authority figure under the definition of "sex or other offense". Amends the Sex Offenses Article of the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits abuse by an educator or authority figure if that person is an educator or authority figure at the school, the student is at least 18 years of age but under 23 years of age, the person is at least 4 years older than the student and holds or held within the previous year a position of trust, authority, or supervision in relation to the student in connection with an educational or extracurricular program or activity, and the person either: (1) commits an act of sexual conduct with the student; or (2) commits an act of sexual penetration with the student. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual conduct is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual penetration is a Class 4 felony for the first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that consent of the victim is not a defense to abuse by an educator or authority figure.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall create and implement a policy of electronic scanning and processing of all incoming mail in all Department of Corrections institutions and facilities, including the use of drug interdiction technologies to protect the health and safety of committed persons, the Department's staff, and its contractors. Provides that the policy shall require that mail processed electronically shall be available to committed persons only through kiosk and tablet services. Provides that the policy shall require that the mail be held in storage for a period of time by the correctional institution or facility or destroyed, as determined by the Director of Corrections. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to implement this provision. Effective immediately.

Creates the Human Services Equitable Pay Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to commission a Human Services Compensation Study on the rate of compensation, including wages and benefits, of positions funded by the Department of Human Services and how they compare to similar positions in the human services sector in Illinois and nationally. Requires the study to include an analysis of wage and benefit levels in different settings and for different education levels, including a comparison of compensation for: (1) State employees; (2) human service providers; and (3) for-profit private sector employees with similar roles and titles. Requires the study to be completed and submitted to the Human Services Compensation Task Force by June 30, 2026. Requires the Department to establish the Human Services Compensation Task Force on or before December 31, 2025. Provides that members shall be appointed by the Governor and shall include at least 3 BIPOC executive directors of community-based human service organizations and 2 co-chairs. Requires the Task Force to provide, on or before December 1, 2026, a report to the General Assembly and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget that includes: (i) recommendations on how to strengthen recruitment and retention of human services workers employed by human services providers that have contracts with the State; (ii) recommended rate levels; and (iii) a proposed schedule to increase rates to the recommended rate levels by July 1, 2030. Requires the Department to submit annual reports to the Task Force and the General Assembly that includes salary disparities between professionals employed by human services providers in the Department and comparable employees contracted with the State agency for the delivery of human services, the amount needed to be annually appropriated to the Department in order to reduce such salary disparities, and other matters. Effective immediately.