Illinois

Creates the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program Act. Creates the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program within the University of Illinois System to provide a stable funding source for the veterinary care of retired police dogs. Provides that the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois shall contract with a not-for-profit corporation to administer and manage the Program. Sets forth the required criteria a not-for-profit corporation must meet to be selected for a grant award. Subject to appropriation, requires the Board of Trustees to make grants to the not-for-profit corporation to be the disbursing authority for the Program. Provides that annual disbursements to a former handler or an adopter of a retired police dog to reimburse him or her for the cost of the retired police dog's veterinary care may not exceed $1,500 per dog. Requires the Board of Trustees to adopt rules to implement the Act. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that all moneys in the Illinois Police K-9 Memorial Fund shall be paid, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and distribution by the Secretary, for grants under the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program Act (rather than as grants to the Northern Illinois Police K-9 Memorial for the creation, operation, and maintenance of a police K-9 memorial monument). Provides that, if the Secretary of State has not received 2,000 plate applications to issue the special registration plates designated as Illinois Police K-9 Memorial license plates by January 1, 2028, then the Secretary of State's authority to issue the special plate is nullified and the plate shall not be issued.

Amends the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act. Provides that crime victims have the right, when a person reports being a crime victim as defined in the Act, to be treated with fairness and respect during the investigatory process, including the right to be free from deception, which is the knowing communication of false facts about evidence (rather than to be treated with fairness and respect during the investigatory process, including the right to be free from deception and free from the knowing communication of false facts about evidence during interviews and conversations with law enforcement).

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall adopt rules that allow landowners to have other individuals destroy deer responsible for damage under permits issued to that landowner. Provides that landowner deer and turkey permits shall be issued without charge to an Illinois resident that owns at least 40 acres of Illinois land and that wishes to hunt only on the land that Illinois resident owns. Provides that tenant deer and turkey permits shall be issued without charge to Illinois resident tenants of at least 40 acres of commercial agricultural land that wish to hunt only on the land of which they are resident tenants. Sets forth provisions concerning documentation requirements; guest permits; and administrative rules. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026, except that specified provisions are effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. In provisions concerning the duty to bargain collectively, provides that specified conditions apply whenever collective bargaining is for the purpose of establishing an initial agreement following original certification of units (rather than units with fewer than 35 employees), with respect to public employees other than peace officers, fire fighters, and security employees. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the contents of the bill, but provides that the principal or principal's designee (rather than the principal or principal's designee in coordination with the local law enforcement agency) shall attempt to contact (rather than meet with) the student's parent or guardian to ensure the student does not have access to a firearm. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Provides that on and after January 1, 2026, a person may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale baby food in the State that contains toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Defines "toxic heavy metal" as arsenic, cadmium, lead, or mercury and defines other terms. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, each manufacturer of baby food shall test a representative sample of each production aggregate of the manufacturer's final baby food product for each toxic heavy metal. Requires monthly testing. Beginning January 1, 2027, requires each manufacturer of baby food to make certain information publicly available. Provides that if a consumer believes, based on information gathered through the use of the code included on the baby food product label, that baby food is being sold in the State with toxic heavy metals that exceed limits established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the consumer may report that baby food to the Department of Public Health.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In a provision regarding wastewater reuse, provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the use of treated municipal wastewater from a publicly owned treatment works is authorized for irrigation and industrial use (rather than only irrigation) when conducted in accordance with a permit issued under certain provisions of the Act.

Amends the School Code. Authorizes the State Board of Education to award grants to school districts in the State for the purpose of incentivizing those districts to conduct reorganization feasibility studies. Provides that, to be eligible for a grant under these provisions, the board of the school district that is applying for the grant shall (i) negotiate a proposed agreement to secure the services of a third-party consultant who will conduct the reorganization feasibility study; (ii) adopt a resolution that is signed by the board president of the district and calls for the initiation of a school district reorganization feasibility study in accordance with the terms of the proposed agreement and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education; and (iii) submit the completed agreement form, the signed board resolution, and such other information as the State Board of Education may, by administrative rule, require, to the regional office of education or the executive director of the intermediate service center for the district for approval. Provides that, upon receipt of a complete application from a district, the regional office of education or the executive director of the intermediate service center shall either (i) approve the agreement and send the agreement to the State Board of Education or (ii) disapprove the agreement and return the agreement to the district with a letter of explanation. Authorizes the State Board of Education to award grants under these provisions to districts for which it receives an approved agreement. Requires the State Board of Education to annually notify each school district in the State of the availability of grant funds and to provide with that notice specified information. Provides that, every 2 years, each board that receives a notice may include the question of whether to pursue this grant funding as an action item on the agenda at one of its meetings. Authorizes the State Board of Education to provide a school district up to the maximum reimbursement amount set by the State Board of Education, for the purpose of covering all or part of the costs borne by the school district to conduct a reorganization feasibility study. Directs the State Board of Education, in awarding these grants, to prioritize districts that are contiguous with one another, districts that have similar property tax rates, districts with similar per-pupil adequacy funding, and, beginning in State fiscal year 2030, other districts that have been identified as priority districts by the State Board of Education pursuant to rules it adopts. Prohibits a school district from being awarded a grant under these provisions in any 2 consecutive award cycles. Allows the State Board of Education to adopt any rules it deems necessary to implement and administer this program of grant funding, including, but not limited to, rules establishing the criteria that must be met by the third-party consultants who will perform the feasibility studies, rules describing minimum criteria to be included in agreements executed with the third-party consultants who will perform the feasibility studies described in this Section, and, beginning in State fiscal year 2030, rules identifying additional types of school districts to be prioritized for grant funding under these provisions. Directs the State Board of Education, in State fiscal year 2035, and every 5 years thereafter, to reevaluate and, if necessary, amend the rules identifying additional types of school districts to be prioritized for grant funding. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act, and the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Allows an applicant for licensure under those Acts to temporarily practice under supervision while the applicant's application for licensure is pending under specified circumstances. Removes good moral character standards as qualification requirements for the licensing of social workers and music therapists. Creates procedures for placing a license on inactive status for social workers and professional counselors. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must allow reasonable exam accommodations for licensed marriage and family therapists and clinical psychologists whose primary language is not English if a test in the therapist's or psychologist's primary language is not available.

Amends the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act. Defines "acute sexual assault" as a sexual assault that has recently occurred within a specified time. Replaces various references to "sexual assault" with "acute sexual assault". Deletes the definition of "prepubescent sexual assault survivor". Changes provisions regarding hospitals located in counties with a population of less than 1,000,000 and within a 20-mile radius of a 4-year public university with respect to a sexual assault treatment plan approved by the Department of Public Health. Makes changes in various provisions concerning plans of correction and penalties for hospitals that commit specified violations of the Act. In provisions regarding requirements for medical forensic services, provides that the provisions of the Act are not intended to prohibit a qualified medical provider from offering an Illinois Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit to a sexual assault survivor who presents at a treatment hospital or approved pediatric health care facility with a nonacute complaint of sexual assault if there is a compelling reason for evidence collection, or upon the request of the survivor. In provisions regarding the prohibition on billing sexual assault survivors directly for certain services, changes references to the Office of the Attorney General to references to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

Amends the Illinois Drug Reuse Opportunity Program Act. Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health: (1) to develop, maintain, and publish on its website information regarding the names and locations of pharmacies participating in the program; (2) to educate pharmacies in the State about the program and how to participate in it voluntarily; (3) to develop and publish educational materials to allow program participants and the Department to inform the general public about the purposes and benefits of the program; and (4) to collect information from participants and publish the information in an annual report to the General Assembly by December 31 of each calendar year, beginning December 31, 2026. Specifies that records maintained under the Act are subject to access by the Department upon request. Defines "Department".

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue special registration plates to an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) chief. Provides that the fee for the plates shall be the same as the fee prescribed for standard plates for first division vehicles. Provides for the issuance of permanent license plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire protection district. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicles with emergency flashing lights if EMS chief special registration plates are affixed to the vehicle. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicle with sirens.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Changes the date on which the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority shall begin to study and compile specified information on homicides from January 1, 2026 to July 1, 2026. Makes other changes.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in counties with a population over 3,000,000, representation by the public defender in immigration cases shall be limited to those arising or being heard within the geographical boundaries of the county where the public defender has been appointed to office and to those of county residents with immigration cases outside of the county unless the county board authorizes the public defender to provide representation beyond those limits (rather than limited to those arising in immigration courts located within the geographical boundaries of the county where the public defender has been appointed to office unless the county board authorizes the public defender to provide representation outside the county).

Amends the Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Act. Provides that requests for grant assistance shall include, but not be limited to, those activities that will implement or enhance: (1) current Illinois Forest Action Plan objectives; (2) local forestry program management objectives as determined by an urban and community forestry management plan; (3) tree canopy capacity in underserved and disadvantaged areas of communities or counties; or (4) urban and community forest canopy in Illinois communities and counties. Makes changes in provisions concerning duties of the Department of Natural Resources, grants amounts, and applications for assistance. Defines additional terms. Amends the State Forest Act. Makes changes to the list of designated State forests.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall develop and implement a life-cycle costs analysis for each new construction, reconstruction, or replacement road project, except for State rehabilitation and preservation projects, under its jurisdiction for which the total pavement costs exceed $500,000. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the employee of the Aeronautics Division of the Department of Transportation who is a member of the advisory committee that determines which homes contain windows or doors that cause offensive odors and thus are eligible for replacement shall only cast a vote when breaking a tie. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that every crash report required to be made in writing must be electronically submitted to the Administrator using an electronic format approved by the Administrator (rather than made on an approved form or in an approved electronic format provided by the Administrator). Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately, except that the changes made to the Illinois Vehicle Code are effective January 1, 2027.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Removes changes to provisions concerning applications under the Carbon Dioxide Transportation and Sequestration Act. In provisions concerning the compensation for damages to the surface of a landowner's property, provides that such compensation includes compensation to return the surface estate, including soil conservation practices, such as terraces, grassed waterways, and other conservation practices, to the condition of the surface (rather than to a condition as near as practicable to the condition of the surface) prior to accessing the property; compensation for damage to the productive capability of the soil resulting from compaction or rutting if the parties are incapable of reaching resolution for such issues under the mitigation agreement and certain requirements are met (rather than such compensation shall include, but is not limited to, compensation for when a pipeline applicant accesses a property where excessively wet soil conditions would not allow normal farming operations due to increased risk of soil erosion, rutting, or compaction); and compensation for damage to surface and subsurface drainage, including compensation such that the applicant who has been granted a certificate of authority under the Act shall compensate the affected landowner to permanently restore drainage to the condition of the drainage (rather than to a condition as near as practicable to the condition of the drainage) prior to accessing the property. Provides that an applicant shall comply with the requirements of the agreement that governs the mitigation of agricultural impacts. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Excludes student health insurance coverage from a provision requiring group or individual policies of accident and health insurance that provide dependent coverage to make that dependent coverage available to the parent or stepparent of the insured if certain conditions are met. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that any person who files or causes to be filed a deed or instrument that is recorded in the grantor's index or the grantee's index that is fraudulent, unlawfully altered, or intended to unlawfully cloud or transfer the title of any real property may be held liable to the rightful property owner affected in an action brought in a court of competent jurisdiction for such legal or equitable relief as may be appropriate to enforce the Code. Requires every county to establish and maintain a property fraud alert system. Requires every recorder to establish a fraud referral and review process to review deeds and instruments.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. In provisions concerning the First Time Weapon Offense Program, provides that, upon the successful completion of the Program, a defendant may submit an application for a Firearm Owner's Identification Card upon receiving a court order demonstrating completion of the Program. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall issue a Firearm Owner's Identification Card to such person upon receiving a court order demonstrating completion of the Program if the person is otherwise eligible to receive a Firearm Owner's Identification Card. Provides that nothing in the provisions concerning the First Time Weapon Offense Program shall prohibit the Illinois State Police from denying an application for or revoking a Firearm Owner's Identification Card as provided by law. Adds provisions concerning unlawful possession of weapons offense diversion programs and a defendant's Firearm Owner's Identification Card eligibility. Provides that a State's Attorney, at his or her discretion, may request that a defendant charged with an unlawful possession of weapons offense or aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon offense, if punishable as a Class 4 felony or lower, be sentenced to a First Time Weapon Offense Program.

Amends the State Parks Designation Act. Provides that the visitor center located in Giant City State Park shall be known as the Bob Kristoff Visitor Center. Specifies that the arena located at Giant City Stables in Giant City State Park shall be known as the Richard A. Kelly Arena. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. In the definition of "Student Permanent Record", provides that a Student Permanent Record may include a summary of performance for students that received special education services. Provides that a summary of performance shall be substantially similar to the summary of performance form developed by the State Board. Provides that any summary of performance maintained as part of a Student Permanent Record shall be kept confidential and not be disclosed except as otherwise authorized under the Act. Provides that a summary of performance may be excluded from a Student Permanent Record if, after being notified in writing that (i) school districts do not keep special education records beyond 5 years and (ii) if a summary of performance record is not kept in a student's permanent file, the student may not have the documentation necessary to qualify for State or federal benefits in the future, the student and parents or guardians consent in writing to the exclusion of the summary of performance. In provisions concerning the release of school student records, provides that school student records or information contained therein may be released, transferred, disclosed, or otherwise disseminated to the Department of Human Services for the sole purpose of assessing or evaluating the student's eligibility for Medicaid waiver benefits consistent with rules adopted by the Department of Human Services.

Amends the Uniform Electronic Transactions in Dental Care Billing Act. Provides that beginning January 1, 2028 (instead of 2026), no dental plan carrier is required to accept from a dental care provider eligibility for a dental plan transaction or dental care claims or equivalent encounter information transaction. Sets forth exemptions from the requirements of the Act, and requires a dental care provider who is exempt from the requirements of the Act to file a form with the Department of Insurance indicating the applicable exemption. Requires each dental plan carrier to establish a portal that provides certain benefit and billing information. Requires a dental plan carrier to establish an electronic portal that allows dental care providers to submit claims electronically and directly to the dental care provider; accept attachments in an electronic format with the initial electronic claim's submission; and provide remittance advice with the corresponding payment. Provides that nothing in the Act requires a dental care provider to only accept electronic payment from a dental plan carrier. Provides that dental plan carriers shall allow alternative forms of payment, without additional fees or charges, to a dental care provider, if requested. Effective immediately.

Amends the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity Act. Provides that students who are eligible to apply or receive consideration for any student aid or benefit offered by a unit of local government or administered by any public institution of higher learning is not subject to any caps on grant assistance available under the Monetary Award Program other than those required by State law. Provides that the eligibility requirements for any student aid or benefit offered by a unit of local government shall be interpreted to promote the broadest eligibility for students who are Illinois residents in accordance with State law or policy. Makes a conforming change.

Amends the School Code. Requires school districts to annually report to the State Board of Education the following: (1) the amount of funds received by each school district in the preceding school year; (2) the amount of funds reserved by each school district in the preceding school year to serve homeless children and youth; (3) the number of homeless children and youth identified and enrolled in each school district for that same school year; (4) the amount of such funds that were spent on homeless children and youth; (5) the activities on which such funds were spent; and (6) any auxiliary funding provided to the school district through supplemental funding. Requires the State Board to post the information on the State Board's website.