Illinois

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Provides that, on or before July 1, 2026, each school district that serves students in any of grades kindergarten through 3 shall report specified information to the State Board of Education regarding the use of early literacy screeners. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2027, the Illinois State Board of Education shall file a report with the General Assembly outlining the data received. Requires the report to be posted publicly on the State Board of Education's Internet website no later than January 1, 2027. Repeals the provisions on July 1, 2027.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person who commits the offense of non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images may be tried in any one of the following counties in which: (1) the offense occurred; or (2) the victim resides.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to develop statewide guidance for school districts and educators on the use of artificial intelligence in elementary and secondary education. Requires, no later than July 1, 2026, the State Board of Education to encourage school districts to collect teaching resources to support American Sign Language programs. With respect to educator licensure, provides that, on or before July 1, 2026, the State Board of Education shall post publicly on its website the process by which the State Board or any entity designated by the State Board evaluates content area knowledge tests to determine content validity, an absence of bias, or the scores required to pass such tests. With respect to the recommendation that an age-appropriate unit of Internet safety instruction include recognizing and reporting online harassment and cyber-bullying, adds that this includes the creation and distribution of false representations of individuals created by artificial intelligence, including, but not limited to, sexually explicit images and videos.

If and only if Senate Bill 867 of the 103rd General Assembly becomes law, amends the State Parks Act. Provides that the land management agreement with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and other necessary parties for the purpose of managing, maintaining, or operating the real property conveyed to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation shall contain restrictions on gaming operations. Effective immediately or on the date Senate Bill 867 of the 103rd General Assembly becomes law, whichever is later.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Makes changes to defined terms. Provides that, upon receipt of a patient care report that documents an overdose, the Department of Public Health (rather than a covered vehicle service provider) shall report the information from a patient care report to the specified organizations. In provisions concerning opioid overdose reporting, provides that overdose information reported by a covered vehicle service provider shall not be used in an opioid use-related criminal investigation, prosecution, welfare checks, or warrant checks of the individual who was treated by the covered vehicle service provider personnel for experiencing the suspected or actual overdose. Provides that any misuse of the information reported by a covered vehicle service provider shall result in, but is not limited to, the Department of Transportation reporting misuse to the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Overdose Detection Mapping Application or a similar technology platform. Establishes rulemaking authority for the Department concerning standards under which misuse of access may be reported. Prohibits the submission of data that allows for or creates a risk of identification of an individual or individuals experiencing a suspected or actual overdose treated by the covered vehicle service provider personnel. Permits covered vehicle service provider personnel to report overdose surveillance through an identified technology platform for the use of overdose surveillance, as provided. Sets forth additional provisions concerning opioid overdose reporting requirements for the Department.

Creates the Child Welfare Disclosure to Parents Act. Provides that it is the policy of the State that a parent involved with the Illinois child welfare system has specified rights, including, but not limited to, the right to: (1) be treated with dignity and respect and as a valued member of the child welfare team; (2) be consulted about relative placement options for the child if placement becomes necessary; (3) as it relates to a non-custodial parent, be assessed and considered for custody of the child prior to the Department of Children and Family Services taking protective custody; (4) receive timely visits with the child, subject to and in accordance with State law, all rules and procedures of the Department of Children and Family Services, and all applicable court orders; (5) be provided a copy of the Child Welfare Disclosure to Parents Act at the time of case opening or first contact with the Department of Children and Family Services; (6) be consulted in the development of the child's hair care plan, if not contrary to the child's wishes; and other enumerated rights. Effective immediately.

Amends the Swimming Facility Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to include within its rules under the Act rules concerning design criteria for aquatic features including overhead systems or similar interactive equipment.

Amends the Illinois Public Accounting Act. Changes the definition of "CPA firm" to remove a reference to limited liability companies and to include professional limited liability companies. Changes references from "substantial equivalency" to "enhanced mobility". Changes provisions regarding substantial equivalency for an individual whose principal place of business is not in the State but who has a valid CPA license issued by another state to require that the licensure requirements of the issuing state must be equivalent to the criteria in the Act or, if the licensure requirements of the issuing state are not equivalent, to require that the individual must petition the Public Accountant Registration and Licensure Committee for, and obtain from the Public Accountant Registration and Licensure Committee, an equivalency determination (instead of requiring a verification of the criteria by the National Qualification Appraisal Service of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy). Provides that, on and after January 1, 2027, the Department may license as licensed CPAs, individuals who have received a bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited college or university and an exam certificate or certification from the Board and have had at least 2 years of experience as defined by Department of Financial and Professional Regulation rule. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2027, the Department may license as licensed CPAs individuals who have received a master's degree, a bachelor's degree with 30 hours of accounting from an accredited college or university and an exam certificate or certification from the Board, and at least one year of experience as defined by Department rule. Changes the organization that the Department may rely on for enhanced mobility determinations from the National Qualification Appraisal Service of the National Association of State Board of Accountancy to the Public Accountant Registration and Licensure Committee. Makes conforming and other changes.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district may apply for an agriculture education teacher grant to fund an amount not to exceed 50% of the personal services cost for an agriculture education teacher and the teacher shall receive 100% of the compensation for 60 additional days. Provides, in a provision concerning prerequisites to receiving a high school diploma, that each pupil entering the 9th grade must successfully complete one year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language, (D) career and technical education (rather than vocational education), or (E) forensic speech (speech and debate). Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following change. Removes a provision from the engrossed bill that would have authorized the Department of Transportation to adjust the applicable monetary threshold on a yearly basis to reflect inflationary costs in highway construction as measured by the United States Department of Transportation in the National Highway Construction Cost Index or other similar index.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Further amends the Joliet Arsenal Development Authority Act. Provides that the Board of Directors of the Joliet Arsenal Development Authority shall consist of 15 members (rather than 10 members). Provides that one member (rather than 6 members) of the Board shall be appointed by the Will County Executive. Provides that the mayors of the municipalities of Channahon, Crest Hill, Elwood, Joliet, Lockport, Manhattan, Rockdale, Romeoville, Symerton, and Wilmington shall each appoint one member of the Board of Directors. Provides for the appointment of the Board members. Provides that the Chairperson of the Board shall be appointed by the Will County Executive from among the members of the Board (rather than elected by the Board annually from among the members who are appointed by the Will County Executive). Provides that Board shall meet upon the call of its Chairperson or upon written notice of 8 members of the Board (rather than 6 members of the Board). Provides that all official acts of the Authority shall require the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the Board members at a meeting of the Board (rather than at least 6 members of the Board at a meeting of the Board) at which the members casting those affirmative votes are present.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that the definition of "public works" includes all federal construction projects administered or controlled by a public body if the prevailing rate of wages is equal to or greater than the prevailing wage determination by the United States Secretary of Labor for the same locality for the same type of construction used to classify the federal construction project. Makes a conforming change. Effective July 1, 2025.

Creates the Workers' Rights and Worker Safety Act. Provides that, except as authorized by State law enacted after April 28, 2025, a State agency may not amend or revise the State agency's rules in a manner that is less stringent in its protection of workers' rights or worker safety than requirements established under federal wage and hour law or federal coal mine safety law as the federal law existed on April 28, 2025. Creates the Illinois Safe and Healthy Workplace Act. Provides that the Department of Labor shall adopt rules to incorporate federal occupational health or safety standards that are repealed or revoked to address occupational safety or health issues. Sets forth rights of action and penalties. Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Provides that the Director Labor may adopt a standard that incorporates a federal occupational health or safety standard as it existed prior to being repealed, revoked, amended, or newly interpreted and addresses the occupational safety or health issue that the repealed, revoked, amended, or newly interpreted federal Occupational Safety and Health Act standard had addressed.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may not approve the siting of a commercial wind energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or both in an unincorporated area that is located within a 3-mile radius of a municipality, if: (1) the municipality has not approved the siting of the facility or facilities at that location; (2) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that any portion of the facility or facilities will be located on land with a Soil Productivity Index that is greater than or equal to 90; or (3) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that the owners or operators of the facility or facilities have failed to comply with one or more National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for the site. Provides that the provisions apply regardless of whether the municipality has adopted zoning ordinances or is regulating wind farms and electric-generating wind devices under specified provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code. Requires each commercial solar energy facility to have the minimum number of fire hydrants required by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district or, if there are no requirements by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district, then the minimum number required by the county board. Allows a county to require a commercial solar energy facility to be sited at least 500 feet to the nearest point on the property line of the nonparticipating zoned residential. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026 tax year (to be collected in 2027), the total tax bill for property receiving the General Homestead Exemption may not exceed 103% of the total property tax bill for the property for the immediately preceding taxable year. Contains provisions concerning the reallocation of property tax liability.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the total property tax bill for any property receiving the senior citizens homestead exemption may not exceed 101% of the tax bill for the immediately preceding taxable year.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Illinois Statewide Trauma-Informed Response to Human Trafficking Act. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall maintain a human trafficking unit to coordinate services, initiate prevention efforts, and provide access to resources for case-management staff to serve youth in care who have been determined to be victims of human trafficking or assessed to be at high risk of becoming a victim of human trafficking, as well as ensure a prompt response by the Department to recover youth in care in the custody of law enforcement. Provides that the Department shall incorporate services for all child trafficking victims into the community-based services provided by the Department. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall develop a strategic plan, in consultation with advocates and survivors, to establish a statewide system of identification and response to survivors of human trafficking and recommended levels of funding for phase-in of comprehensive victim-centered, trauma-informed statewide services for victims of human trafficking, including adults and children, and to sex and labor trafficking victims and require victim-centered, trauma-informed human trafficking training for caseworkers, treatment providers, investigators, foster parents, and residential home personnel. Amends the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall develop a strategic plan to improve victim-centered, trauma-informed law enforcement response to victims of human trafficking across the State. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall work with the Illinois State Police, local law enforcement, victim-centered, trauma-informed human trafficking service providers, and survivor leaders to develop, curriculum standards for training on victim-centered, trauma-informed detection, investigation, and response to human trafficking victims certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board. Amends various other Acts concerning various agencies responsibilities of addressing human trafficking. Effective January 1, 2026.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Further amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Reinserts provisions concerning the inspection of employee records. Changes various references from "an offer of employment" to "a final offer of employment". Makes changes in provisions concerning immunity from liability. Amends the Personnel Record Review Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency shall release a complete law enforcement personnel file upon receipt of a written request from a law enforcement agency for the purpose of making an employment determination by the law enforcement agency or a hiring board, such as the Illinois State Police Merit Board or an equivalent board. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, all previous employers, and the agents and employees of all previous employers have immunity (rather than qualified immunity) for the release of employment record information.

Provides that specified provisions of the Illinois State Police Law may be referred to as Alyssa's Law. Amends the State Employee Indemnification Act. Provides that the term "employee" includes, among other things, (1) any Metropolitan Enforcement Groups created under the Intergovernmental Drug Laws Enforcement Act if all sworn members of the Metropolitan Enforcement Group are employees under the Act; and (2) any law enforcement organization established under a written agreement under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act for the purpose of enforcing and investigating specified offenses, if the Illinois State Police is a party to the agreement and all sworn members of the law enforcement organization are employees under the Act. Authorizes the Division of Criminal Investigation to conduct investigations into Internet crimes against children and provide support to applicable statewide task forces. Defines "CJIS Systems Agency" and "Criminal Justice Information System". Provides that the CJIS Security Policy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation governs criminal justice information systems and requires all of those systems to be subject to a management control agreement controlled by the criminal justice agency that owns the criminal justice information system and to be subject to oversight by the CJIS Systems Agency. Provides that the CJIS Systems Agency shall establish principles and standards to provide consistency in the operation and use of criminal justice system information technology throughout the State. Provides that the CJIS Systems Agency may impose more stringent or additional protection measures than those measures outlined in the CJIS Security Policy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation if the protection measures are documented and maintained. Provides that State agencies and units of local government shall work with the CJIS Systems Agency to follow all principles and standards. Provides that, consistent with the CJIS Security Policy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, no State agency, unit of local government, or employee of a State agency or unit of local government shall usurp, replace, or diminish the role and responsibility of the CJIS Information Security Officer or the CJIS Systems Officer appointed by the head of the CJIS Systems Agency. Provides that the Division of Patrol shall serve as the lead State agency for administering the commercial vehicle safety plan and the only agency to enforce the provisions of Chapter 18b of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that certain provisions take effect October 1, 2025.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that any report received by the Department of Children and Family Services alleging the abuse or neglect of a child by any person (rather than a person who is not the child's parent, a member of the child's immediate family, a person responsible for the child's welfare, an individual residing in the same home as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent) shall immediately be shared with (rather than referred to) the appropriate local law enforcement agency. Provides that, upon receipt of the shared report, the local law enforcement agency may, in its discretion, conduct a criminal investigation or other action based on the information contained within the report. Provides that the Department shall be the sole agency responsible for receiving and investigating reports of child abuse or neglect made under the Act, except where investigations by other agencies may be required with respect to reports alleging the abuse or neglect of a child by any person (rather than except where investigations by other agencies may be required with respect to reports alleging the abuse or neglect of a child by a person who is not the child's parent, a member of the child's immediate family, a person responsible for the child's welfare, an individual residing in the same home as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent).

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to establish and operate a caseload tracking system which shall be designed to monitor and evaluate the interrelationship between client case plans, the Department's case tracking system, and the work responsibilities of the Department. Provides that the caseload tracking system shall prioritize the equal distribution of caseload burdens between the personnel of the Department. Provides that if the caseload tracking system generates data that shows a lack of equal distribution of caseload burdens between Department service areas, the Department shall prioritize the reorganization of the service areas so as to equalize caseload burdens.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to submit to the General Assembly no later than March 1 of each year a report in relation to the ongoing case files of the Department, the caseload tracking system or systems operated by the Department, the ratio of active case files to active Department personnel, and how appropriations to the Department can be structured to incentivize the Department to manage its caseload and to reduce the burden of individual case responsibilities upon individual Department personnel.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Precludes the court from ordering the automatic expungement of the juvenile court and law enforcement records of a delinquent minor based on an attempt to commit a disqualified offense.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Ratifies and approves the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows for the issuance of multistate licenses that allow nurses to practice in their home state and other compact states. Provides that the Compact does not supersede existing State labor laws. Provides that the State may not share with or disclose to the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators or any other state any of the contents of a nationwide criminal history records check conducted for the purpose of multistate licensure under the Nurse Licensure Compact. Provides that an employer who employs nurses, as defined in the Article, shall provide the nurses under its employment with the opportunity to obtain the required continuing education hours. Requires that nurses subject to the Nurse Licensure Compact complete 20 hours of approved continuing education per every 2-year license renewal cycle. Provides that the Nurse Licensure Compact does not apply to an advanced practice registered nurse. Adds provisions concerning employer attestations.