Illinois

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable year 2025, the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption is $75,000. Provides that, for taxable year 2026 and subsequent taxable years, the maximum income limitation shall be adjusted by the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index. Effective immediately.

Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Changes the short title of the Regional Transportation Authority Act to the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act. Creates the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. Makes changes in provisions concerning: legislative findings; meanings of defined terms; allocation of responsibility for public transportation; strategic planning; capital programming; service planning; performance audits; operational requirements; fares; pedestrian access to transit; extraterritorial powers of the Authority; research and development; protection of the environment; zero-emission buses; enforcement of traffic laws; establishment of the NITA Law Enforcement Task Force; crime prevention programming; the establishment of the Office of Transit Safety and Experience; the establishment of Coordinated Safety Response Councils; safety standards and investments in safety; bus shields; prioritization of capital projects; fast-track project authorization; transit-supportive development; transit ambassadors; and other matters. Changes the short title of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act to the Chicago Transit Authority Act. Makes changes concerning: the powers and duties of the Chicago Transit Authority and its interactions with the Northern Illinois Transit Authority; governance of the Chicago Transit Authority; and the operating budget of the Chicago Transit Authority. Repeals various provisions. Creates the Sustainable Transit for Northern Illinois Act. Provides that, except in certain circumstances, a unit of local government may not impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirements on a development project if the project is located within one-half mile of a public transportation hub. Limits home rule powers. Creates the Electric Vehicle Charging Fee Act. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2026, a fee is imposed on the privilege of engaging in business as an electric vehicle power provider in this State. Creates the Retail Delivery Climate Impact Fee Act. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2026, a climate impact fee of $1.50 is imposed on each retail delivery that meets specified conditions. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall establish an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Transit Innovation, Integration, and Reform. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Changes the short title of the Regional Transportation Authority Act to the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act. Creates the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. Makes changes in provisions concerning: legislative findings; meanings of defined terms; allocation of responsibility for public transportation; strategic planning; capital programming; service planning; performance audits; operational requirements; fares; pedestrian access to transit; extraterritorial powers of the Authority; research and development; protection of the environment; zero-emission buses; enforcement of traffic laws; establishment of the NITA Law Enforcement Task Force; crime prevention programming; the establishment of the Office of Transit Safety and Experience; the establishment of Coordinated Safety Response Councils; safety standards and investments in safety; bus shields; prioritization of capital projects; fast-track project authorization; transit-supportive development; transit ambassadors; and other matters. Changes the short title of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act to the Chicago Transit Authority Act. Makes changes concerning: the powers and duties of the Chicago Transit Authority and its interactions with the Northern Illinois Transit Authority; governance of the Chicago Transit Authority; and the operating budget of the Chicago Transit Authority. Repeals various provisions. Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Adds provisions concerning, among other things, the Transit Integration Policy Development Committee and the Transit Coordination Oversight Officer. Amends the Local Mass Transit District Act. Makes changes concerning transit-supportive development and trail-supportive development. Makes conforming and other changes in various other Acts. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the bill with the following changes. Provides that on or before September 1, 2026, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Team in the Office of the Governor and relevant stakeholders, shall report its work and make available resource materials, including model procedures (rather than policies) and guidance informed by a phased approach to implementing universal mental health screening in schools. Provides that the model school district procedures (rather than policies) to facilitate the implementation of mental health screenings, shall include specified matters. Provides that mental health screenings shall be offered by school districts to students enrolled in grade 3 (rather than kindergarten) through grade 12, at least once a year, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year. Provides that the requirement to offer mental health screenings shall be in effect only for school years in which the State has successfully procured a screening tool that offers a self-report option for students and is made available to school districts at no cost. In provisions concerning youth left in a psychiatric hospital beyond medical necessity, requires a hospital to attempt to contact the youth and the youth's parents, guardian, or caregiver about the BEACON portal and assist with entering the youth's information into the BEACON portal to begin the process of connecting the youth and family to available resources (rather than assist with connections to the designated Family Support Program coordinator in the service area by providing educational materials developed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services).

Amends the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act. Requires each higher education institution to biennially (rather than annually) conduct a sexual misconduct climate survey of all students at the institution. Adds the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board, members appointed by the Board of Higher Education, and members appointed by the Illinois Community College Board to the Task Force on Campus Sexual Misconduct Climate Surveys. Removes some members of the Task Force who were appointed by the Governor. Requires the Task Force to meet to recommend updates and revisions to the base survey (rather than to review the results of the survey and to implement updates and improvements). Removes the civil fine imposed upon an institution that violates the provisions or fails to carry out the provisions. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Requires the curriculum for probationary law enforcement officers to include a block of instruction addressing trauma-informed programs, procedures, and practices meant to minimize traumatization of the victim. Requires minimum in-service training requirements that a law enforcement officer must satisfactorily complete every 3 years to include trauma-informed programs, procedures, and practices meant to minimize traumatization of the victim. Requires the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board to conduct or approve training programs in trauma-informed responses and investigation of sexual assault and sexual abuse to include identifying conflicts of interest and options to address those conflicts when a responding or investigating officer is familiar with the victim or accused.

Amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983. Provides that the articles of incorporation of any corporation (currently, any corporation incorporated after December 31, 1981) may limit or eliminate cumulative voting rights in all or specified circumstances, or may limit or deny voting rights or may provide special voting rights as to any class or classes or series of shares of such corporation.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Changes the name of the Act to the Human Trafficking Recognition Training Act. Changes references from "lodging establishment, restaurant, or truck stop" to "employer". Provides that the Department of Human Services may enforce penalties under the Act. Makes other changes. Removes the effective date.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that State and public funds that have been deposited may not be withdrawn from a financial institution prior to the date of maturity solely on the basis of a less than satisfactory rating under the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for hippotherapy and other forms of therapeutic riding. Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, and the Health Maintenance Organization Act.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Provides that the Task Force on Interjurisdictional Industrial Zoning Impacts shall include (i) one member who is a zoning and land use attorney, appointed by the President of the Senate and (ii) one member who is a zoning and land use attorney, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (in the introduced bill, 2 members who are zoning and land use attorneys, appointed by the President of the Senate). Provides that the Task Force's report shall be submitted no later than August 1, 2027 (in the introduced bill, February 1, 2028). Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Children and Family Services Powers Law. Repeals a provision that grants the Department of Children and Family Services the power to appoint members of a police and security force to act as peace officers and have all powers possessed by police officers in cities and sheriffs under certain circumstances. Effective immediately.

Amends the Boat Registration and Safety Act. Prohibits a person from falsifying information on any application to the Department of Natural Resources that is required to be provided to the Department by the Act. Provides that the navigation lights shall, at minimum, have an intensity so as to be visible at the minimum ranges as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations. Provides that it is unlawful to operate a motorboat without a whistle, horn, or other appliance capable of producing a blast of 2 seconds or more duration and having an audible distance as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations (rather than being audible for at least one-half mile). Prohibits a motorboat operator from operating a motorboat less than 26 feet in length that is equipped by the manufacturer with an engine cutoff switch if the switch is not in use while the motorboat is operating on plane or above displacement speed. Prohibits a person from operating a watercraft without first verifying that the engine cut-off switch is operational and fully functional and properly attaching the lanyard or wireless attachment to the operator's body or to the clothing or personal flotation device being worn by the operator. Provides that a power-driven vessel operating in narrow channels and proceeding downbound with a following current (rather than downstream) shall have the right-of-way over an upbound vessel, shall propose the manner and place of passage, and shall imitate the maneuvering signals as required by law. Changes the ages at which a person may operate a motorboat based on the speed of the motorboat. Prohibits certain marijuana use within certain areas of a watercraft while upon waters in the State. Requires the Department to outline the application process for passenger-for-hire licenses or rental boat licenses by administrative rule. Makes other changes.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Removes the Collection Agency Act from the list of Acts being repealed under the Act. Amends the Collection Agency Act. Makes changes concerning defined terms; exempt persons and entities under the Act; unlicensed practice; disciplinary actions; communication; informal conferences; penalties; investigations; the record of hearing; oaths; findings and recommendations; hearings; orders; and returned payments. Provides that the fee rate a collection agency can charge may be modified by rule to not less than 25% of the amount of child support actually collected by the collection agency but not greater than 35%. Repeals provisions concerning the Collection Agency Licensing and Disciplinary Board and provisions concerning when a person acts as a collection agency. Makes other changes.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Changes disclosure in notice provisions to a judgment debtor in a citation to discover assets. Defines "consumer debt judgment". Creates an automatic exemption for a judgment debtor against execution in a consumer debt judgment. Provides that "automatic exemption" means the right of a judgment debtor, against whom a consumer debt judgment has been entered on or after January 1, 2020, to receive $1,000 of the judgment debtor's equity interest in personal property held in a checking, savings deposit account, or credit union account by a third-party citation respondent or garnishee. Provides that the automatic exemption is part of the judgment debtor's current exemption in any personal property not to exceed $4,000 in value. Makes other changes to personal property exemptions as follows: increases the exemption from $2,400 to $3,600 for a motor vehicle and from $1,500 to $2,250 in any implements, professional books, or tools of the debtor's trade. Increases the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $50,000 for one individual and to $100,000 if 2 or more individuals own the property. Makes changes to the list of items of personal property that are exempt from execution. Changes limitations for a revival of judgment for consumer debt entered before January 1, 2020, for a consumer debt judgment entered into after that date but before the effective date of the amendatory Act, and for a consumer debt judgment entered into after the effective date of the Act. Makes other changes. Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Prohibits a fee from being charged under the Act for the filing of an appearance by a defendant in a small claim proceeding. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Local Library Act and the Public Library District Act of 1991. Authorizes costs paid by persons residing outside of the relevant library jurisdiction to be paid quarterly or biannually if permitted by board regulations. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Changes the repeal date of the Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2031. Amends the Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act. Defines "email address of record". Adds provisions concerning address of record and email address of record. Replaces certain pronouns with the nouns to which the pronouns refer. Provides that all substance-related violations shall mandate an automatic substance abuse assessment. Makes changes in provisions concerning the administration of the Act; qualifications for licensure; restoration of expired licenses; grounds for discipline; investigations, notice and hearing; subpoenas and oaths; motions for rehearing; hearing officer appointment; and certifications of record and costs. Repeals provisions concerning the Illinois Board of Athletic Trainers; the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's roster of licensees; the findings of the Board; and persons practicing on January 1, 2006 (the effective date of Public Act 94-246). Makes conforming and other changes. Provisions amending the Regulatory Sunset Act are effective immediately.

Amends the Boat and Registration and Safety Act. Removes language that provides that a Boating Safety Certificate is not required by a person using only an electric motor to propel the motorboat.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act to provide that in the case of water main installation projects, all water main and appurtenances, including, but not limited to, fire hydrants and valves that are under the ownership and control of a public water supply and located in a public right of way or utility access easement, shall be included in the Environmental Protection Agency's written approval. Provides that design review and permitting of water main and fire hydrants is the sole responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency and water main and fire hydrants shall be installed in accordance with the written Agency permit. Requires that fire hydrants connected to a plumbing system to be installed in accordance with the Illinois Plumbing License Law and the rules and ordinances issued thereunder.

Amends the Chicago Police and Chicago Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that, for Tier 2 policemen, "final average salary" is the greater of: (i) the average monthly salary obtained by dividing the total salary of the policeman during the 96 consecutive months of service within the last 120 months of service in which the total salary was the highest; or (ii) the average monthly salary obtained by dividing the total salary of the policeman during the 48 consecutive months of service within the last 60 months of service in which the total salary was the highest. Provides that the limit on salary for all purposes under the Code for Tier 2 policemen and Tier 2 firemen shall annually be increased by the lesser of 3% or the annual (instead of one-half of the annual) unadjusted percentage increase in the consumer price index-u, including all previous adjustments. Provides that the surviving spouse's annuity for certain Tier 2 policemen and Tier 2 firemen shall be 54% of the policeman's or fireman's monthly salary at the time of the policeman's or fireman's death. Provides that, if the deceased policeman or fireman was a parent of a child or children and there is a surviving spouse, 12% of the policeman's or fireman's monthly salary at the date of death, or 12% of the policeman's or fireman's earned pension, shall be granted to the guardian of any such minor child or children. Provides that, upon the death of the surviving spouse leaving one or more children under the age of 18, or upon the death of a policeman or fireman leaving one or more children but no surviving spouse, a monthly pension of 20% of the policeman's or fireman's monthly salary at the date of death or 20% of the policeman's or fireman's earned pension at the date of death shall be granted to the guardian of each such child until the child reaches age 18. Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any personal property belonging to the vehicle owner in a vehicle subject to a lien shall be subject to that lien, except for the specified items, which may be claimed by immediate family members at the authorization of the vehicle owner. Establishes registration requirements for commercial vehicle safety relocators and tasks the Illinois Commerce Commission with oversight duties and the imposition of penalties. Provides that commercial vehicle safety relocators must follow specified business address requirements. Sets forth provisions concerning liens against personal property in a towed vehicle, making false statements and the power of the Commission to deny an application or revoke registration from a commercial vehicle safety relocator, and the relocation and redemption of vehicles. Makes changes regarding liability for violations of specified provisions of the Code. Requires a commercial vehicle safety relocator to designate a registered agent within the State. Adds provisions concerning vehicle impoundment, failure to satisfy fines or penalties assessed by the Commission, and suspension of tow truck registrations. Makes other changes.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that no person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity within a sequestration facility that overlies, underlies, or passes through a sole-source aquifer. Specifies that this provisions does not deprive the Environmental Protection Agency of the authority to deny a carbon sequestration permit. Defines "sole-source aquifer".

Reinserts the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 1 with the following changes. In the definition of "supervisor", provides that, with respect to a police officer, other than a police officer employed by the Illinois State Police, for municipal police officers, "in a permanent rank" shall mean those not subject to promotional testing under certain provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code (rather than, with respect to a police officer, other than a police officer employed by the Illinois State Police, any officer in a permanent rank for which the police officer is appointed, which for municipal police officers shall mean those not subject to promotional testing under certain provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code). In exclusions from the definition of "supervisor", provides that "supervisor" does not include a police officer who is in a rank for which the police officer must complete a certain written test (rather than must test).

Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources has the power to exercise all rights, powers, and duties conferred by law and to take measures that are necessary for the implementation of rewilding as a conservation strategy in this State, including, but not limited to, the restoration of land to its natural state, the reintroduction of native species, particularly apex predators and keystone species, and the restoration of ecological processes as defined by State-specific baselines.

Amends the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Authorizes grants to be provided under the Act for financing shoreline restoration and protection projects on behalf of counties and park districts.