Illinois

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding training, requires the Public Access Counselor to complete an accessibility review for electronic training under the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and rules adopted under that Act. Provides for procedures to bring the training into compliance with the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act. Requires the establishment of an accessibility helpline, with certain requirements.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Transportation Choices Act. Requires, by January 1, 2027, the Environmental Protection Agency, after consultation with the Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), to establish a schedule of greenhouse gas targets for greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in the State. Requires the Department and MPOs to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions analysis and determine if their applicable planning document will result in meeting their greenhouse gas targets. Requires the Department and MPOs to perform a greenhouse gas emissions analysis prior to including a roadway capacity expansion project in an applicable planning document. Requires, by January 1, 2029 and every 3 years thereafter, the Department to prepare a comprehensive report on statewide transportation greenhouse gas reduction accomplishments and challenges and to make recommendations for any legislative action that would assist the Department and MPOs in meeting their greenhouse gas targets. Requires the Department and MPOs to calculate a climate equity accessibility score prior to including any project that has an anticipated cost of $30,000,000 or more in an applicable planning document or as a greenhouse gas mitigation measure. Requires the Department and MPOs to provide early and continuous opportunities for public participation in the transportation planning process. Requires, beginning June 30, 2026, the Department and MPOs to establish a social cost of carbon and use the social cost of carbon in their planning documents and planning activities. Establishes the Greenhouse Gas in Transportation Working Group. Provides that the specified requirements of the provisions shall commence with projects included in applicable planning documents filed on or after January 1, 2028. Makes other changes. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency to calculate a social cost of carbon and makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for the purpose of allocating gains and losses from sales or exchanges of shares in a Subchapter S corporation or from interests in certain partnerships, those gains and losses shall be allocated in proportion to the average of the pass-through entity's Illinois apportionment factor in the year of the sale or exchange and the 2 tax years immediately preceding the year of the sale or exchange. Provides that, if the pass-through entity was not in existence during both of the preceding 2 years, then only the years in which the pass-through entity was in existence shall be considered when computing the average.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning the child care assistance program administered by the Department of Human Services, expands the list of families eligible to receive child care assistance to include families that are not TANF recipients but require financial assistance so that a responsible adult within the household can forgo work and care for a newborn child for the child's first 12 weeks of life. Provides that eligibility for cash assistance under the new category is conditioned on the responsible adult being the parent or legal guardian of the newborn child and participating in a Department-approved training program in health, safety, and early childhood development for the entire 12 weeks the family receives assistance. Provides that families eligible for child care assistance under the new category shall receive weekly assistance payments in an amount equal to the full day rate applied to licensed child care providers who provide 17 to 24 hours of care per day; and shall have their child care assistance payment amount adjusted according to the number of newborn children receiving care, up to a maximum of 3 children.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that, upon the release of a committed person on parole, mandatory supervised release, final discharge, or pardon, the Department of Corrections shall provide the person with resources to acclimate the person to life outside the correctional institution or facility, including access to social workers, clinical psychologists, and other counselors. Provides that the counselors shall assist the person in obtaining housing, employment, education, healthcare, State identification, and other resources that the counselors deem necessary to assist in the person's adjustment to society and the prevention of recidivism. Provides that the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Corrections, shall provide assistance to the person to achieve the goals of this provision without interference from the person's assigned parole officer.

Creates the Utility Data Access Act. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to enact the following procedures: (1) a utility shall retain all consumption data for a period of not less than 2 years; (2) a qualified utility shall retain monthly consumption data used for billing for a period of not less than 15 years; (3) a utility shall honor an account holder's request to transmit the account holder's covered usage data held by the utility to any entity designated by the account holder; (4) a qualified data recipient with respect to a qualified building or qualified property may request that a qualified utility provide aggregated usage data for the qualified building or qualified property; (5) a utility shall deliver requested data on a schedule set by the Commission; and (6) the account holder request process and utility delivery of requested data shall be convenient and secure. Establishes requirements for: the Commission's participation in a stakeholder process; the form and timeline in which covered usage data is provided to the data recipient; entry of data into the benchmarking tool; and the provision of covered usage data to recipients upon account holder authorization. Provides that, except in cases where the utility has not followed processes established by the Act or the utility is grossly negligent, the utility shall be held harmless for third-party misuse of data shared under the Act and no cause of action may be initiated against the utility for such subsequent misuse. Provides that prior to filing for cost recovery, a qualified utility must first demonstrate good faith efforts to secure federal, State, or other relevant funding options. Sets forth provisions regarding funding for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under the Act and the Commission selecting and engaging outside consultants with experience in benchmarking and utility data access. States findings. Defines terms.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, when calculating the taxpayer's base income, the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income shall be modified to exclude (i) the portion of income or loss that is received from a trade or business conducted within and without Illinois and that is not derived from or connected with Illinois sources and (ii) the portion of income or loss that is received from a pass-through entity conducting business within and without Illinois and that is not derived from or connected with Illinois sources. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act and the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013. Provides that residents of nursing home facilities have the right to outdoor access. Provides that residents of nursing home facilities and consumers served by mental health rehabilitation facilities shall be free to enter and leave the facilities as they choose. Provides that a facility may suspend this right only if the resident's or consumer's physician examines the resident or consumer and determines that leaving the facility would pose a danger to other residents or consumers or an immediate and substantial danger to the resident's or consumer's safety and well-being, which shall be explained to the resident or consumer and documented in the resident's or consumer's medical chart.

Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture may share with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity any licensee information necessary to support the administration of social equity programming. Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Adds a definition. In various provisions, adds Social Equity Lottery Licensees to provisions that include Social Equity Applicants. Provides that the Cannabis Business Development Fund shall be exclusively used for certain purposes, to include providing financial assistance to support lending to, or private investment in, Qualified Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or to facilitate access to the facilities needed to commence operations as a cannabis business establishment. In provisions regarding loans and grants to Social Equity Applicants, adds financial assistance to provisions that include loans and grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has the power to enter into financial intermediary agreements to facilitate lending to or investment in Qualified Social Equity Applicants, Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, to ensure the availability of facilities necessary to operate a cannabis business establishment. Provides that certain loans made shall contain terms and provisions with respect to forgiveness. Provides that those loans also may be distributed by lot if the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity determines that the amount of funding available is insufficient. Provides that, to the extent registration with the federal System for Award Management requires a grant applicant to certify compliance with all federal laws, the grant applicants shall not be required to register for a unique entity identifier through the federal System for Award Management. Makes other and conforming changes.

Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Pilot Program Act. Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Fund as a special fund in the State treasury and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Provides that the Fund shall be used by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to encourage and facilitate the employment of construction workforces located in underrepresented populations. Provides that applicants that are applying for a new utility-scale offshore wind project with the Illinois Power Agency shall file with the Department, as part of the applicant's application, an equity and inclusion plan. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning the procurement of renewable energy credits, provides that in addition to the amount of renewable energy credits to be procured from wind projects, the Illinois Power Agency shall procure at least 700,000 renewable energy credits, delivered annually for at least 20 years, from one new utility-scale offshore wind project. In provisions concerning the development of a long-term renewable resources procurement plan, provides that the total of renewable energy resources procured under the procurement plan shall be reduced for all retail customers based on the amount necessary to limit the annual estimated average net increase due to the costs of these resources included in the amounts paid by eligible retail customers in connection with electric service to no more than 4.25% of the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers during the year ending May 31, 2009, and to no more than 4.5% of that amount as of the billing month following the expected date that a new utility-scale offshore wind project commences commercial operations and is expected to begin delivering power to the PJM Interconnection, LLC transmission grid. Provides that the Agency shall conduct at least one new utility-scale offshore wind procurement within 360 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Defines terms. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Access to Justice Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers who have an approved NFPA 13D residential fire sprinkler system installed in a new or existing residential dwelling in the State during the taxable year. Provides that the credit shall be in an amount equal to 50% of the total cost of the installation but not to exceed $10,000 per taxpayer in any taxable year. Provides that credit awards under the amendatory Act shall be limited to the lesser of 2,000 credit awards per year or $8,000,000 in total credits per year. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Creates the Developmental Promise Program to remove barriers to enrollment, academic persistence, and certificate or degree completion for students who need to complete developmental coursework. Provides that, beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, each institution of higher education in the State shall provide financial assistance to a qualifying student for the remaining balance of the student's total cost of attendance in excess of the amount of any private, State, or federal financial assistance received by the qualifying student during the first 132 semester credit hours or 198 quarter credit hours that the qualifying student is enrolled in the Developmental Assistance Program. Sets forth requirements for qualified students to receive the remaining balance of financial assistance. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and institutions of higher learning to adopt rules and policies for the administration of the Program.

Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that, by January 1, 2026, the Secretary of State shall conduct a study on the affordability and availability of statutorily mandated automobile insurance in the State. Provides that, when conducting the study, the Secretary of State may use data or academic studies conducted by other sources, solicit feedback and testimony from constituents and community leaders, consider any guidance, written or otherwise, provided by insurance industry experts based in the State, and consider statutes and regulations in other states and national trends. Provides that the study shall include, but shall not be limited to, the use of zip codes, credit scores, and age in ratemaking and whether the specific factor results in inequitable rates being assessed to certain populations. Provides that, no later than January 1, 2026, the Secretary of State shall submit the report and its recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Amends the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeals Act. Permits the following persons to appeal a municipality's denial of a proposed supportive housing project, including a project to develop a permanent supportive housing apartment building or community integrated-living arrangement, for low-income persons with disabilities: (1) the affordable housing developer of the proposed project; (2) a person who would be eligible to apply for residency in the proposed project; and (3) the community group or supportive housing advocacy group advocating for the proposed project. Provides that if a municipality fails to respond to an appeal within 60 days of its receipt, the State Housing Appeals Board (Board) shall automatically reverse the municipality's decision to deny the proposed supportive housing project. Provides that if the municipality timely responds to the appeal, it must demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the proposed supportive housing project would be detrimental to the fair operation and interest of the municipality or would place an unreasonable and disproportionate financial burden on the municipality or on municipal services. Requires the Board to reverse the municipality's decision to deny the proposed supportive housing project if the Board determines that the municipality has not met this burden.

Amends the Use Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, from August 6, 2025 through August 8, 2025, and from August 13, 2025 through August 15, 2025, the tax imposed under the Acts on clothing and school supplies shall be at the rate of 1.25% (instead of 6.25%). Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or the Director's designee shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting, advisory member. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Revenue shall provide administrative and other support to the Chicago Downtown Revitalization Task Force subject to appropriation. Makes stylistic changes.

Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Provides that the Illinois Fire Advisory Commission may, at the call of the Chair, meet in person or remotely. Amends the Fire Department Promotion Act. Provides that the Joint Labor and Management Committee that establishes the standards for certification in subjects and skills related to the fire service may, at the call of the Chair, meet in person or remotely.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. In provisions regarding the authority to charge fees and the imposition of a fee for a voluminous request, removes requirements for an accounting of all personnel hours in connection with the request for public records.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties with a population of less than 50,000, the offices of township assessor and multi-township assessor are abolished upon the expiration of the term of a township assessor or multi-township assessor. Provides that the county assessor in a county with a population of less than 50,000 shall assume all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities of township assessors or multi-township assessors within the county. Amends the Dissolution of Townships in McHenry County Article of the Township Code. Renames the Article and makes it applicable to all counties under township organization. Provides that, upon petition of at least 5% of the voters in the township election immediately preceding the petition, the township board and corporate authorities of the municipality shall certify the question to the election authority and the authority shall cause to be submitted to the voters of the township and municipality at the next election a referendum to discontinue the township and to transfer all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities of the township to the municipality. Provides that, upon petition of at least 5% of the voters in the township election immediately preceding the petition in each adjacent township subject to proposed consolidation, each township board shall certify and cause to be submitted to the voters of the township, at the next election or consolidated election, a proposition to consolidate the existing townships. Amends the Counties Code and the Motor Fuel Tax Law making conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. In provisions regarding the Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee, provides that the Advisory Committee shall comply with all provisions of the Open Meetings Act except that the Advisory Committee is exempt from the provisions that specifically require a quorum of members of a public body to be physically present at the location of an open meeting. Allows Advisory Committee members to attend meetings of the Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee remotely by video or audio conference with all attending members counting toward a quorum, provided there is at least one member in physical attendance at the publicly posted physical location of the meeting.

Amends the Agency Energy Efficiency Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce Act. Changes the definition of "designated shortage area" to mean an area designated as a medically underserved area or a health professional shortage area (rather than a physician shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a critical health manpower shortage area). Changes the term "eligible medical student" to "eligible student", and includes in the definition of that term a person who is studying optometry in an optometry college or institution located in Illinois and that a person may agree to practice full-time in a designated shortage area as an optometrist or anesthesiologist one year for each year he or she is a scholarship recipient. Includes a rural health center, a federally qualified health center, a federally qualified health center look alike, and an optometric office in the definition of "medical facility". Includes an optometrist in the definition of "eligible health care provider". Includes an obstetrician or gynecologist in the definition of "primary care physician". Includes loan repayment recipients in a provision regarding scholarship recipients who fail to fulfill specified obligations, and provides that the amounts paid by these scholarship or loan repayment recipients shall be deposited into the fund where the payment originated from (rather than the Community Health Center Care Fund). Repeals a different provision defining "primary care physician". Effective January 1, 2026.

Creates the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act. Establishes the Metropolitan Mobility Authority. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority, the Commuter Rail Division and the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority, and the Regional Transportation Authority are consolidated into the Metropolitan Mobility Authority and the Service Boards are abolished. Creates the Suburban Bus Operating Division, Commuter Rail Operating Division, and the Chicago Transit Operating Division. Reinserts, reorganizes, and changes some provisions from the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act and the Regional Transportation Authority Act into the new Act. Includes provisions concerning the operation of the Metropolitan Mobility Authority. Repeals the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act and the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Amends various Acts, Laws, and Codes to make conforming changes. Creates the Equitable Transit-Supportive Development Act. Establishes the Office of Equitable Transit-Oriented Development and the Transit-Supportive Development Fund. Provides that the Office and the Fund are to aid transit-supportive development near high-quality transit by providing specified funding to municipalities that have adopted the standards in the transit support overlay district for that area or that have adopted zoning and other changes that the Office determines have benefits greater than or equal to such a District, including transit support overlay districts. Includes provisions relating to Office standards, procedures, and reports. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code. Requires the Department to establish, staff, and support an Office of Public Transportation Support for the purpose of optimizing the operation of public transportation vehicles and the delivery of public transportation services on highways under the Department's jurisdiction in the Metropolitan Mobility Authority's metropolitan region. Describes the duties and operations of the Office. Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Chair of the Metropolitan Mobility Authority is a nonvoting member of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

Creates the Operating Room Patient Safety Act. Provides that each surgical technologist hired or contracted by a health care facility on or after January 1, 2027 shall meet specified educational, certification, or experiential requirements. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an individual from performing surgical technology services if the individual is acting within the scope of the individual's license or registration or is a student or intern under the direct supervision of a licensed health care provider.