Illinois

Congratulates Police Chief Schenita Stewart of the Evanston Police Department on being named the 2025 Police Chief of the Year by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP). Thanks her for her service to the residents of Evanston and Cook County.

Commends Renee Klass on dedicated service to the Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District (CCSD) 96 Board of Education for the past 24 years. Thanks her for her unwavering commitment to the students and the district.

Congratulates Rosa Escareno on her retirement as general superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District. Thanks her for her dedication to the residents of the City of Chicago over the course of her 31-year career in public service.

Creates the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act. Sets forth legislative findings and objectives. Provides that beginning on November 1, 2025, and every 3 years thereafter on November 1, all electric cooperatives with members in the State, municipal power agencies, and municipalities shall file with the Illinois Power Agency an integrated resource plan. Includes provisions regarding the purposes and available resources for the integrated resource plan and rulemaking powers of the Agency. Requires the Agency to maintain a list of qualified experts or expert consulting firms for the purpose of developing integrated resource plans. Sets forth meeting requirements for an electric cooperative and publishing and posting requirements for specific information related to an electric cooperative. Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold closed meetings to consider the operation by a municipality of a municipal utility or the operation of a municipal power agency or municipal natural gas agency when the discussion involves certain topics. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Allows any additional municipality which operates an electric utility system to join a municipal power agency consistent with the bylaws of the municipal power agency, and upon payment of any termination obligations. Outlines a number of requirements for a municipal power agency. Makes other changes. Amends the Public Utilities Act. In a provision regarding net electricity metering, defines "electricity provider" and "electric utility". Makes other changes. Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Provides that for all acquisitions where the property, or any right or interest in property, is to be used for utility purposes, and where the condemning authority is an entity required to submit an integrated resource plan under the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act, the rebuttable presumption that such acquisition of that property is primarily for the benefit, use, or enjoyment of the public and necessary for a public purpose shall only apply if the most recent integrated resource plan filed by the condemning authority identified the facility or articulated a need for a facility similar capacity and type to the facility for which the property or right or interest is sought. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, providers of adult day services for individuals with developmental disabilities shall receive an add-on payment of $1 for transportation, per trip, for any distance beyond 15 miles from the adult day service program location. Effective January 1, 2026.

Congratulate Mary Stitt on celebrating her 100th birthday.

Congratulates the Illinois Environmental Council and its more than 130 affiliate members on the organization's 50th anniversary. Thanks IEC affiliate members, staff, and volunteers over the years for their collective efforts to safeguard Illinois, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for an extended hospital stay beyond medical necessity due to multiple failed attempts to place an emergency room patient who presented for dementia or other long-term care needs into a nursing or other long-term care facility, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall reimburse the hospital at a rate calculated to cover the entire hospital stay if (i) the hospital presents documentation, as prescribed by the Department, of multiple unsuccessful attempts to place the patient in a nursing or other long-term care facility and (ii) if each nursing or long-term care facility the hospital solicited for placement gave a substantially similar reason for denying the patient admission.

Congratulates the Benet Academy boys basketball team, the Redwings, on winning the 2024-25 Illinois High School Association Class 4A State Championship.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in collaboration with the Department of Human Services, to file an amendment to the Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Program for Adults with Developmental Disabilities that shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide for a wage rate of 150% of the statewide, regional, or local minimum wage for services delivered on or after January 1, 2026, for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings. Provides that for services delivered on or after January 1, 2026, the rates shall include adjustments to employment-related expenses as defined by rule by the Department of Human Services. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules, including emergency rules, to implement the rate increases. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to submit a Title XIX State Plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide for a wage rate of 150% of the statewide, regional, or local minimum wage for services delivered on or after January 1, 2026, for all direct support personnel and all other frontline personnel at ID/DD and MC/DD facilities. Provides that the State Plan amendment shall provide wage increases for all residential non-executive direct care staff. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Dorothy Mae Roberson.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Increases the self-distribution limit for class 3 brewers that meet certain requirements to not more than 77,500 (instead of 6,200) gallons of beer from each in-state or out-of-state class 3 brewery premises, which shall not exceed 232,500 (instead of 18,600) gallons annually in the aggregate, that is manufactured at a wholly owned class 3 brewer's in-state or out-of-state licensed premises to retail licensees and class 3 brewers and to certain brewers, class 1 brewers, and class 2 brewers. Provides that a special event retailer's license (not-for-profit) shall allow the licensee to sell and offer for sale, at retail, alcoholic liquors for consumption on or off the premises specified in the license (instead of for use or consumption), but not for resale in any form and only at the location and on the specific dates designated for the special event in the license. Provides that, subject to certain conditions, a special use permit license shall allow the sale or offering for sale of certain transferred or delivered alcoholic liquor at retail for consumption on or off the premises specified in the license. Provides that a retail licensee or manufacturer with retail privileges may operate a loyalty program, reward program, or mug club for alcoholic liquors the retailer or manufacturer with retail privileges is licensed to sell so long as the price of the product is not below the retail licensee's or manufacturer with retail privileges' costs. Provides that a retail licensee or licensed manufacturer with retail privileges may offer incentives to consumers for participation in a rewards program, loyalty program, or mug club. Set forth further provisions concerning rewards programs, loyalty programs, and mug clubs. Makes conforming and other changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a county opting out of the special assessment programs to reduce the assessed value of certain residential real property shall not disqualify or shorten the maximum eligibility periods for any property approved to receive a reduced valuation prior to the county opting out. Requires that the special assessment programs be available to all qualifying residential real property regardless of whether or not the property has or is currently receiving any other public financing or subsidies or subject to any regulatory agreements with any public entity, or both. If an owner is approved for the reduced valuation prior to December 31, 2037 and the provisions are not subsequently extended, this shall not disqualify or shorten the maximum eligibility periods for any property approved to receive a reduced valuation. Provides that, if the chief county assessment officer has not created application forms, the chief county assessment officer shall make publicly available and accept applications forms that shall be available to local governments from the Illinois Department of Revenue. If a county Internet website exists, the application materials, as well as any other program requirements used by the county (such as application deadlines, fees, and other procedures required by the application) must be published on that website, otherwise it must be available to the public upon request at the office of the chief county assessment officer. On an annual basis, requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to calculate and make available on its website the minimum per square foot expenditure requirements to be applicable statewide to be eligible for the reduced valuation, which shall include the historical annual expenditure requirements starting with calendar year 2021. Changes reference to improvements to existing residential real property to substantially rehabilitated residential real property. Makes other changes.

Urges the General Assembly and the Governor to enact a tax holiday for school supplies in 2025 and thereafter to bring relief to working parents.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Increases the self-distribution limit for class 3 brewers that meet certain requirements to not more than 77,500 (instead of 6,200) gallons of beer from each in-state or out-of-state class 3 brewery premises, which shall not exceed 232,500 (instead of 18,600) gallons annually in the aggregate, that is manufactured at a wholly owned class 3 brewer's in-state or out-of-state licensed premises to retail licensees and class 3 brewers and to certain brewers, class 1 brewers, and class 2 brewers. Provides that a special event retailer's license (not-for-profit) shall allow the licensee to sell and offer for sale, at retail, alcoholic liquors for consumption on or off the premises specified in the license (instead of for use or consumption), but not for resale in any form and only at the location and on the specific dates designated for the special event in the license. Provides that, subject to certain conditions, a special use permit license shall allow the sale or offering for sale of certain transferred or delivered alcoholic liquor at retail for consumption on or off the premises specified in the license. Provides that a retail licensee or manufacturer with retail privileges may operate a loyalty program, reward program, or mug club for alcoholic liquors the retailer or manufacturer with retail privileges is licensed to sell so long as the price of the product is not below the retail licensee's or manufacturer with retail privileges' costs. Provides that a retail licensee or licensed manufacturer with retail privileges may offer incentives to consumers for participation in a rewards program, loyalty program, or mug club. Set forth further provisions concerning rewards programs, loyalty programs, and mug clubs. Makes conforming and other changes.

Amends the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act. Provides that the accounts established under the Secure Choice Savings Program shall be IRAs, into which enrollees contribute funds that are invested in investment options established by the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Board. Provides that a separate account shall be established for each enrollee and the accounts shall be owned by the enrollee. Provides that the savings accounts established under the Program shall be portable and allow for an enrollee to make contributions from multiple employers into a single account. Provides that an enrollee in the Program may have both a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA through the Program. Provides that the Board shall have the duty to assess the feasibility of agreements with other governmental entities, including other states and their agencies and instrumentalities, to achieve greater economies of scale through shared resources and to enter into those agreements if determined to be beneficial. Provides that an employer who fails without reasonable cause to enroll an employee in the Program within the time provided and fails to remit their contributions (rather than fails without reasonable cause to enroll an employee in the Program within the time provided) shall be subject to a penalty. Makes changes in provisions concerning employer and employee information packets. Effective immediately.

Amends the Fire Investigation Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall, in consultation with the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), annually determine what funding is necessary for MABAS to sufficiently alleviate difficulties that emergency responders face in coordinating personnel and equipment from participating agencies and units of local government when responding to tornado disasters at large warehouse complexes in this State. Provides that, by January 1, 2027, the Office shall, in consultation with MABAS, establish a formula for the distribution of that funding, with certain requirements. Provides for a continuing appropriation from the General Revenue Fund to the Office for the maintenance, operation, and capital expenses of MABAS. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Creates the Gender-Based Violence Article. Provides that the Article applies to any motion to dispose of a civil action claim that is based on, relates to, or is in response to a reporting of gender-based violence. Provides that if court finds that the moving party reported gender-based violence as the basis of the civil action against it, the court must grant a motion to dispose of the civil action unless it finds that the responding party has produced clear and convincing evidence that the moving party's report was done with actual malice. Provides for an award of attorney's fees for the prevailing party under certain conditions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Homeschool Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create a homeschool notification form that a parent or guardian shall submit to the regional office of education, intermediate service center, or superintendent for the area in which the student resides. Requires the notification form to be published in a downloadable and printable format on the Board's website no later than June 1, 2026. Provides that beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a parent or guardian who homeschools the parent's or guardian's student shall submit the notification form before September 1 of each year. Provides that a public school or school district shall only retain a copy of the notification form if the homeschool parent or guardian requests that the record be retained by the public school or school district, and if such record is retained, the regional office of education, intermediate service center, or superintendent shall retain the record for not less than 5 years. Provides that there exists a rebuttable presumption that a student is not truant if a homeschool notification form was submitted. Allows a homeschool administrator to have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Provides that consent must be obtained from the Department of Children and Family Services' Guardian Administrator prior to a homeschool notification form being submitted for all youth under the custody and guardianship of the Department. Provides that homeschools shall provide every student enrolled in homeschool instruction sufficient content to satisfy certain requirements of the School Code. Allows a truant officer to request an educational portfolio as part of a truancy investigation, which must be produced by the homeschool no later than 10 days after the request is made. Allows the State Board of Education to adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the Act. Makes other changes. Makes conforming changes in the Freedom of Information Act, the School Code, the Illinois School Student Records Act, and the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

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. Defines "sole-source aquifer". Effective immediately.

Creates the Local Accessory Dwelling Unit Act. Provides that a unit of local government may not prohibit the building or usage of accessory dwelling units in the unit of local government. Provides that a unit of local government may provide reasonable regulations relating to the size and location of accessory dwelling units similar to other accessory structures unless a regulation would have the effect of prohibiting accessory dwelling units. Provides that, for the purposes of the Act, a regulation is considered to have the effect of prohibiting an accessory dwelling unit if it: (1) explicitly disallows the construction of accessory dwelling units; (2) imposes fees other than building permit review; (3) applies standards that would render such units inconsistent with other local land use laws; (4) imposes design, bulk, and density standards that would physically preclude the project; (5) requires off-street parking spaces; or (6) requires corrections of nonconformities of the principal dwelling unit. Provides that that a unit of local government shall approve or deny an application for a permit to create or serve an accessory dwelling unit by right and without discretionary review. Requires the unit of local government to either approve or deny the application to create or serve an accessory dwelling unit within 60 days from the date the unit of local government receives a completed application if there is an existing single-family or multi-family dwelling on the lot. Provides that, if the unit of local government has not approved or denied the completed application within 60 days, then the application shall be deemed approved unless the Act provides for additional time. Provides that, if a unit of local government denies an application for an accessory dwelling unit, then the unit of local government shall return a full set of comments to the applicant in writing with a list of items that are defective or deficient and a description of how the application can be remedied by the applicant. Provides that a unit of local government shall not deny an application for a permit to create an accessory dwelling unit due to the correction of nonconforming zoning conditions, building code violations, or unpermitted structures that do not present a threat to public health and safety and are not affected by the construction of the accessory dwelling unit. Defines terms. Limits home rule powers.

Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning evidence-based funding for student success, allows the Professional Review Panel to study, at the discretion of the chairperson, any proposed legislation by the General Assembly impacting the provision or the distribution of Tier funds through the evidence-based funding formula or the adequacy targets of organizational units funded through the evidence-based funding formula.

Further amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of the Act, beginning on the effective date of the amendatory Act, "managerial employee" does not include Assistant State's Attorneys, Assistant Public Defenders, Assistant Appellate Defenders, Assistant Appellate Prosecutors, or attorneys in the office of the Cook County Public Guardian, so long as the duties and responsibilities performed by a given position do not otherwise establish those Assistant State's Attorneys, Assistant Public Defenders, Assistant Appellate Prosecutors, Assistant Appellate Defenders, or attorneys in the office of the Cook County Public Guardian as managerial employees as defined in the Act. Specifies that Assistant State's Attorneys, Assistant Public Defenders, Assistant Appellate Prosecutors, Assistant Appellate Defenders, and attorneys in the office of the Cook County Public Guardian shall not be determined to be managerial employees as a matter of law. Deletes a definition of the term "public sector attorney". Deletes provisions limiting the authority of public sector attorneys to strike.

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that a marriage may be solemnized either by an officiant or by both parties to the marriage themselves acting without an officiant. Requires that on or before January 1, 2026, all State and county forms, websites, and other public communications shall be updated to reflect and clarify the existence of both officiant solemnization and self-solemnization options for marriage solemnization.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows a person to request an informal hearing regarding a suspension, revocation, or denial of the issuance of a license, permit, registration, or certificate of title at a Secretary of State driver services facility. Provides that if a person is convicted of a specified offense and the use of alcohol or other drugs is stated as an element of the offense, the Secretary may issue to the person a restricted driving permit granting the privilege of driving a motor vehicle 6 days per week, 12 hours per day within a 200-mile radius of the person's residence for any legal purpose. In provisions regarding the mandatory revocation of a license or permit, the discretionary authority to suspend or revoke a license or permit, and the period of suspension, provides that some convictions may be based on a similar out-of-state offense or similar offense committed on a military installation. Allows the Secretary to grant an employment exception to the prohibition against driving a vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock device if the person is operating an occupational vehicle owned or leased by that person's employer when used solely for employment purposes. Makes other and conforming changes.