Illinois

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Live Theater Production Tax Credit Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of an offense or offenses, other than first degree murder, shall be eligible for sentencing review after serving 10 years or more of his or her sentence or cumulative sentences. Provides that a person under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of first degree murder shall be eligible for sentencing review after serving 20 years or more of his or her sentence or cumulative sentences, except for those subject to a term of natural life imprisonment under the Code or any person subject to sentencing for first degree murder for killing certain victims committed when the person was under 18 years of age, who shall be eligible for sentencing review after serving 30 years or more of his or her sentence or cumulative sentences. Establishes procedures for filing petitions for sentencing review and the manner in which hearings on those petitions are held. Provides that the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council shall report on the impact of resentencing motions on the prison population contingent on having sufficient reliable data to support the analysis. Provides that the report shall be due 3 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Kevin J. Coleman on the occasion of his retirement as Village President of the Village of Hennepin. Thanks him for his more than 32 years of service to his community. Wishes him the best in his future endeavors.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Defines "health benefit plan" and other terms. Provides that a pharmacy benefit manager or an affiliate acting on the pharmacy benefit manager's behalf is prohibited from conducting spread pricing, from steering a covered individual, and from limiting a covered individual's access to prescription drugs from a pharmacy or pharmacist enrolled with the health benefit plan under the terms offered to all pharmacies in the plan coverage area by unreasonably designating the covered prescription drugs as a specialty drug. Provides that a pharmacy benefit manager or an affiliate acting on the pharmacy benefit manager's behalf must remit 100% of rebates and fees to the health benefit plan sponsor, consumer, or employer. Provides that a pharmacy benefit manager may not reimburse a pharmacy or pharmacist for a prescription drug or pharmacy service in an amount less than the national average drug acquisition cost for the prescription drug or pharmacy service at the time the drug is administered or dispensed, plus a professional dispensing fee. Provides that a contract between a pharmacy benefit manager and an insurer or health benefit plan sponsor must allow and provide for the pharmacy benefit manager's compliance with an audit at least once per calendar year of the rebate and fee records remitted from a pharmacy benefit manager or its contracted party to a health benefit plan. Provides that provisions concerning pharmacy benefit manager contracts apply to any health benefit plan (instead of any group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan) that provides coverage for prescription drugs and that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after July 1, 2020. Requires a pharmacy benefit manager to submit an annual report that includes specified information concerning prescription drugs. Makes other changes. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to make a conforming change. Effective July 1, 2025.

Congratulates Rebecca L. Hooks on becoming the first woman to reach the rank of first deputy director with the Illinois State Police.

Creates the Natural Resources and Agricultural Legacy Act. Establishes the Illinois Natural Resources and Agricultural Legacy Fund as a special fund in the State treasury to be managed by the Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of making grants to qualified easement holders for (1) the purchase of conservation easements on qualified land; (2) the costs of acquisition related to the purchase of conservation easements approved by the program; and (3) the costs of ecological management and maintenance activities. Requires the Department to adopt rules to implement the Act. Establishes the Legacy Act Technical Advisory Committee in the Department. Contains legislative findings. Defines terms. Repeals the Local Legacy Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Natural Resources and Agricultural Legacy Fund as a special fund in the State treasury.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits a public high school from having a start time earlier than 8:45 a.m.

Creates the Emerging Adult Sentencing Act. Provides that upon a conviction by way of plea or otherwise finding of guilt, and with the express agreement of the State's Attorney and the defendant, the court may sentence a person who meets the eligibility requirements under the Act to a term of probation to be performed at a community-based residential workforce development center for a period of not less than one year and not more than 3 years in lieu of incarceration in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Provides that the defendant shall be monitored by the adult probation department. Provides that the defendant shall: (1) not violate any criminal statute of the State or any other jurisdiction; (2) refrain from possessing a firearm or any other dangerous weapon; and (3) attend and participate in any program activities as detailed in the individualized service plan. Provides that a defendant is eligible for the program if the person is between the ages 18 through 25, at the time of the commission of the offense, and is convicted of specified felony offenses in which a period of incarceration must be imposed, other than a sentence of natural life. Provides that prior criminal history shall not preclude eligibility for sentencing under the Act. Provides that upon successful fulfillment of the terms and conditions of probation, the court shall discharge the person from probation. Provides that if the person has not previously been granted a vacation of judgment, upon motion, the court shall vacate the judgment of conviction and dismiss the criminal proceedings against him or her unless, having considered the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history, character and condition of the individual, the court finds that the motion should not be granted. Effective immediately.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Cash Assistance to Strengthen Households (CASH) Act. Amends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program is inoperative after June 30, 2026 and is replaced by the Cash Assistance to Strengthen Households (CASH) program. Contains provisions concerning persons eligible for CASH assistance, including pregnant persons without dependent children and assistance units headed by a caretaker relative, as defined; income thresholds; immigration status; the amount of aid paid to eligible assistance units; application requirements; income verification requirements; eligibility redeterminations; substitute payees; transitioning assistance units from TANF to CASH; and Department rules to implement the CASH program. Makes conforming changes in other Articles of the Code. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits stalking when he or she uses any electronic tracking system or acquires tracking information to determine the targeted person's location, movement, or travel patterns without the targeted person's consent and the person knows or should know that the use of the electronic tracking system or the acquisition of tracking information would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of a third person. Defines "electronic tracking system".

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Requires the Department of Transportation to name a highway under its jurisdiction if one chamber of the General Assembly passes a resolution directing the Department to do so.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning PDPM STRIVE staffing ratio calculations for nursing facilities, provides that beginning January 1, 2025, the staffing percentage used in the calculation of the per diem staffing add-on shall be its PDPM STRIVE Staffing Ratio which equals: its Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day as published in the most recent federal staffing report (the Provider Information file), divided by the facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target. Provides that each facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target is equal to .76 times the facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case-Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day. Provides that a facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case-Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day is equal to its Nursing Case-Mix (as published in the most recent federal Provider Information file) divided by 1.4627 times 3.79 (which is the Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day for the Nation as reported in the January 2024 State US Averages file). Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Smoke Detector Act. Bans the selling, offering for sale, or giving as a gift a smoke detector that is not designed to receive primary power from the building wiring or does not meet certain battery requirements set forth in the Act. Specifies that a person who violates this requirement is guilty of a petty offense and is subject to a fine.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that it is unlawful for any public utility to make a campaign contribution to any candidate for State office or political committee organized to support any candidate for State office. Provides that it is unlawful for any water or sewer utility to make a campaign contribution to any candidate for municipal or State office or a political committee organized to support any candidate for municipal or State office. Defines terms.

Amends the Illinois Library System Act. In provisions concerning State grants, provides that the grants shall include, among other things, planning and construction grants to library systems and public libraries that are members of a library system (rather than planning and construction grants to public libraries and library systems) and grants to improve or enhance security of libraries.

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Capital Development Board for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in counties in which the county board so provides, by ordinance or resolution, owners of income-producing properties in the county shall file physical descriptions of their properties with the chief county assessment officer upon request of the chief county assessment officer. Sets forth the period of time during which those provisions apply. Provides that the request for information shall include an individualized statement specifying all physical description information that the assessor's office has on record or recorded against the property and shall contain a statement that the owner may confirm the information if no changes are required. Imposes certain penalties if the property owner fails to respond to a request for information. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to provide that financial records and data related to real estate income, expenses, and occupancy submitted by or on behalf of a property owner to a chief county assessment officer, except if submitted as part of an assessment appeal, are exempt from disclosure. Effective immediately.

Amends the Tobacco Products Act. Defines "electronic cigarette", "nicotine", and "tobacco products". Imposes a tax on any person engaged in business as a distributor of tobacco products at the rate of (i) 18% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State before July 1, 2012; (ii) 36% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State prior to July 1, 2025; and (iii) 45% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State beginning on July 1, 2025. Makes the changes made to the definition of "electronic cigarette" by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly apply on and after June 30, 2025, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly for such taxes paid during the period beginning June 30, 2025 and the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

Creates the Right to Play Act. Provides that a student who is a member of a school athletic activity may participate in a nonschool athletic activity that is of the same sport as the school athletic activity during the season in which the student participates in the school athletic activity without losing eligibility to participate in the school athletic activity, provided that the student may not participate in both the nonschool athletic activity and a school athletic practice or competition for the same sport on the same day.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Requires the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois to prepare and implement a defined contribution plan by July 1, 2027 that aggregates State and employee contributions in individual participant accounts that are used for payouts after retirement. Provides that a Tier 1 or Tier 2 participant may elect to participate in the defined contribution plan instead of the defined benefit plan and may also elect to terminate all participation in the defined benefit plan and to have a specified amount credited to his or her account under the defined contribution plan. Provides that a person who first becomes an employee after the effective date of the amendatory Act is not required to participate in the System as a condition of employment. Provides that, if a person who made the election to participate in the defined contribution plan terminates service and thereafter returns to service, he or she may either elect to participate in the defined contribution plan with regard to that service or not elect to participate in the defined contribution plan with regard to that service. Provides that an employee may elect not to participate in the System by notifying the System in writing in a manner specified by the System. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Makes conforming and other changes. Makes related changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Effective immediately.

Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Provides that applicants for a master sports wagering license shall pay an application fee of $250,000 and a license fee of $15,000,000. Removes provisions concerning the number of master sports wagering licenses to online sports wagering operators and public notice requirements. Provides that a master sports wagering licensee may conduct sports wagering over the Internet or through a mobile application. Removes provisions concerning eligibility requirements for a master sports wagering license, the duty of disclosure for an applicant, and outreach requirements for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Gaming Board. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Terry Moons on her retirement after 40 years of dedicated service as a board member of Adlai E. Stevenson High School District #125.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, in accordance with federal guidance issued by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall exempt from electronic visit verification requirements all live-in caregivers who provide personal care services under the Adults with Developmental Disabilities waiver and the Support Waiver for Children and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities authorized under the Social Security Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Department of Human Services may adopt any rules necessary to implement the amendatory Act, including rules on the form and manner in which a live-in caregiver must verify that he or she meets the definition of "live-in caregiver". Effective immediately.

Amends the Good Samaritan Act. Provides civil immunity for a not-for-profit corporation organized to assist veterans that requests, sponsors, or participates in providing a suicide prevention intervention at the scene of a threatened suicide by a veteran; or a person, who without compensation, provides such an intervention at the request of a veteran no-for-profit corporation. Exempts an act or omission that was not in good faith or was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.