Illinois

Amends the Capital Development Board Act. Provides that each municipality and county shall provide the Capital Development Board a list of all high-rise apartment buildings in their respective jurisdictions that: (1) meet the definition of high-rise apartment building; (2) were not subject to a requirement to include a sprinkler system at the time the building was constructed; and (3) have not been retrofitted with a sprinkler system.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit in an amount equal to 20% of the qualified conversion expenditures incurred by a taxpayer for a qualified converted building. Effective immediately.

Amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Provides that a day and temporary labor service agency may charge a placement fee to a third party client for employing a day or temporary laborer for whom a contract for work was effected by the day and temporary labor service agency as agreed upon in advance by the day and temporary labor service agency and the third party client. Makes changes to an alternative calculation of a placement fee.

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Provides that initial physical therapy evaluations without a referral or an established diagnosis may be performed by a licensed physical therapist via telehealth when the physical therapist determines that an in-person examination is not required based on the physical therapist's clinical judgment and the applicable standard of care (rather than cannot be performed via telehealth unless necessary to address a documented hardship). Provides that a physical therapist or a licensed physical therapy assistant may require the patient to undergo an in-person visit instead of providing telehealth services (rather than the use of telehealth as a primary means of delivering physical therapy must be an exception and documentation must support the clinical justification). Provides that a physical therapist providing telehealth must have the capacity to provide or be able to facilitate a referral to in-person care within the State (rather than must only have the capacity to provide in-person care). Provides that the standard of care for a patient receiving physical therapy through telehealth is equal to the standard of care for in-person care.

Creates the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Provides that the Illinois Gaming Board may regulate the conduct of fantasy contest operators under the Act. Allows the Board to levy and collect fees, surcharges, civil penalties, and, on adjusted gross fantasy contest receipts imposed under the Act, monthly taxes, and identifies other powers and duties of the Board. Includes restrictions, including requiring licensing, of fantasy contest operators. Includes license requirements and requirements for allowable fantasy contests. Contains provisions relating to denial of a license, independent audits, reporting and investigation of prohibited conduct, taxes, compulsive gambling and voluntary self-exclusion, and supplier diversity goals for fantasy contest operators. Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Excludes fantasy contests from the definition of "sports wagering". Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that participants in fantasy contest wagering shall not be convicted of the offense of gambling when conducted in accordance with the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Excludes any real estate, vehicle, boat, or any other property whatsoever used for the purposes of gambling under the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act from the definition of "gambling place" under the offense of keeping a gambling place. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Illinois Gaming Board emergency rulemaking authority to implement the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Allows unmanned aerial vehicles to be used for the tracking of wounded animals in the course of hunting.

Creates the Compassionate Support for Bereaved Mothers Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Heal Your Heart Act. Defines a bereaved mother as a mother whose child was, more likely than not, knowingly killed by an unknown or other person. Provides that the Act applies to any bereaved mother whose child was, more likely than not, knowingly killed within the State and whose child was a resident of the State at the time of death. Provides that a bereaved mother shall be entitled to free mental health counseling and psychiatric services for a period of up to one year following the death of the bereaved mother's child. Provides that a bereaved mother is entitled to take paid leave after the death of the bereaved mother's child. Provides that, as federal law permits, a bereaved mother living in subsidized housing, scatter site housing, or public housing units shall be eligible for relocation to another unit if the bereaved mother feels threatened or unsafe. Provides that the Act is repealed 5 years after becoming law. Makes conforming changes to the State Finance Act. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that, when a bond is required because a party against whom the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission rendered an award for the payment of money seeks judicial review of the award, the bond requirement may be satisfied by posting collateral or guarantee of payment, which may include an insurance policy, a certificate of self-insurance, or funds in an escrow account. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that with respect to a week of unemployment beginning on or after March 15, 2020 (rather than beginning on or after March 15, 2020, and before September 4, 2021 (including any week of unemployment beginning on or after January 1, 2021 and on or before June 25, 2021)) benefits shall be payable to an individual on the basis of wages for employment in other than an instructional, research, or principal administrative capacity performed for an educational institution or an educational service agency under specified circumstances, as long as the individual is otherwise eligible for benefits.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Designates August 27 of each year as Hero Day, to be observed as a day throughout the State to recognize those whose unwavering commitment to public safety has earned them our great respect, esteem, and gratitude. Effective immediately.

Amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act. Defines "veteran" to mean any person who: (i) served on active duty in any branch of the United States Armed Forces and whose last discharge or release was under conditions other than dishonorable; (ii) served on active duty in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, including active duty solely for training purposes, and was either awarded a service-connected disability or died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable; (iii) served in the National Guard or as a reservist in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, including active duty solely for training purposes; or (iv) is determined to be a veteran according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; provided, that in any case, the service of such person was entered into or served in Illinois, or such person has resided in the State for at least one day, except for the purpose of determining the residential eligibility of a deceased veteran's dependents.

Amends the Rebuild Illinois Mental Health Workforce Act. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, for each State fiscal year, a monthly directed payment shall be paid to each community mental health provider of community support individual services based on the number of Medicaid users of community support individual services documented by Medicaid fee-for-service and managed care encounter claims delivered by the provider in the base year. Sets forth how the monthly directed payment shall be calculated. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to adjust and pay community mental health providers for any payments authorized for all services from a community mental health provider which have been paid by a Medicaid managed care organization but no encounter claim has been recorded in the Departments' Enterprise Data Warehouse. Provides that the Department must develop a process for community mental health providers to reconcile these payments and submit claims for which the Department has not used for making payments. Permits the Department to sanction Medicaid managed care organizations for services not received by the Department.

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.

Amends the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975. Removes language providing that no employee of the Illinois Racing Board, within a period of one year immediately preceding employment, shall have been employed or received compensation or fees for services from a person or entity, or its parent or affiliate, that has engaged in business with the Board, a licensee, or a licensee under the Illinois Gambling Act. Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Removes language providing that no employee of the Illinois Gaming Board, within a period of one year immediately preceding employment, shall have been employed or received compensation or fees for services from a person or entity, or its parent or affiliate, that has engaged in business with the Board, a licensee, or a licensee under the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that specified applications processed by the Secretary of State shall also serve as applications to apply for permanent vote by mail ballot status. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Requires an aquatic habitat conservation stamp for every person obtaining a resident or non-resident license under the Code. Creates the Aquatic Habitat Conservation Fund as a special fund in the State Treasury with fees from the sale of aquatic habitat conservation stamps deposited into the fund and with appropriations from the Fund solely to the Department of Natural Resources to be used only (i) for the management, restoration, and protection of aquatic and riparian habitats in Illinois, (ii) for elimination of or protection from aquatic nuisance species, and (iii) for preparation for and protection from the effects of climate change in Illinois, including increased risks of flooding, erosion, and sedimentation. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes to the State Finance Act.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Creates the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure program. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall provide grants to petroleum marketers, petroleum terminal operators, and any other companies that the Department of Agriculture determines are eligible for grant funding. Provides that eligible expenditures include tank modifications, tanks, piping, and fuel dispensers. Provides that an eligible grant recipient shall not receive more than $1,000,000 in grant funding. Provides that no funding under the program shall be made available to a public body. Creates the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that, from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026, the Comptroller shall order transferred, and the Treasurer shall transfer, $3,000,000 each calendar quarter from the Underground Storage Tank Fund to the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Fund, unless the Underground Storage Tank Fund has a balance at or below $75,000,000. Creates the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Task Force. Sets forth membership and duties of the Task Force. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Distressed Farmers Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall, by rule, establish a grant program through which it provides (i) up to $5,000,000 for apprenticeships for individuals working in a direct or support capacity for a distressed farmer, (ii) up to $5,000,000 for distressed farmers for wells, and (iii) up to $10,000,000 for distressed farmers for certain other expenses. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides for a distressed farmer credit for taxable years on or after January 1, 2027 in an amount of up to $50,000 in qualified farming expenses. Defines terms.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In provisions concerning the estimated tax, provides that the required annual payment is the lesser of: (i) 90% of the tax shown on the return for the taxable year, or if no return is filed, 90% of the tax for the year; (ii) 100% of the tax shown on the return of the taxpayer for the preceding taxable year if a return showing a liability for tax was filed by the taxpayer for the preceding taxable year and the preceding year was a taxable year of 12 months; or (iii) 90% of the tax for the taxable year that would have been due based on the Act as it exists on the first day of the taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to establish and administer a Housing Hardship Program to provide up to 3 months of emergency rental or mortgage assistance or up to $1,600 per month for 3 months, whichever is less, to eligible applicants who demonstrate a hardship or other extenuating circumstances that place them at risk of eviction or foreclosure. Lists certain financial hardships that qualify for assistance under the program. Provides that applicants may apply for assistance once every 2 years regardless of household income. Requires applicants to submit a financial affidavit supported by banking statements and other documentary evidence as prescribed by the Authority. Requires the Authority to provide assistance to eligible applicants based upon the following factors in order of priority: (1) Whether the applicant has never previously received housing or public assistance from any other State or federal program. (2) If the applicant has previously received housing or public assistance, the number of times the applicant received such assistance. (3) The severity of the applicant's declared hardship or circumstances. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Housing Hardship Program Fund.

Amends the Vector Control Act. Adds legislative findings to the Act. Defines "integrated vector management approach". Provides that an organization performing mosquito control as a public service shall submit to the Department of Public Health a written integrated vector management plan. Provides that this requirement does not apply to (i) the Department mosquito control grantees who are supervised by the Department on the effective date of the amendatory Act or (ii) a business or person regulated under the Structural Pest Control Act. Provides that a vector management organization shall establish and maintain a system of public notification prior to the use of wide-area chemical pesticides from the public right of way. Provides that a vector management plan shall consist of a plan for the prevention and biological and nonchemical control of disease vectors based upon scientific data prescribed by the Department. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act. Provides that any student or student media adviser may institute proceedings for injunctive or declaratory relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce the rights to free speech or free press. Provides that nothing shall be construed to create any private action on behalf of a student other than to seek injunctive relief allowing the publication of the speech in question. Allows a court to award reasonable attorney's fees to a plaintiff that substantially prevails.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the School Code. Provides that students in grades 9 through 12 must satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year and, if applicable, receive an electrocardiogram before participating in an interscholastic athletic activity. Creates a waiver exception. Provides that a student in any grade who participates in an interscholastic athletic activity or who is a candidate for an interscholastic athletic activity's team must satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year before participating in the interscholastic athletic activity or engaging in any practice, tryout, workout, conditioning, or other physical activity associated with the student's candidacy for the interscholastic athletic activity. Requires that a medical evaluation only be administered by a licensed health care professional or a physician. Provides requirements for the content of a preparticipation physical evaluation form. Requires that the results of a medical evaluation of a student be provided to the student's school. Effective January 1, 2026.

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 Property Tax Code. Provides that, within 30 days after recording of a tax deed with respect to residential property, the tax deed grantee shall pay the surplus to the previous owner of the property described in the deed. Sets forth the procedures to calculate the surplus.