Illinois

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that a State agency or public institution of higher education may request that certain procurements be designated as continuous improvement procurements.

Creates the Construction Zone Safe Detour Act. Establishes that a company that provides GPS travel services in the State is required to ensure that at least one person is available to receive official requests 24 hours per day, 7 days per week from emergency services, Illinois State Police, or the Department of Transportation for the purpose of implementing proper detours in the event of construction or emergency. Requires a GPS service provider to upload the detour and routing information provided by emergency services, Illinois State Police, or the Department of Transportation into its navigation system to properly route users of the GPS service provider's systems. Provides that a GPS service provider that fails to implement proper detour routing on an ongoing and emergency basis may be liable for treble damages. Allows an affirmative defense for GPS service providers if emergency services, including the Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police, fail to notify the GPS service provider with routing information. Prohibits the Department from conducting construction on a secondary route or parallel primary highway at the same time, except in an emergency. Requires the Department to reimburse local governments for damages caused to roads within the local government's jurisdiction that arise from any detour around or near a construction zone authorized by the Department. Provides that the Department shall adopt emergency rules for the administration of the Act. Defines terms.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish and convene the Licensed School Librarian Task Force, which shall meet a minimum of 4 times and submit, no later than 12 months after the first convening of the Task Force, a report to the Governor and the General Assembly containing recommendations, including, but not limited to, recommendations on how to ensure public elementary and secondary schools consider, budget appropriate resources for, and employ licensed school librarians in future school years from available State and local resources. Sets forth provisions concerning the members of the Task Force, support for the Task Force, and other Task Force recommendations. Repeals these provisions on December 31, 2027. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no later than July 1, 2026, each health plan and pharmacy benefit manager operating in this State shall, upon request of a covered individual, his or her health care provider, or an authorized third party on his or her behalf, furnish specified cost, benefit, and coverage data to the covered individual, his or her health care provider, or the third party of his or her choosing and shall ensure that the data is: (1) current no later than one business day after any change is made; (2) provided in real time; and (3) in a format that is easily accessible to the covered individual or, in the case of his or her health care provider, through an electronic health records system. Provides that the format of the request shall use specified industry content and transport standards. Provides that a facsimile is not an acceptable electronic format. Provides that upon request, specified data shall be provided for any drug covered under the covered individual's health plan. Makes other changes. Defines terms.

Creates the Bottled Drinking Water Sales Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, an entertainment venue operating in the State shall not charge more than specified amounts for bottled drinking water. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2031, and every 5 years thereafter, the Attorney General shall adjust the rates by the average of the annual percentage increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers as issued by the United States Department of Labor from the previous 5 years. Provides that an entertainment venue that violates the Act is subject to a civil penalty of not more than an amount equal to 10% of the total ticket sales from the entertainment event at which the violation occurred. Provides that the Attorney General may bring an action to enforce the collection of any civil penalty. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall require every applicant seeking employment as a mental health technician at a State-operated developmental center to: (i) complete the Test for Adult Basic Education and obtain a score that demonstrates the applicant's ability to read and write at a 5th grade level; and (ii) complete a series of basic physical agility tests, including a test that demonstrates the applicant's ability to lift at least 50 pounds, a one-mile walk test, a shuttle run, and a patient transfer test. Provides that such testing shall be in addition to any other testing or application requirements for employment as a mental health technician at a State-operated developmental center. Effective immediately.

Amends the Architectural, Engineering, and Land Surveying Qualifications Based Selection Act. Provides that certain provisions of the Act concerning notice, evaluation procedures, and selection procedures do not apply to architectural, engineering, and land surveying contracts with an estimated basic professional services fee of less than $55,000 (currently, $25,000).

Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act. Provides that "acupuncture" also includes ordering laboratory tests in accordance with State law to check, track, evaluate, and monitor the status and effectiveness of pain management, herbal medicinal plans, dietary and exercise plans, and orders as may be provided to the patient from a physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act. Removes the provision that states that an acupuncturist licensed under the Act who is not also licensed as a physical therapist under the Illinois Physical Therapy Act shall not hold himself or herself out as being qualified to provide physical therapy or physiotherapy services.

Amends the School Code. Authorizes the State Board of Education to administer the Illinois Classroom Supply Assistance Program. Requires the State Board to create a list of preapproved items which may be purchased using funds loaded onto a Classroom Supply Assistance Card (CSAC). Provides that at the beginning of each school quarter starting during the 2027-2028 school year, the State Board shall distribute funds from the Illinois Classroom Supply Assistance Program Fund to teachers throughout the State. Provides that funds for the Program shall be distributed according to a needs-based formula taking into account school district funding, district poverty rates and Title 1 status, per-pupil spending disparities, student performance metrics, and teacher-to-student ratios. Provides that purchases made with a CSAC shall be tracked electronically and monitored to ensure compliance with the list of approved supplies. Provides that teachers shall have access to an online portal to manage funds, review balances, and track purchases. Provides that annual audits shall be conducted to maintain transparency and prevent misuse. Requires the State Board to launch a pilot program in high-needs districts for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years to test the funding model and distribution process. Requires the State Board to annually report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the status of the Program and any problems that arose with its implementation in the preceding calendar year. Creates the Illinois Classroom Supply Assistance Fund. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the General Assembly shall not approve the extension of a redevelopment project and the retirement of its obligations to a date that is beyond the 35th calendar year after the year in which the ordinance approving the redevelopment project areas was adopted. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, and the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act to designate the first day following the beginning of Ramadan as a State holiday. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Counties Code. Requires a State's Attorney to notify the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board of any officer found to be uncredible for the presentation of sworn testimony. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Requires the Board to record whether or not an officer has been reported by a State's Attorney as being uncredible for the presentation of testimony. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, in all counties, any change in assessment resulting from reassessment in the general assessment year shall not exceed the lesser of the following: (1) 3% of the assessed value of the property for the prior year; or (2) the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the assessment year. Provides that the limitation does not apply if the increase in assessment is attributable to an addition, improvement, or modification to the property. Preempts the power of home rule units to tax. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that no more than 2 members of the board of review may be affiliated with the same political party (currently, 2 members of the board shall be affiliated with the political party polling the highest vote for any county office in the county). Effective immediately.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Deletes a provision that exempted from disclosure under the Act records contained in the officer professional conduct database established under the Illinois Police Training Act. Amends the Illinois State Police Act. Requires the Illinois State Police Merit Board to publish the officer professional conduct database on its website so that it is both searchable and viewable in its entirety by the public and can be downloaded in its entirety as a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Requires the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board to ensure that the officer professional conduct database established under the Act is available to the public. Deletes a provisions which specifies that information submitted to the officer professional conduct database is confidential.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 concerning defendants found unfit to stand trial. Provides that if the defendant is remanded to the custody of the Department of Human Services for inpatient services, the defendant shall be placed in a secure setting. Provides that during the period of time required to determine bed and placement availability at the designated facility, the defendant shall remain in jail and the pretrial release provisions do not apply. Provides that no physician or other person employed by the Department of Human Services shall be ordered to perform, in the person's official capacity, an examination of the defendant's fitness. Provides that if the defendant with mental disabilities is ordered to outpatient treatment, the defendant shall be released from custody with instructions to contact the Department of Human Services to schedule the receipt of restoration services in the community. Provides that a defendant who either fails to arrange for the receipt of community restoration services or whom the Department reports has failed to comply in any other respect with the outpatient treatment order shall be remanded to the Department to receive inpatient services at a secure facility designated by the Department. Provides that the initial fitness report shall indicate what information, if any, contained in the report may be harmful to the mental condition of the defendant if made known to the defendant and the court may determine if the defendant is restricted from receiving the report. Provides that if the defendant is unfit due to a traumatic brain injury or organic brain disease such as Alzheimer's or dementia, or any other condition other than one treatable as a mental illness or developmental disability, the court may order the defendant placed in a suitable public or private treatment facility or program that has agreed to provide treatment to the defendant. Provides that no person who has not been determined to be unfit due to an identified condition may be placed in a facility operated by the Department of Human Services. Makes other changes. Defines terms.

Amends the Illinois Water Well Construction Code. Provides that the minimum lateral setback distance between a closed-loop well and a storm sewer, sanitary sewer, combined sewer, or any other potential source of contamination is 5 feet. Specifies that setbacks from footing drains and pits, crawl spaces, and basements do not apply to closed-loop wells.

Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act. Prohibits a landlord or lessor from refusing to rent to, deny housing to, or impose conditions on a lessee or tenant based on the breed of a dog or dogs in residential housing that contains more than 3 units of housing. Provides that nothing in the Act affects the ability of a unit of local government to enforce provisions of the Animal Control Act regarding a dangerous dog or vicious dog. Provides that if a lessor or landlord violates these provisions, upon request of the affected lessee or tenant, the Illinois Housing Development Authority must investigate the matter. Provides that if the Authority finds that a lessor or landlord has violated the Act, it must commence an action or proceeding in the circuit court of the county in which the premises are situated to stop the violation either by mandamus or injunction. Provides that the amendatory Act applies to a renewal or modification of residential leases that contain more than 3 units of housing after the effective date of the Act and for new residential leases entered into after that date.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to create a system for the automatic suspension of a license if the holder of that license has been convicted of a crime under the Sex Offenses Article of the Criminal Code of 2012 or a crime that requires registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, for a person who is a resident in a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act, the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act, or the MC/DD Act for whom payments are made under the Article throughout a month and who is determined to be eligible for medical assistance, the State shall pay an amount in addition to the minimum monthly personal needs allowance authorized under the Social Security Act so that the person's total monthly personal needs allowance from both State and federal sources equals $90. Provides that beginning January 1, 2027, the personal needs allowance described in the amendatory Act shall increase annually at the same rate as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to take effect on January 1 of each year.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for any third-party hotel booking service to facilitate the reservation or booking of a physical accommodation in the State without providing specified disclosures to the consumer. Sets forth requirements for the disclosure, including that it is clear and conspicuous. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Exempts from garnishment for a period of 30 calendar days wages electronically deposited directly into a judgment debtor's checking or savings account in a financial institution. Increases the amount that every individual is entitled to for the individual's estate of homestead from $15,000 to $100,000 if the property is owned by a single individual, and from $30,000 to $200,000 if the property is owned by 2 or more individuals. Makes conforming changes in provisions regarding: the validity of a release, waiver, or conveyance of a property; the proceeds of a sale; bids for less than the exempted amount; proceedings to enforce a judgment; notice to judgment debtors; and the sale of premises and distribution of proceeds. Increases the exemptions for: other personal property from $4,000 to $27,000; a motor vehicle from $2,400 to $16,000; tools of the trade of the debtor from $1,500 to 10,000; and personal injury from $15,000 to $100,000. Makes conforming changes.

Creates the Nonconsensual Towing Act. Creates the Commercial Vehicle Towing Advisory Committee. Sets forth members, terms, compensation, meetings, and record keeping. Provides that the Committee shall: (1) establish rules and standards for the inclusion of a towing and recovery service on the tow list; (2) establish statewide maximum towing and storage rates for nonconsensual tows; (3) require the towing and recovery service to ban the use of per-pound billing for nonconsensual towing; (4) publish a Towing Service Standard Manual; and (5) collect and compile data and information on the number of people who have been towed nonconsensually and the areas where nonconsensual towings have occurred. Requires a towing and recovery service to allow an owner of a commercial motor vehicle or a designee of the owner of the commercial motor vehicle to access the vehicle in a reasonable manner as established by rules adopted by the Committee. Allows a law enforcement officer to use the services of the a tow list. Provides that it is unlawful for: (1) a law enforcement officer to receive compensation or receive any other incentive to select a particular towing and recovery service from the list, hold any financial interest in a towing and recovery service, and recommend any towing and recovery service in the performance of his or her duties; (2) any member or employee of the Committee, Department of Transportation, or Secretary of State to receive compensation from a towing and recovery service for the privilege of being included on the tow list; (3) a towing and recovery service to pay money or other valuable consideration for the privilege of nonconsensual towing commercial motor vehicles; and (4) a towing and recovery service to employ or otherwise compensate individuals whose primary task is to report the presence of unauthorized, improperly, or illegally parked commercial motor vehicles for the purpose of towing or removal and storage. Provides that before a towing and recovery service connects a commercial motor vehicle to a tow truck for a nonconsensual tow, the towing and recovery service shall document the vehicle's condition and the reason for the tow. Prohibits a towing and recovery service from using vehicle immobilization devices except under the direction of law enforcement. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2030. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, before an ordinance may be adopted approving a redevelopment project area, the redevelopment project area must be approved by referendum of the voters of the affected taxing districts. Includes requirements for the ordinance or resolution proposing the redevelopment project area, for submission of and language for the referendum, and approval of the referendum when a majority of the voters in each of the affected taxing districts approve the referendum. Modifies notice requirements for the public meeting, and requires the notification of all voters of the affected taxing districts. Requires notice by publication, mailing, and on the website of the municipality (rather than by publication and mailing), and modifies the timing in which notices must be sent. Requires that a notice also must contain a copy of the proposed ordinance designating the redevelopment project area, a list of all taxes levied by each of the taxing districts that constitute the joint review board, a statement of the projected impact that the redevelopment project area will have on those taxing district, and the proposed referendum language. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Capital Development Board Act. Provides that the Capital Development Board shall establish uniform statewide minimum qualification requirements for code inspectors and shall maintain a statewide registry and certification program for qualified inspectors to demonstrate their compliance with the minimum qualification requirements. Provides that any municipal building code or county building code must ensure that all code inspectors meet at least the minimum certification requirements required by the Board for non-building code jurisdictions. Limits home rule powers. Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the Illinois Community College Board shall create a specific listing in its directory of programs for courses and programs that prepare students to become code inspectors. Provides that the State Board shall conduct a survey of all community colleges in the State to determine the current and historical enrollment in currently existing building code-related courses.