Illinois

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Transportation to install level II electric vehicle charging stations at each rest stop along each interstate highway in the State. Provides that, subject to approval by the United States Secretary of Transportation, the Department may install direct current fast-charging stations at each rest stop along each interstate highway in the State, which charge an electric vehicle charging fee in an amount no greater than what is necessary to offset the cost to the State in constructing and maintaining the charging infrastructure and procuring electricity. Allows the Department to adopt rules to implement the provisions. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the EV Charging Station Fund for expenses directly related to the installation, maintenance, procuring electricity, and other costs associated with electric vehicle charging stations at highway rest stops. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Increases the additional fee for registration of an electric vehicle to $150 (currently $100), with $50 being deposited into the EV Charging Station Fund.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions authorizing certain persons to transfer service credit from IMRF to a downstate police pension fund, makes technical and combining changes to conform the changes made by Public Act 102-857 and Public Act 102-1061. Removes a restrictive date on the transfer of that service credit. Authorizes investigators for the Secretary of State and conservation police officers to transfer that service credit. Authorizes State's Attorneys to transfer service credit under the IMRF Article to the State Employee Article. In the State Employee Article, provides that a State policeman or conservation police officer may elect to convert service credit earned under the Article or, for certain types of service, elect to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity provisions by filing a written election with the Board of Trustees and paying to the System a specified amount. Provides that a participant under the alternative retirement annuity provisions may establish eligible creditable service for up to 7 years of service as a State's Attorney. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that a law enforcement officer who arrests the owner of a companion animal for a violation of the owner's duties may lawfully take possession of some or all of the companion animals in the possession of the owner. Allows a State's Attorney 30 days (rather than 14 days) after seizure of a companion animal to file a petition for forfeiture prior to trial, asking for permanent forfeiture of the companion animals seized.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that any health insurance issuer carrying on business in this State on or after January 1, 2027 shall develop a plan to provide adequate coverage of and access to a broad spectrum of pain management services, including, but not limited to, nonopioid, nonnarcotic medication for pain management and nonmedication pain management services that serve as alternatives to the prescribing of opioid or narcotic drugs in accordance with guidelines that will be developed by the Department of Insurance. Provides that the Department shall review the plans and consider the adequacy of access to a broad spectrum of pain management services under the issuers plans and whether any policies adopted by the issuer may create unduly preferential coverage of and access to prescription opioids for pain management, without consideration of other pain management services. Provides that Any health insurance issuer carrying on business in the State of Illinois shall distribute educational materials to participating providers about any pain management access plan and post information about the plan on the issuer's publicly accessible website. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage under those provisions.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, shall not impose any prior authorization or utilization management controls on covered behavioral health services. Makes conforming changes to the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to establish a process for receiving complaints from providers and covered individuals for violations of the mandate. Grants the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services the authority to issue cease and desist orders and administrative fines. Amends the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall adopt rules consistent with the Act. Provisions amending the Prior Authorization Reform Act are effective immediately.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Authorizes an authorized representative to sign the disclosure required under the Act before any contract relating to the ownership or use of real property is entered into by the State or a unit of local government disclosing the interest of an owner or beneficiary in the real property. Authorizes disclosure by providing a copy of a proxy statement or other official corporate document filed with the federal Securities Exchange Commission or similar federal regulatory body within the previous calendar year disclosing the overall ownership of the limited liability company, corporation, or general partnership. Removes the requirement for additional disclosure for contracts for the ownership or use of real property for highway purposes by the Department of Transportation for any entity that is wholly or partially owned by another entity. Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Allows a party authorized to take property to file a complaint in circuit court if the owner is unable or unwilling to provide documentation required by the acquiring party to obtain sufficient title to the property, consummate the transaction, or comply with all legal requirements for the transaction. Eliminates the requirement that the Illinois Department of Transportation obtain Illinois Commerce Commission approval before bringing an action to acquire property needed for highway projects owned by utilities and railroads. Allows notice to property owners to be sent by entities other than the United States Postal Service if a company provides the same function as certified mail with return receipt. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Changes the name of the Act to the IEMA-OHS Act. Makes conforming changes and adds references to homeland security and the Office of Homeland Security within the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) throughout the Act. Adds and changes definitions. Deletes provisions regarding certain salaries in previous years. In provisions listing responsibilities of IEMA-OHS, adds responsibilities regarding nuclear and radiation safety and homeland security. Provides for the appointment of a Homeland Security Advisor with the advice and consent of the Senate, as well as discretionary Deputy Homeland Security Advisors, with other requirements. Establishes the Illinois Homeland Security Advisory Council, with certain requirements. Creates the Illinois Cybersecurity Commission, with certain requirements. Creates the position of Statewide Interoperability Coordinator. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that not less than 50% (rather than 75%) of the amounts collected by a municipality within DuPage County pursuant to the municipal hotel operators' occupation tax and municipal hotel use tax shall be used to promote tourism within that municipality. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code, Township Code, and Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a zoning ordinance or other zoning regulation may not prohibit or restrict the erection of an industrialized residential structure or a manufactured home on real property if: (1) the industrialized residential structure or manufactured home is compatible with the character of the respective area; (2) an ordinance or regulation imposes the same aesthetic compatibility requirements on the industrialized residential structure or manufactured home as those that are applicable to all other residential structures in the respective area; and (3) the industrialized residential structure or manufactured home meets applicable standards for the exterior design of buildings and structures. Prohibits restrictions based upon the age of a manufactured home. Provides that a person who is the owner of real property or who has a right to the use of real property may install and occupy a pre-owned manufactured home on the property if the pre-owned manufactured home complies with specified provisions and is on property that is zoned for residential use. Provides that a county, township, or municipality may establish health and safety standards for pre-owned manufactured homes that are relocated from one location to another location and an inspection program for those pre-owned manufactured homes. Provides that the county, township, or municipality and the individual performing an inspection are not liable for any injuries to a person resulting from any defects or conditions in the pre-owned manufactured home. Specifies that the provisions of the amendatory Act are not intended to limit the powers of a home rule unit. Defines "pre-owned manufactured home".

Amends the School Code. Requires each school board to implement, not later than July 1, 2026, a mobile panic alert system capable of connecting disparate emergency services technologies to ensure real-time coordination between local and State law enforcement and first responder agencies. Provides that the system shall be known as "Alyssa's Alert" and shall integrate with local, public-safety, answering-point infrastructure to transmit 9-1-1 calls and mobile activations. Allows a school board to implement additional strategies or systems to ensure real-time coordination between multiple first responder agencies in the event of a school security emergency. Provides that a school board is not required to procure or implement new or additional capabilities if, as of July 1, 2025, the school board has already implemented a mobile panic alert system with capabilities that meet system requirements. Requires the State Board of Education to conduct market research not later than December 1, 2025 to identify whether an existing competitively procured source of supply is available for a mobile panic alert system from multiple vendors for use by school districts. Provides that if no existing source of supply exists, then the State Board shall issue a competitive solicitation for such source of supply no later than January 1, 2026. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In provisions concerning volunteer emergency workers, provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, "volunteer emergency worker" also includes a community policing volunteer, a volunteer auxiliary police officer, or a volunteer auxiliary deputy. Effective immediately.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that post-traumatic stress disorder is to be rebuttably presumed to arise out of and to be causally connected to the hazards of employment of a person employed as a firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), emergency medical technician-intermediate (EMT-I), advanced emergency medical technician (A-EMT), or paramedic.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes language providing that an owner may only apply for and receive 5 farm truck registrations, and only 2 of those 5 vehicles shall exceed 59,500 gross weight in pounds per vehicle. Provides instead that an owner may apply for and receive a total of 8 farm truck registrations; however, only 2 farm truck registrations may be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding farm truck registration (with a fee of $1,590 per vehicle registered) and the other 6 farm truck registrations must be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding flat weight taxes (with a fee of $2,890 per vehicle registered).

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that if a student resides with a parent in the State and that parent is an active military member at the time the student enrolls, registers, or submits an enrollment deposit to a public institution of higher education in the State, the student shall be guaranteed the in-State tuition rate for the entirety of the student's enrollment at that public institution of higher education regardless of whether the parent is later reassigned to military service that relocates the parent outside of the State.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the long-time occupant homestead exemption applies in all counties beginning with taxable year 2026. Effective immediately.

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that for proceedings seeking a guardianship of a disabled adult, if the proposed guardian is otherwise qualified under the Act, the court must give first consideration to appointing a family member who petitions to be a guardian unless the person alleged to have a disability has designated some other person to be guardian under the Act. Continues to provide that the paramount concern in the selection of the guardian is the best interests and well-being of the person with a disability. Defines "family member" to mean any person related to the person alleged to have a disability.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. With regard to certain wine-makers, wine manufacturers, and winery shippers, removes restrictions on the amount of wine that may be produced to be eligible for a self-distribution exemption and removes restrictions on the amount of wine a self-distribution exemption holder may self-distribute. Provides that a wine-maker's premises license shall allow the licensee to sell and offer for sale at up to 3 (instead of 2) additional locations for use and consumption and not for resale. Sets a fee for the additional wine-maker's premises location. Makes other and conforming changes.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that a certified nurse midwife with full practice authority may enter into a written collaborative agreement with an advanced practice registered nurse. Provides that an advanced practice registered nurse certified as a nurse midwife may enter into a written collaborative agreement with an advanced practice registered nurse with full practice authority who is certified as a nurse midwife or a physician. Provides that, for an advanced practice registered nurse certified as a nurse midwife, the clinical experience shall be in collaboration with a certified nurse midwife with full practice authority. Makes conforming changes in provisions concerning written collaborative agreements, prescriptive authority under a written collaborative agreement, and full practice authority.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the maximum income limitation for the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption shall be increased in each taxable year by the annual cost of living adjustment, if any, in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that takes effect in that taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that grants shall not restrict the amount of money used to pay for fringe benefits. Provides that grants shall not restrict administrative costs to less than 20% of the grant award. Defines "fringe benefits".

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Makes changes to the definition of "managerial employee", including that, unless the sheriff and the union have mutually agreed otherwise, or are already recognized by the Act, the "undersheriff", "chief deputy", or "superintendent of the jail" shall be defined as a managerial employee. In the definition of "supervisor", provides that that the term includes only those individuals who devote a preponderance of their employment time to exercising that authority, State supervisors and sworn State police officers notwithstanding. In the definition of "supervisor", also provides that the Illinois Labor Relations Board, or the relevant panel with jurisdiction, shall consider, as evidence of bargaining unit inclusion or exclusion, applicable civil service law, ordinances, personnel codes, provisions regarding boards of fire and police commissioners in the Illinois Municipal Code, and the Sheriff's Merit System Law.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to the foster care expenses, not to exceed $1,000 in any taxable year, paid or incurred by the taxpayer with respect to a qualified dependent child. Provides that the credit may be prorated. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Dental Care Patient Protection Act, and the Dental Service Plan Act. Provides that no insurer, dental service plan corporation, professional service corporation, insurance network leasing company, company offering a managed care dental plan, company offering a point-of-service plan, or any company that amends, delivers, issues, or renews an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance that provides dental insurance in this State may deny coverage for replacement of teeth to any insured on the basis of those teeth having been extracted or otherwise lost prior to the person becoming covered under the plan.

Amends the Fire Protection District Act and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that municipalities and fire protection districts may fix, charge, and collect reasonable fees from independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, nursing home facilities, or other similar congregate care facilities for all lift-assist services rendered by a fire department, firefighter, emergency response unit, public safety employee of a municipal department, or fire protection district in connection with providing lift-assist services to a patient or other individual. Provides that the fees may not exceed the actual personnel and equipment costs for all services rendered by the municipality or fire protection district in connection with providing lift-assist services to a patient or other individual. Provides that the municipality or fire protection district may require a facility to enter into a written agreement to reimburse the municipality or fire protection district for the costs of injuries suffered at the facility by municipal or district personnel when providing lift-assist services, including, but not limited to, costs of medical treatment, payments required under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act, disability payments, and pension payments for injured personnel, but provides that any such agreement does not relieve the municipality or fire protection district of a statutory or contractual obligation it may have to its employees for an injury suffered relating to lift-assist services rendered. Contains provisions relating to third-party claims and intervention in a suit relating to claims made by a municipal or fire protection district employee for an injury suffered relating to lift-assist services rendered.

Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State shall require high school coaching personnel to complete annual training on youth mental health best practices. Requires the training to include information about athlete nutrition and eating disorders.