Illinois

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Removes provisions providing that the pass-through entity level election applies only for tax years beginning prior to January 1, 2026. Effective immediately.

Congratulates United Congregations of Metro-East for 25 years of dedicated service, advocacy, and leadership in the pursuit of justice, equity, and community empowerment.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a business providing customer support that uses an automated telephone answering system or an automated text interface that simulates conversation shall, during the normal hours of operation of the business, provide the customer with the option of communicating with a human representative at the beginning of the phone call or text interaction.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules governing rural provider compensation. Provides that such rules shall increase the rate of compensation for rural providers that account for significant challenges or barriers related to transportation, including, but not limited to, travel time of over one hour each way or 35 or more miles, and last minute appointment cancellations. Provides that the rate of reimbursement shall be increased and compensate rural providers for: (i) extended travel time and mileage and (ii) staff or resources required to provide developmental disabilities services to individuals in rural areas. Requires the Department to create a grant program to incentivize and support the use of assistive technologies and innovative services to increase access to developmental disabilities services provided by rural providers.

Creates the Mobile Panic Alert System Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as Alyssa's Law. Requires, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each public school to implement a mobile panic alert system capable of connecting diverse emergency services technologies to ensure real-time coordination between multiple first responder agencies. Requires, for the 2026 fiscal year, the State Board of Education to issue a competitive solicitation to contract for a mobile panic alert system that may be used by each school district. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers who (1) paid rent on a personal residence in Illinois for at least 6 months during the taxable year; (2) are not claimed as a dependent on someone else's federal income taxes for the taxable year; and (3) have a federal adjusted gross income of less than $83,250, if the taxpayer is married filing a joint return, or $40,770, if the taxpayer is not married filing a joint return. Provides that, if the taxpayer is married filing a joint return, then the amount of the credit is $1,000 for both taxpayers as a single unit. Provides that, if the taxpayer is not married filing a joint return, then the amount of the credit is $500. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that when computing days of validated service, contributors shall receive the greater of: (1) one day of service credit for each day for which they are paid salary representing a partial or a full day of employment rendered to an employer or the Board of Trustees of the Fund; or (2) 10 days of service credit for each 10-day period of employment in which the contributor worked 50% or more of the regularly scheduled hours (instead of one day of service credit for each day for which they are paid salary representing a partial or a full day of employment rendered to an employer or the Board).

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Sets forth findings and definitions. Provides that the Department of Insurance is authorized to enter into a contract with a private insurance broker to establish an Owner-Controlled Insurance Program. Provides that the Owner-Controlled Insurance Program shall provide specified forms of insurance, if applicable, to construction contractors for the purpose of satisfying requirements to contract with a construction agency. Requires the Department to comply with the Illinois Procurement Code when procuring a contract for an Owner-Controlled Insurance Program. Provides that a contract between the Department and an insurance broker for the provision of an Owner-Controlled Insurance Program shall not exceed 5 years in duration. Provides that all tiers of construction contractors shall be eligible to obtain any form of insurance required to contract with a construction agency for the purposes of satisfying the insurance obligations necessary to execute a construction contract for a construction agency. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. In provisions concerning job order contracting, provides that public institutions of higher education may procure construction contracts via job order contracting through the use of competitive sealed bidding.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "leader-follower work zone vehicle" as a motor vehicle used in combination with another motor vehicle in a highway construction or maintenance zone that is: (1) equipped with an automated driving system; and (2) remotely connected to another motor vehicle allowing for coordinated or controlled movement within line of sight of the operator. Provides that the provision regarding following too closely does not apply to leader-follower work zone vehicles. Authorizes the Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to implement the use of a leader-follower work zone vehicle in a highway construction or maintenance zone under their jurisdiction to create a safety system to protect their workers. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a permanent polling place for early voting must remain open beginning the 15th day before an election through the end of the day before election day during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., on weekdays (currently, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekdays).

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Uniform Alcohol Direct-Shipping Compliance Act. Provides for the registration of third-party providers that ship wine to residents of this State on behalf of winery shippers. With regard to third-party providers, sets forth provisions concerning registration applications; recordkeeping; reporting; and suspending, revoking, or refusing to issue or renew a registration. Provides that a carrier may not deliver to a consumer a package known by the carrier to contain wine unless the consignor is a licensed winery shipper or registered third-party provider and the carrier has verified that license or registration for the current license period. Requires winery shippers, third-party providers, and carriers to file with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission a monthly report containing specified information concerning wine shipments. Provides that the State Commission may suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a license to manufacture, distribute, or sell alcoholic liquor issued by the State Commission if the State Commission finds, after notice and an opportunity for an evidentiary hearing, that the person holding the license has shipped alcoholic liquor into another state in violation of that state's law. Makes other changes. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act. Provides that, for the purpose of the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative, apprenticeship programs must provide to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity evidence that the apprenticeship program has graduated, in each of the 3 calendar years immediately preceding the date on which the public works project begins, at least 2 apprentices in each construction craft to be performed at the relevant project. Provides that apprenticeship programs are not required to provide graduation information with respect to apprenticeship crafts that are dedicated exclusively to the transportation of materials and equipment to and from the project. Provides that those provisions do not apply to public works projects contracted by school districts or units of local government. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning in taxable year 2026, no county clerk may extend against any property an annual property tax that exceeds the amount generated by multiplying the property tax liability for the property in the immediately preceding taxable year by one plus the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period ending in September of the immediately preceding taxable year, unless the increase in the property tax liability is the result of improvements to the property or the result of the removal of one or more exemptions that were granted with respect to the property for the immediately preceding taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as Dax's Law. In provisions concerning injuring or killing police animals, removes references to service animals. Provides that, if an offender is convicted of willfully or maliciously torturing, mutilating, injuring, disabling, poisoning, or killing any animal used for law enforcement purposes, the offender shall, among other penalties, be responsible for any veterinarian bills for the animal that was injured. Makes other changes.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after January 1, 2026, the rates paid for children's dental comprehensive oral exams, periodic oral exams, problem focused exams, behavior management codes, sealants, resin-based composites-posterior teeth, and extraction and surgical extraction codes shall be increased by 33% above the rates in effect on December 31, 2025. Effective January 1, 2026.

Creates the Preserving Illinois Neighborhoods Act. Provides that, for taxable years that begin on or after January 1, 2026 and end on or before December 31, 2031, qualified taxpayers who incur qualified new construction expenditures or qualified rehabilitation expenditures during the taxable year are entitled to a credit. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Revenue shall not require a taxpayer, whether an individual, not-for-profit, or business entity, to collect and furnish to the Department individual tax identification information from vendors that participate in an event hosted or sponsored by the taxpayer. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a survivors insurance beneficiary or the personal representative of the estate of a deceased survivors insurance beneficiary or the personal representative of a survivors insurance beneficiary who is under a legal disability may waive the right to receive survivorship benefits, provided written notice of the waiver is given by the beneficiary or representative to the Board of Trustees within 6 months after the System notified that person of the benefits payable upon the death (instead of 6 months after the death) of the participant or annuitant and before any payment is made pursuant to an application filed by such person. Effective immediately.

Amends the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Changes the definitions of "biometric identifier" and "written release". Defines "biometric lock", "biometric time clock", "person", and "security purpose". Provides that if the biometric identifier or biometric information is collected or captured for the same repeated process, the private entity is only required to inform the subject or receive consent during the initial collection. Waives certain requirements for collecting, capturing, or otherwise obtaining a person's or a customer's biometric identifier or biometric information under certain circumstances relating to security purposes. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to apply to information captured by a biometric time clock or biometric lock that converts a person's biometric identifier or biometric information to a mathematical representation. Repeals the right of action under the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Dissolution of Townships in McHenry County Article of the Township Code. Renames the Article and makes it applicable to all counties under township organization. Amends the Counties Code and the Motor Fuel Tax Law making conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Changes provisions requiring road districts in townships in Lake County and McHenry County to be abolished if the roads of the road district are less than 15 miles in length to require all townships to abolish such road districts. Repeals provisions making abolition permissive for townships with road districts that have roads of less than 15 miles in length. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Provides that the prohibition on incurring development costs, placing improvements upon or under land, rebuilding, altering, or adding to any existing structure when widening or adding to the State highway system does not apply if the Department of Transportation has not held its mandated public hearing. Provides that if the Department does not hold a public hearing regarding the viability and feasibility of a protected corridor, the protected corridor shall be abolished.

Amends the Illinois African-American Family Commission Act, the Asian American Family Commission Act, and the Illinois Latino Family Commission Act replacing current provisions in those Acts with the following: Makes a grammatical correction to the title of the Illinois African-American Family Commission Act and to other provisions of the Act, and makes conforming changes in the Violence Prevention Task Force Act, the Commission on Children and Youth Act, the Commission to Study Disproportionate Justice Impact Act, the Advisory Commission on Reducing the Disproportionate Representation of African-American Children in Foster Care Act, the Commission to End Hunger Act, the Racial and Ethnic Impact Research Task Force Act, and the Commission on Equity and Inclusion Act. Provides that each Commission shall advocate for policies, programs, and services that promote greater equity and inclusion in State government. Provides that the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint 3 members to each commission (with the term of a member of any of the Commissions serving on the effective date of the amendatory Act ending on the effective date of the amendatory Act), and each Commission membership shall appoint the chairperson or chairpersons. Provides that the organizational meeting of each Commission shall take place after all members are appointed but no later than 60 days after 50% or more of the members on the Commission have been appointed. Provides that the Lieutenant Governor's Office shall provide administrative support for the Commissions (rather than the Commission on Equity and Inclusion providing general oversight of the operations of the Commissions). Provides that the Lieutenant Governor's Office may receive funding through appropriations made available for use on behalf of the commissions. Provides that the Office shall expend funds set aside for the Commissions at the direction of the Commissions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. With respect to identification, evaluation, and placement, provides that, beginning no later than the first annual review meeting after a child turns 13 years of age, the individualized education program (IEP) team shall determine at each annual review meeting whether it would be appropriate for the child to participate in IEP meetings with the child's IEP team.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning on the effective date of the amendatory Act and ending on December 31, 2025, a hospital that would have qualified for the rate year beginning October 1, 2024 shall be a Safety-Net Hospital. Effective immediately.