Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning evidence-based funding for student success, allows the Professional Review Panel to study, at the discretion of the chairperson, any proposed legislation by the General Assembly impacting the provision or the distribution of Tier funds through the evidence-based funding formula or the adequacy targets of organizational units funded through the evidence-based funding formula.

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to Sinnissippi Centers for costs associated with capital improvements. Effective July 1, 2025.

Congratulates Glyn Ramage on the occasion of his retirement as business manager of the Downstate Illinois Laborers' District Council of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA). Recognizes his dedication to and impact on LIUNA.

Amends the Wildlife Code. In provisions regarding special deer, turkey, and combination hunting licenses, provides that the deer, turkey, or combination hunting permit issued without fee shall be valid on all farm lands year-round which the person to whom it is issued owns, leases, or rents, with other requirements. Provides that resident landowners shall be entitled to up to 5 resident deer archery either-sex permits and up to 5 resident deer either-sex firearm permits without charge.

Declares January 16, 2025 as Religious Freedom Day.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Allows nonresidents who are immediate family members of landowners and who qualify for special deer, turkey, and combination hunting licenses under the Act to obtain deer, turkey, and combination permits for the regular resident permit fee for hunting on that property after providing acceptable verification to the Department of Natural Resources. Defines "immediate family member".

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. With regard to the 5 State-funded retirement systems, provides that the following are forbidden entities for purposes of investment and certain other transactions: Hamas; any company or entity that is wholly or partially managed or controlled by Hamas; any company identified by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury as sponsoring terrorist activities in conjunction with Hamas or under specified regulations pertaining to terrorism sanctions; any company that has been fined, penalized, or sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury for any violation of any United States rules and restrictions relating to Hamas that occurred at any time following the effective date of the amendatory Act; or any company that has business operations that involve contracts with or the provision of supplies or services to Hamas, companies in which Hamas has any direct or indirect equity share, or consortiums or projects commissioned by Hamas. Provides that a retirement system shall not transfer or disburse funds to, deposit into, acquire any bonds or commercial paper from, or otherwise loan to or invest in any entity unless a certifying company certifies to the retirement system that: (1) with respect to investments in a publicly traded company, the certifying company has relied on information provided by an independent researching firm that specializes in global security risk; and (2) 100% of the retirement system's assets for which the certifying company provides services or advice are not and have not been invested or reinvested in any forbidden entity at any time after 4 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires the Illinois Investment Policy Board to make its best efforts to identify all Hamas-restricted companies and include those companies in the list of restricted companies for purposes of investment distributed to each retirement system and the Illinois State Board of Investment. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule of the Department of Natural Resources to the contrary, a State authorized veterans' organization seeking to hold a memorial service at a State Memorial Site shall not pay a fee and shall not be required to obtain liability insurance if the permit to hold such service is approved by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall be provided a list of State authorized veterans' organizations by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Defines "State authorized veterans' organization".

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, if wild deer cause more than $500 in property damage on land in the State that is owned or leased by an Illinois resident, then the Department of Natural Resources shall compensate the Illinois resident for the actual property damages caused by the deer and incurred by the Illinois resident upon submittal by the Illinois resident of a claim in the form and manner prescribed by the Department by rule. Provides that a claim must be submitted within one year after the date that a claimant suffers damages and knows or has reason to know of the damages. Grants the Department rulemaking powers. Provides for a private cause of action in the Court of Claims if the Illinois resident has not been compensated within 180 days after submitting a claim in the form and manner prescribed by the Department.

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the two Houses shall convene in Joint Session on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the hour of 12:00 o'clock noon for the purpose of hearing his Excellency Governor JB Pritzker present to the General Assembly his Budget Message for the Fiscal Year 2026, as required by Chapter 15, Section 20/50-5 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes.

Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act. Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose of holding bitcoin as a financial asset. Provides that the State Treasurer may accept gifts, grants, and donations of bitcoin from Illinois residents and governmental entities for deposit into the Fund. Provides that the State Treasurer shall hold all bitcoin deposited into the Fund for a duration of at least 5 years from the date that the bitcoin enters the State's custody. Allows the State Treasurer, after this period, to transfer, sell, appropriate, or convert to another cryptocurrency any bitcoin in the Fund. Adds provisions concerning the management and security of the Fund; reporting requirements; and voluntary donations of bitcoin by Illinois residents. Provides that the State Treasurer may adopt rules necessary to administer the Act. Effective immediately.

Mourns the passing of Max Jordan Chiswick.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any resident of the State who served in combat as a member of the United States Armed Services may have the vehicle registration fee waived for one license plate each year.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Allows owners residing on, or bona fide tenants of, farm lands and their children, parents, brothers, and sisters actually permanently residing on their lands to have the right to hunt any of the species protected by certain provisions upon their lands and waters without procuring hunting licenses year-round (rather than only during periods of time).

Mourns the death of Phil Goldstick.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall produce ethanol using seeds that have been treated with a pesticide.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district may (rather than shall) make menstrual hygiene products available, at no cost to students, in bathrooms of every school building that are open for student use in grades 4 through 12 during the regular school day.

Congratulates Charlene Wexler of Richmond on being inducted into the Department on Aging's Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame for her devotion to the art of writing.

Amends the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board may not charge retired law enforcement officers more than $30 annually to complete the annual certification of retired law enforcement officers qualified under federal law to carry a concealed weapon.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Requires an agency in a proposed rulemaking to carry out, before moving to the second notice period, a good-faith analysis of the net new costs to be imposed upon (i) entities in the private sector and (ii) units of local government and taxing bodies other than the State of Illinois. Provides that if the proposed rulemaking is found to impose net new costs upon those entities, the text of the proposed rule must contain reliefs to balance the net new costs. Prohibits the adoption or filing of any rule or modification or repeal of any rule that imposes net new costs upon any of those entities. Provides that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules shall scrutinize compliance with these requirements and that any failure of an agency to comply shall trigger the prohibition or suspension of a proposed rule. Creates a private cause of action for a party injured by the adoption of a rule in violation of the requirements added by the amendatory Act.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall conduct a review of each current regulatory program, including any costs and fees associated with each program. Provides that the Department shall create a report based on this review for each program and deliver the report to the General Assembly no later than 12 months prior to the termination of each program under the Act. Sets forth requirements for the report. Provides that the Department shall conduct a review of each potential new program, including any costs and fees associated with the potential new program. Provides that the Department shall create a new program report based on this review and deliver the report to the General Assembly no later than 30 days after the filing date of the bill in which the program is proposed. Sets forth requirements for the report. Provides that the Department shall complete a review and report for any program reviewed which becomes law 24 months after the effective date of the bill in which the program was proposed and shall subsequently conduct review and reporting duties according to the provided schedule. Provides that nothing in the amendatory provisions shall be construed to prevent the Department from conducting a review or publishing and delivering a report prior to the filing date of a piece of legislation if the Department reasonably believes a new program is necessary to meet a demonstrated public safety or welfare interest or the Department has received requests to regulate a previously unregulated profession.

Amends the State Finance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Removes language regarding: diversity requirements related to the design of all programs and procurements; the development of methods that optimize procurement of renewable energy credits from proposed utility-scale projects that are located in communities eligible to receive Energy Transition Community Grants; diversity requirements related to the eligibility criteria for the selection as a supplier of renewable energy credits; the assessment of fees to recover specified costs incurred by the Illinois Power Agency; diversity requirements related to the criteria for an owner to receive grants from the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund; the provision of information on renewable energy company diversity reporting via the Agency's public facing online tool; and diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning evidence-based funding for student success, allows the Professional Review Panel to study, at the discretion of the chairperson, any proposed legislation by the General Assembly impacting the provision or the distribution of Tier funds through the evidence-based funding formula or the adequacy targets of organizational units funded through the evidence-based funding formula.

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to Sinnissippi Centers for costs associated with capital improvements. Effective July 1, 2025.

Congratulates Glyn Ramage on the occasion of his retirement as business manager of the Downstate Illinois Laborers' District Council of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA). Recognizes his dedication to and impact on LIUNA.

Amends the Wildlife Code. In provisions regarding special deer, turkey, and combination hunting licenses, provides that the deer, turkey, or combination hunting permit issued without fee shall be valid on all farm lands year-round which the person to whom it is issued owns, leases, or rents, with other requirements. Provides that resident landowners shall be entitled to up to 5 resident deer archery either-sex permits and up to 5 resident deer either-sex firearm permits without charge.

Declares January 16, 2025 as Religious Freedom Day.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Allows nonresidents who are immediate family members of landowners and who qualify for special deer, turkey, and combination hunting licenses under the Act to obtain deer, turkey, and combination permits for the regular resident permit fee for hunting on that property after providing acceptable verification to the Department of Natural Resources. Defines "immediate family member".

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. With regard to the 5 State-funded retirement systems, provides that the following are forbidden entities for purposes of investment and certain other transactions: Hamas; any company or entity that is wholly or partially managed or controlled by Hamas; any company identified by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury as sponsoring terrorist activities in conjunction with Hamas or under specified regulations pertaining to terrorism sanctions; any company that has been fined, penalized, or sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury for any violation of any United States rules and restrictions relating to Hamas that occurred at any time following the effective date of the amendatory Act; or any company that has business operations that involve contracts with or the provision of supplies or services to Hamas, companies in which Hamas has any direct or indirect equity share, or consortiums or projects commissioned by Hamas. Provides that a retirement system shall not transfer or disburse funds to, deposit into, acquire any bonds or commercial paper from, or otherwise loan to or invest in any entity unless a certifying company certifies to the retirement system that: (1) with respect to investments in a publicly traded company, the certifying company has relied on information provided by an independent researching firm that specializes in global security risk; and (2) 100% of the retirement system's assets for which the certifying company provides services or advice are not and have not been invested or reinvested in any forbidden entity at any time after 4 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires the Illinois Investment Policy Board to make its best efforts to identify all Hamas-restricted companies and include those companies in the list of restricted companies for purposes of investment distributed to each retirement system and the Illinois State Board of Investment. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule of the Department of Natural Resources to the contrary, a State authorized veterans' organization seeking to hold a memorial service at a State Memorial Site shall not pay a fee and shall not be required to obtain liability insurance if the permit to hold such service is approved by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall be provided a list of State authorized veterans' organizations by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Defines "State authorized veterans' organization".

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, if wild deer cause more than $500 in property damage on land in the State that is owned or leased by an Illinois resident, then the Department of Natural Resources shall compensate the Illinois resident for the actual property damages caused by the deer and incurred by the Illinois resident upon submittal by the Illinois resident of a claim in the form and manner prescribed by the Department by rule. Provides that a claim must be submitted within one year after the date that a claimant suffers damages and knows or has reason to know of the damages. Grants the Department rulemaking powers. Provides for a private cause of action in the Court of Claims if the Illinois resident has not been compensated within 180 days after submitting a claim in the form and manner prescribed by the Department.

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the two Houses shall convene in Joint Session on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the hour of 12:00 o'clock noon for the purpose of hearing his Excellency Governor JB Pritzker present to the General Assembly his Budget Message for the Fiscal Year 2026, as required by Chapter 15, Section 20/50-5 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes.

Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act. Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose of holding bitcoin as a financial asset. Provides that the State Treasurer may accept gifts, grants, and donations of bitcoin from Illinois residents and governmental entities for deposit into the Fund. Provides that the State Treasurer shall hold all bitcoin deposited into the Fund for a duration of at least 5 years from the date that the bitcoin enters the State's custody. Allows the State Treasurer, after this period, to transfer, sell, appropriate, or convert to another cryptocurrency any bitcoin in the Fund. Adds provisions concerning the management and security of the Fund; reporting requirements; and voluntary donations of bitcoin by Illinois residents. Provides that the State Treasurer may adopt rules necessary to administer the Act. Effective immediately.

Mourns the passing of Max Jordan Chiswick.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any resident of the State who served in combat as a member of the United States Armed Services may have the vehicle registration fee waived for one license plate each year.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Allows owners residing on, or bona fide tenants of, farm lands and their children, parents, brothers, and sisters actually permanently residing on their lands to have the right to hunt any of the species protected by certain provisions upon their lands and waters without procuring hunting licenses year-round (rather than only during periods of time).

Mourns the death of Phil Goldstick.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall produce ethanol using seeds that have been treated with a pesticide.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district may (rather than shall) make menstrual hygiene products available, at no cost to students, in bathrooms of every school building that are open for student use in grades 4 through 12 during the regular school day.

Congratulates Charlene Wexler of Richmond on being inducted into the Department on Aging's Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame for her devotion to the art of writing.

Amends the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board may not charge retired law enforcement officers more than $30 annually to complete the annual certification of retired law enforcement officers qualified under federal law to carry a concealed weapon.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Requires an agency in a proposed rulemaking to carry out, before moving to the second notice period, a good-faith analysis of the net new costs to be imposed upon (i) entities in the private sector and (ii) units of local government and taxing bodies other than the State of Illinois. Provides that if the proposed rulemaking is found to impose net new costs upon those entities, the text of the proposed rule must contain reliefs to balance the net new costs. Prohibits the adoption or filing of any rule or modification or repeal of any rule that imposes net new costs upon any of those entities. Provides that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules shall scrutinize compliance with these requirements and that any failure of an agency to comply shall trigger the prohibition or suspension of a proposed rule. Creates a private cause of action for a party injured by the adoption of a rule in violation of the requirements added by the amendatory Act.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall conduct a review of each current regulatory program, including any costs and fees associated with each program. Provides that the Department shall create a report based on this review for each program and deliver the report to the General Assembly no later than 12 months prior to the termination of each program under the Act. Sets forth requirements for the report. Provides that the Department shall conduct a review of each potential new program, including any costs and fees associated with the potential new program. Provides that the Department shall create a new program report based on this review and deliver the report to the General Assembly no later than 30 days after the filing date of the bill in which the program is proposed. Sets forth requirements for the report. Provides that the Department shall complete a review and report for any program reviewed which becomes law 24 months after the effective date of the bill in which the program was proposed and shall subsequently conduct review and reporting duties according to the provided schedule. Provides that nothing in the amendatory provisions shall be construed to prevent the Department from conducting a review or publishing and delivering a report prior to the filing date of a piece of legislation if the Department reasonably believes a new program is necessary to meet a demonstrated public safety or welfare interest or the Department has received requests to regulate a previously unregulated profession.

Amends the State Finance Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Removes language regarding: diversity requirements related to the design of all programs and procurements; the development of methods that optimize procurement of renewable energy credits from proposed utility-scale projects that are located in communities eligible to receive Energy Transition Community Grants; diversity requirements related to the eligibility criteria for the selection as a supplier of renewable energy credits; the assessment of fees to recover specified costs incurred by the Illinois Power Agency; diversity requirements related to the criteria for an owner to receive grants from the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund; the provision of information on renewable energy company diversity reporting via the Agency's public facing online tool; and diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.