Illinois

Creates the Children's Social Media Safety Act. Provides that, no later than January 1, 2028, an operating system provider shall: (1) provide an accessible interface at account setup that requires an account holder to indicate the birth date, age, or both; (2) provide an operator who has requested a signal with respect to a particular user a signal that identifies the user's age by category; and (3) send only the minimum amount of information necessary to comply with the provision. Provides that an operator shall not offer a platform in the State without conducting age verification as required under the Act to determine whether a user is a minor. Provides that, for all users that the operator has actual knowledge to be a minor, the operator shall use specified default settings for the minor. Provides that a violation of the Act constitutes an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the monetary award program. Beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year through the 2031-2032 academic year, provides that an applicant who is otherwise eligible for grant assistance under the program may receive grant assistance for an additional academic year after receiving a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours if he or she (i) enrolls in a State-approved educator preparation program and (ii) within 5 years after receiving a Professional Educator License, teaches in this State for a minimum of 3 years. Requires repayment if at any time a person fails to meet the requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish a Small Business Grant Program to provide grants to eligible small businesses.

Creates the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Juvenile Justice Reentry Program Act. Creates a data partnership among the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, and the Department of Juvenile Justice to annually gather the following information on the population of youth served by the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center: (1) the total number of youth served during the reporting period; (2) the recidivism rate among those youth within 6 and 12 months post-release; (3) the age range and gender breakdown of those youth, with a focus on males between 13 and 20 years of age; (4) the demographic and geographic data (race, ethnicity, and home zip codes) of those youth; and (5) the primary re-offense categories and conditions of release for those youth. Provides that the Program shall equip families with the skills, resources, and mindset to support their child's reentry. Provides that the Program shall include: (1) social worker-led home readiness assessments; (2) at-home care specialists assigned to each youth or family for 90 to 180 days; and (3) trauma-informed parenting workshops and culturally competent counseling. Provides that the Program shall provides youth released from the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center with: (1) stable, affirming housing options and near-peer support; (2) partnered transitional housing units (non-carceral); (3) resident advisor mentors between 21 to 30 years of age, with an emphasis on persons who were primarily involved in the justice system; and (4) nightly check-ins, group circles, and restorative justice practices. Provides that the Program shall equip families with the skills, resources, and mindset to support their children's reentry. Provides that the Program shall be voluntary and shall have the participation of 15 to 20 male youth between 14 to 18 years of age released from the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center within a 90-day period. Provides metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of the Program. Provides that reentry and aftercare grant funding shall be provided by the Department of Human Services.

Amends the Personal Information Protection Act. Provides that a data collector shall not own, maintain, license, store, or disclose records that contain immigration or citizenship status information concerning an Illinois resident. Provides that the provision shall not apply to government agencies, public and private universities, or financial institutions. Provides that the definition of "personal information" includes immigration or citizenship status information. Defines "immigration or citizenship status information".

Amends the Rebuild Illinois Mental Health Workforce Act. Provides that, subject to federal approval, for dates of service on and after July 1, 2026, the Medicaid reimbursement rates for Assertive Community Treatment and Community Support Team services shall be increased by an amount appropriated for the purposes enumerated in the Act. Effective July 1, 2026.

Creates the Consumer Data Privacy Act. Establishes certain consumer rights relating to personal data, including the rights to confirm whether data is being processed, to correct any inaccuracies in the consumer's personal data, to delete personal data provided by the consumer, to obtain a copy of the consumer's personal data that was previously provided, and to opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of data, or profiling of the consumer. Defines terms. Applies to persons who conduct business in Illinois or produce products or services that are targeted to Illinois residents and that during the a calendar year control or process person data of at least 100,000 consumers or 25,0000 consumers and derives over 50% of gross revenue from the sale of personal data. Makes requirements for persons or entities that control and process consumer data and also exempts certain persons or entities from the statutory provisions of the Act. Provides that the Attorney General has exclusive authority to enforce the consumer data privacy rights. Creates the Consumer Privacy Fund to be administered by the Office of the Attorney General. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from disclosure data protection impact assessments done under the Illinois Consumer Data Privacy Act. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Amends the Property Tax Code and the Mobile Home Local Services Tax Enforcement Act. Provides that, when the holder of the certificate of purchase is the county as trustee for taxing districts, upon request of or consent by the county as trustee, the county collector may declare an administrative sale in error at any time and for any reason. Provides that the declaration shall state the reason why the sale should not have occurred.

Amends the Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Extends eligibility for State funded cash assistance and SNAP benefits to humanitarian immigrants, subject to available funding, if they are not eligible for such benefits solely due to citizenship or immigration status requirements but otherwise meet the financial and nonfinancial factors of eligibility. Lists the classes of humanitarian immigrants eligible for SNAP benefits under the Article. Provides that any individual residing in an institution or other setting that provides the majority of the individual's daily meals is not eligible for SNAP benefits. Exempts persons who do not have legal authorization to work from the statutory work requirements. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the automated speed enforcement systems in safety zones provision applies to home rule municipalities contiguous to municipalities with a population of 1,000,000 or more inhabitants.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, subject to appropriation, establish the Hydroponic Initiative Grant Program to help increase access to and the availability of healthy food in areas designated as food deserts in the State and assist areas with significant levels of vacant developed commercial space, as determined by the Department, by providing grants to persons for the establishment of hydroponic agriculture facilities within vacant developed commercial space. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to grant awards for market or site feasibility studies, for purchases of ownership of vacant developed commercial space, for capital improvements, planning, renovations, durable and non-durable equipment purchases, or other costs as determined by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Allows for rulemaking by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act and the River Conservancy Districts Act. Makes changes to the competitive bidding thresholds for contracts entered into by River Conservancy Districts or the Cook County Forest Preserve District for supplies, materials, or work. Changes the bid threshold to $60,000 for contracts related to supplies or materials, $30,000 for contracts involving work, or a lower amount for any contract for supplies, materials, or work, if required by board policy. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Makes it a civil rights violation under the Act to use artificial intelligence in a real estate transaction without providing notice to the other person engaging in the real estate transaction that the owner, real estate broker or salesman, or agent of one of them is using artificial intelligence to conduct the real estate transaction. Makes it a civil rights violation to fail to inform an applicant for a loan or credit card if the financial institution used artificial intelligence to process the application. Makes it a civil rights violation to fail to inform a person seeking a place of public accommodation that the place of public accommodation uses artificial intelligence to determine whether the person seeking a place of public accommodation is permitted to enjoy the full and equal enjoyment of its facilities, goods, and services. Requires that the Department of Human Rights adopt any rules necessary for the implementation and enforcement of the Act.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code by creating the Confidence in Firearm Protection Law Chapter. Provides that the Secretary of State shall suspend an individual's driver's license and the individual's ability to register or renew registration for a motor vehicle of the first division or a motor vehicle of the second division registered at not more than 8,000 pounds upon receiving an authenticated report that the individual has failed to comply with the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act after suspension or revocation of the individual's Firearm Owner's Identification Card. Requires the Illinois State Police to forward to the Secretary of State an authenticated document certifying the requirements have been met to suspend the individual's driver's license or ability to register or renew registration for a motor vehicle of the first division or a motor vehicle of the second division registered at not more than 8,000 pounds no more than 7 days after the suspension or revocation of the individual's Firearm Owner's Identification Card. Requires the Secretary of State, prior to suspending a driver's license or the ability to register or renew registration of a motor vehicle of the first division or a motor vehicle of the second division registered at not more than 8,000 pounds, to serve written notice upon an individual that the individual's driver's license or ability to register or renew registration shall be suspended in 60 days from the date on the notice unless the individual meets the requirements of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Allows a driver to contest these suspensions by administrative hearing. Allows the Secretary of State and the Illinois State Police to adopt necessary rules to establish standards, policies, and procedures related to the provisions. Requires the Secretary of State and the Illinois State Police to create a mechanism by which data concerning the provisions may be electronically shared.

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Illinois Pediatric Cancer Fund. Provides that the Fund is a special fund in the State Treasury that may be used to provide grants to certain eligible people, institutions, and organizations for the purpose of conducting pediatric cancer research, prevention, and treatment. Provides that the Fund shall consist of moneys appropriated by the General Assembly and collected from any donations or other source for the benefit of the Fund. Provides limitations for the distribution of the Fund. Provides that the unspent portions of the Fund shall remain in the Fund and may not revert to any other fund of the State. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall submit a report to the General Assembly concerning the administration of the Fund. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules to implement a pediatric cancer grant program under the provision.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Revenue, shall conduct an education funding reform study, with a goal of adopting a system that controls costs while creating a more equitable funding system. Provides that the State Board of Education shall study the feasibility of creating a statewide shared funding system. Effective immediately.

Amends the Access to Justice Act. Creates the Remote Filing Task Force of 17 members. Creates an appointment process. Provides that the Task Force shall research and evaluate the existing ability of litigants to file court documents remotely across Illinois, including (1) identifying barriers for pro se litigants, people with a primary language other than English, people in crisis, people with disabilities, and people with low-literacy; (2) research and evaluate approaches to address any barriers identified by the Task Force to increase access and usability to remote filing for all Illinoisans; and (3) make recommendations to reduce barriers for litigants to remotely file court documents and improve access and usability of remote filing statewide. Requires that the Task Force submit a report containing its findings and any recommendations to the Supreme Court and the General Assembly by October 1, 2027. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved on October 2, 2027. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after January 1, 2027, the reimbursement rates for all dental services for children shall be increased 50% above the rates in effect on December 31, 2025. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Imposes a tax upon hosting platforms that facilitate the renting, leasing, or letting of short-term rentals. Provides that the tax is imposed at the rate of 4% of 94% of the gross rental receipts received by the platform from the renting, leasing, or letting of short-term rentals in this State. Provides that the proceeds from the tax shall be deposited into the Community Land Trust Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Community Land Trust Fund. Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that is owned by a non-profit community land trust and that is used exclusively for the creation and maintenance of permanently affordable single-family or multifamily residences is exempt beginning with the taxable year in which the property is acquired by the community land trust and continuing through the taxable year in which the property is sold to a homeowner. Effective immediately.

Amends the Firearms Restraining Order Act. Provides that if the petitioner for a firearms restraining order against a respondent is a law enforcement officer, the petitioner shall be referred to as the law enforcement agency in which the officer is employed on all public indexes concerning the petition and not the individually named officer who filed the petition. Effective immediately.

Creates the Community Mental Health Workforce Paid Internship Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish the Community Mental Health Workforce Paid Internship Program to provide funding to eligible entities to support paid internships for non-clinical staff positions within a community mental health organization. Requires the Department to develop the necessary application procedures and standards for acceptance for eligible entities, including, but not limited to, consideration of (1) workforce shortages; (2) service to underserved or rural communities; (3) commitment to training, supervision, and mentorship of interns; and (4) efforts to promote workforce development. Sets forth internship requirements and the permissible uses for funds awarded under the program. Requires eligible entities to submit yearly reports to the Department outlining (1) number of interns hired; (2) duration of internships; (3) positions of internships; and (4) employment outcomes, such as retention, following internship. Requires the Department to submit a report, every 2 years, to the General Assembly outlining the program's outcomes and impact. Grants the Department rulemaking authority. Provides that the General Assembly may appropriate funds for the purposes of the Act. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable year 2025, the maximum reduction for the general homestead exemption shall be $10,000 in all counties. Provides that, for taxable years 2026 and thereafter, the maximum reduction for the general homestead exemption in all counties shall be the maximum reduction for the immediately preceding taxable year, increased by the lesser of (i) 5% or (ii) the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the immediately preceding taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Personal Information Protection Act. Provides that a data collector shall not own, maintain, license, store, or disclose records that contain immigration or citizenship status information concerning an Illinois resident. Provides that the provision shall not apply to government agencies, public and private universities, or financial institutions. Provides that the definition of "personal information" includes immigration or citizenship status information. Defines "immigration or citizenship status information".

Creates the Emerging Adult Criminal Justice Task Force Act. Establishes the Emerging Adult Criminal Justice Task Force within the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Provides that the Task Force shall hold public meetings. Requires at least 3 meetings of the Task Force to be held in different regions of Illinois. Provides that the first meeting of the Task Force shall be held within 60 days after the appointment of its members. Provides that the Task Force shall review Illinois law and practices affecting emerging adults across pretrial, sentencing, corrections, supervision, and reentry. Provides that the Task Force shall develop recommendations for statutory, policy, and programmatic improvements to the Illinois criminal justice system. Allows any Task Force member to prepare a written dissent or statement of concern regarding any finding or recommendation. Provides that the Task Force shall submit an interim report summarizing preliminary findings, analyses, and recommendations, to the Governor and the General Assembly, no later than January 31, 2027. Provides that the Task Force shall submit a final report, including all final findings and recommendations, draft statutory language, and estimated fiscal impacts, no later than December 1, 2027. Repeals the Act on June 30, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, moneys in the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Fund may not be appropriated, assigned, or transferred to another State fund. Effective immediately.