Illinois

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that each State purchasing agency shall submit a procurement reform report to the Governor and the General Assembly. Creates the Reforming State Procurement Task Force. Sets forth the membership of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall conduct public hearings to review and take testimony on the reports filed by the State purchasing agencies. Provides that the Task Force shall submit certain reports. Effective immediately.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that notwithstanding any other law and subject to federal approval, if required, the Department of Human Services shall not collect or initiate any debt collection action to recoup any overpayment in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that was made to a SNAP recipient as a result of agency error. Requires the Department to apply for any federal waivers or approvals necessary to implement the amendatory Act.

Amends the Auction License Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Auction and Estate Sale License Act. Provides that "estate sale" means the sale of personal property for a principal that is conducted on premises or online, where items are offered to the public at posted, fixed prices (rather than a sale for liquidation of personal property of an estate owned by one or more individuals, families, or legal representatives of the estate that is advertised and scheduled for a predetermined amount of time and to which the public is invited to participate in a negotiation or bid for the purchase of the personal property). Provides that every person who desires to obtain an estate sale license under the Act shall perform certain actions. Provides that any corporation, limited liability company, or partnership who desires to obtain an estate sale license shall, in addition to other requirements, perform certain actions. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall not require applicants to report certain information and shall not consider certain criminal history records in connection with an application for licensure. Provides that an applicant or licensee shall report to the Department, in a manner prescribed by the Department, within 30 days after the occurrence if, during the term of licensure, certain judicial or administrative actions occur against the applicant or licensee. Provides that persons, corporations, limited liability companies, or partnerships who conduct estate sales on and after the effective date of the amendatory Act must apply for an estate sale license no later than 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires the Department to waive the written examination for applicants under the Act who demonstrate active operation for 24 months before June 1, 2026. Provides that estate sale licensees shall not conduct competitive bidding. Provides that, if an estate sale licensee intends to auction specific high-value items, the licensee shall co-sign those items to a licensed auctioneer. Makes other changes. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the Township Code, the Real Estate License Act of 2000, the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the Ticket Sale and Resale Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Specifies that, for purposes of the Act, the term "sports event" includes any awards show. Provides that "awards show" means the Emmy Awards Show, the Grammy Awards Show, the Academy Awards Show, the Tony Awards Show, or any other live competition or talent contest. Grants rulemaking and emergency rulemaking powers to the Illinois Gaming Board to authorize wagering on awards shows. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that any person who was initially determined to be eligible for medical assistance and is receiving institutional services or home and community-based services as authorized under the Article shall be presumed eligible for a continuation of coverage for such services during any redetermination process. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to continue to make payments for such services unless the person experiences a material change in financial circumstances that results in the loss of eligibility. Provides that if the person experiences a material change in financial circumstances that results in the loss of eligibility, the person, or the person's designated caregiver or responsible party, shall notify the Department. Provides that if the Department subsequently conducts a redetermination of eligibility, the Department must provide written notice to the person (i) before the commencement of the redetermination; and (ii) upon conclusion of the redetermination. Requires the Department to develop a process to facilitate the written notifications. Provides that no later than October 1, 2026, the Department shall seek federal authorization to exempt persons with disabilities who are eligible for medical assistance from annual redeterminations of eligibility, except that a full redetermination shall be conducted at least once every 5 years, regardless of whether a material change in financial circumstances has occurred. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if bills for the second installment of taxes in any taxable year are not mailed by the deadlines set forth in the Code, then the deadlines set forth for the application for judgment and order of sale shall be extended by an additional 90 days.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the tax credit for employee child care shall be (i) 30% of the start-up costs expended by the corporate taxpayer to provide a child care facility for the children of its employees and (ii) 10% (currently, 5%) of the annual amount paid by the corporate taxpayer in providing the child care facility for the children of its employees. Creates an income tax credit for corporate taxpayers that are qualified small businesses in an amount equal to 10% of the federal tax credit claimed by the taxpayer for the taxable year for qualified child care expenditures. Effective immediately.

Creates the Prohibition on Bots Purchasing Tickets Act. Provides that a person shall not use or create a bot or employ any other method to: (1) purchase tickets in excess of posted limits for an online ticket sale; (2) use multiple Internet protocol addresses, multiple purchaser accounts, or multiple email addresses to purchase tickets in excess of the posted limit for any single online ticket sale; or (3) circumvent or disable an electronic queue, waiting period, pre-sale code, or other sales volume limitation system associated with an online ticket sale. Provides for enforcement by the Attorney General. Amends the Ticket Sale and Resale Act. Prohibits a ticket resale marketplace or ticket reseller from using a name, graphic, logo, image, or other intellectual property of, or stating or implying that the ticket resale marketplace or ticket reseller is affiliated with, an artist, team, event venue, or event organizer without express written consent. Provides that an operator of a venue or ticket issuer shall disclose the number of tickets for an event that are withheld from sale any time it offers tickets for that event for sale.

Congratulates the Franklin Park Middle School boys track and field team, the Bobcats, on winning the 2026 Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) Class L State Championship.

Amends the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program Act. Provides, that to be eligible for assistance under the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission must find that the applicant, among other requirements, at the time of application, is currently working as a behavioral health professional in a community mental health center. Provides that an applicant seeking a renewal award in a subsequent year must be employed by a community mental health center, behavioral health clinic, substance use treatment center, or State-operated psychiatric hospital in an underserved or rural federally designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area in the State at the time of application and must provide evidence of continuous employment for the 12 months that precede the application for renewal. Defines "behavioral health professional". Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that, if a municipality has adopted an enterprise zone pursuant to the Act and subsequently establishes a redevelopment project area pursuant to the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act, the municipality may provide for a partial abatement of taxes for property located within both the enterprise zone and the redevelopment project area. Provides that, if a municipality has established a redevelopment project area pursuant to Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act and subsequently adopts an enterprise zone that includes property within the redevelopment project area, the municipality may provide for a partial abatement of taxes for property located within both the enterprise zone and the redevelopment project area. Amends the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act. Provides that certain local hotel taxes are considered local taxes for purposes of the Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that, should provisions regarding manufacture, possession, delivery, sale, and purchase of assault weapons, .50 caliber rifles, and .50 caliber cartridges be found to be unconstitutional by a court with all appeals exhausted or expired, the Illinois State Police shall immediately and permanently destroy or have destroyed each endorsement affidavit and all information collected from the endorsement affidavit in possession of the Illinois State Police and any law enforcement agency.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that an applicant or licensee is not in violation of the Act or any of the Illinois Gaming Board rules, and shall not be subject to disciplinary action, delay of any Board consideration, or denial of any license for operating a game device if operation of the gaming device is in compliance with and not considered gambling under the Criminal Code of 2012. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a gambling offense involving a specific gambling device is a Class 4 felony. Prohibits a municipality from imposing any restriction or prohibition related to an activity which is lawful under under a provision that set forth activities that a person may not be convicted of gambling for participating. Includes specified vending or other electronic machines or devices in the definition of gambling device. Amends the Prizes and Gifts Act. Provides that it is unlawful for a person to operate on any premises a prize and gift kiosk that fails to meet the specified technical standards. Prohibits a prize and gift kiosk from being connected directly or indirectly to the Internet in order to participate in the game or contest or to receive or retrieve any data related to the kiosk or device unless the connected device is a redemption vault. Provides that is unlawful for a prize and gift kiosk to offer the sale of anything other than a bona fide product. Provides that it is unlawful to operate a prize and gift kiosk without a self contained fill system which permits the operation of the device solely determined on a fee basis or the amount of revenue generated but does not include a system based on time, number of spins or spin equivalent, or other non-revenue based system, and automatically ceases to operate upon the completion of a predetermined cycle. Provides that it is unlawful to operate a prize and gift kiosk without a route boost plus internal monitoring system that accounts and records (i) cash in, (ii) winnings, (iii) entries used, (iv) power failures, disconnections from the monitoring system, and malfunctions, and (v) remote activations and disabling. Requires a prize and gift kiosk to be registered with the Department of Revenue and to remit the annual fee as set by the Department of Revenue. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education for adults over the age of 25. Sets forth application requirements and eligibility. Provides that grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that the Business Enterprise Program shall (currently, may) establish uniform standards for calculating contract specific Business Enterprise Program goals for all State contracts and State construction contracts subject to the Act. Removes language providing that the dollar amount of certain contracts is defined by the Secretary of the Business Enterprise Council for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities and approved by the Council. Provides that the Business Enterprise Council for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities may permit, on its own initiative, an entire class of contracts to be exempt from State contracting goals for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities if there has been a written determination that there is an insufficient number of qualified businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities to ensure adequate competition and an expectation of reasonable prices on bids or proposals within the class. Makes changes concerning deficiencies in utilization plans that may be cured.

Creates the Capital City Redevelopment Zone Act. Sets forth qualifications for an area to be designated as a Capital City Redevelopment Zone. Provides procedures and requirements for the initiation of a Capital City Redevelopment Zone by a municipality. Requires a municipality that has adopted an ordinance designating an area as a Capital City Redevelopment Zone to apply to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for certification of the zone. Sets forth requirements for certification. Provides for procedures and requirements for the review of Capital City Redevelopment Zone applications and the certification, amendment, and decertification of a Capital City Redevelopment Zone. Provides for adoption of tax increment financing. Describes the powers and duties of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Provides requirements for administration of a Capital City Redevelopment Zone. Provides requirements for notice of cessation of business operations for businesses within a Capital City Redevelopment Zone. Provides for an income tax deduction. Sets forth accounting requirements regarding tax exemptions and other benefits under the Act. Provides for a capital city construction jobs income tax credit. Specifies the requirements that apply to taxpayers seeking capital city construction job tax credits. Creates the Capital City Development Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides for grants to eligible developers. Makes findings. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes. Adds references to the Capital City Redevelopment Zone Act in the Corporate Accountability for Tax Expenditures Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the Property Tax Code, and the Environmental Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Virginia Halas McCaskey.

Amends the School Code. Allows the school board of a school district to use an adopted and verified program for e-learning days district-wide that permits student instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present on an election day because a school was selected to be a polling place (rather than adopt a research-based program for e-learning days district-wide that shall permit student instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present because a school was selected to be a polling place). Provides that e-learning days used for this purpose may not be counted in lieu of the district's scheduled emergency days.

Creates the State Employee Child Care Pilot Program Task Force Act. Establishes the State Employee Child Care Pilot Program Task Force within the Department of Early Childhood to evaluate the feasibility of establishing an on-site child care pilot program for State employees; develop recommendations regarding pilot program structure, staffing models, and operational oversight; identify potential State-owned or leased facilities suitable for pilot program locations; and other specified duties. Contains provisions concerning Task Force membership and meetings. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor that includes findings, recommendations, estimated costs, and any proposed statutory or administrative changes necessary to implement a pilot program. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved and the Act is repealed on December 31, 2027. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. In a provision concerning a scratch-off for the benefit of Illinois veterans, provides that the 3-member funding authorization committee appointed by the Director of Veterans Affairs shall meet twice a year (instead of on a quarterly basis), at minimum.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the research and development credit applies on a permanent basis. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that each taxpayer that makes a donation to an educational improvement organization for aviation during the taxable year may apply to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for an income tax credit in an amount not to exceed the amount of the taxpayer's donation that is used to provide scholarships for prospective pilots, airline and aerospace mechanics, and other aviation and aerospace professionals as part of a program that operates in this State. Requires educational improvement organizations for aviation to apply to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to be eligible to accept donations that qualify for the credit. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may award no more than $5,000,000 in credits under the program in any calendar year. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois 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 a calendar year control or process personal data of at least 100,000 consumers or 25,0000 consumers and derive over 50% of gross revenue from the sale of personal data. Creates requirements for persons or entities that control and process consumer data. Exempts certain persons or entities from the 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 created under the Illinois Consumer Data Privacy Act. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall adopt rules setting forth standardized reporting protocols for election data. Provides that, no later than July 1, 2027, the State Board of Elections shall publish guidelines for compliance with standardization conventions for data fields related to election districts, precincts, polling places, and other election data. Provides for periodic audits of the election data subject to the standardized reporting protocols. Provides that, beginning with the 2028 general primary election, no less than 75 days before each election, every election authority shall ensure that all data reported by the election authority conforms to the data standardization requirements adopted by the Board.