Illinois

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after the publication of population data from the 2030 federal decennial census, provisions concerning multi-township assessors apply to qualified townships with less than 3,000 inhabitants (currently 1,000 inhabitants). Effective immediately.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to, subject to available funding, establish a Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) Program to provide FRESH benefits to households subject to termination of the household's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or a reduction in the household's monthly SNAP benefit allotment, if the termination or reduction in SNAP benefits occurred as a result of one or more members of the household failing to meet SNAP work requirements. Provides that, for eligible households whose SNAP benefits were reduced or terminated, FRESH benefits shall be provided as a one-time lump sum payment distributed via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. Requires the Department to make FRESH program applications available online and at local Family and Community Resource Centers immediately upon the first of the month following the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that an application for FRESH benefits shall not be deemed an application for any other public aid provided under the Code. Requires the Department to provide within a specified time frame FRESH benefits to households' that experience a reduction or termination of SNAP benefits prior to or after the first month following the effective date of the amendatory Act, if certain application submission deadlines are met. Requires the Department to publish monthly data reports on the FRESH program and to include such data in the Department's annual report to the General Assembly. Prohibits the Department and local governmental units from considering a household's receipt of FRESH benefits when determining the household's eligibility for other assistance provided under the Code. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act are inoperative on and after January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that no member of the State Board of Elections or affiliated person shall contribute, either financially or in services or goods or any other way, to any political party, candidate, or organization engaged in political activity. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that no executive branch constitutional officer, candidate for an executive branch constitutional office, member of the General Assembly, candidate for the General Assembly, any political caucus of the General Assembly, or any political committee on behalf of any of the foregoing may hold a political fundraising function on any day immediately after a day in which the legislature is in session. Further provides that this restriction does not apply to a political fundraising function scheduled at least 14 days in advance of a day the legislature is in special session or the day immediately prior to or after a day the legislature is in special session. Effective immediately.

Amends the Sustainable Agriculture Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources shall conduct a joint study to evaluate the corrective actions that may be adopted within the agricultural sector to mitigate dust storm occurrences and the severity of dust storms. Provides that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources may consult with and seek assistance from similar state agencies in other states and federal agencies, to the extent that such coordination aids in furthering the purposes of this study. Requires the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources to coordinate with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Office of Homeland Security to evaluate and publish findings on the short-term and long-term threats of dust storms and the protocol that should be developed to protect the public from current and future threats posed by dust storms. Provides that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources shall publish the joint study on an agreed upon publicly available website and shall provide suitable copies to the Governor and the General Assembly by no later than December 1, 2027.

Amends the School Code. Requires, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, to establish the School Resource Officer Grant Program to fund salaries and any other costs associated with the hiring of an active law enforcement officer as a school resource officer. Provides that eligible entities are schools or school districts that have hired an active law enforcement officer as a school resource officer and the law enforcement agency or agencies that a school or school district has an intergovernmental agreement with to employ a school resource officer. Provides that any funds distributed to an eligible entity under the Program shall be equally distributed between the eligible entities in an intergovernmental agreement to employ a school resource officer. Allows the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, to adopt rules as needed for the Program's implementation and the distribution of grants. Makes a conforming change.

Amends the Local Records Act. Provides that a unit of local government required to store public records under the Act may satisfy the requirements of the Act by storing the public records in an electronic form.

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Extends the estimated date of completion of a redevelopment project and the retirement of obligations issued to finance redevelopment project costs for an ordinance adopted on January 1, 2006 by the City of Paris. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, if Cook County is delinquent in distributing property tax proceeds to taxing districts the proceeds of property taxes imposed by the taxing districts that Cook County is required to collect from taxpayers and distribute to the taxing districts, then Cook County shall reimburse the taxing districts for (i) the interest that the taxing districts would have earned from keeping the proceeds of property taxes in reserves and (ii) the interest that taxing districts paid on debts incurred because Cook County is delinquent in distributing property tax proceeds to taxing districts.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Project Success pilot program that is aimed at improving child and family well-being by coordinating services that promote school success, local planning and decision-making, parental involvement, and prevention through partnerships between local school districts and community-based organizations and relevant State agencies. Provides that the pilot program shall operate in communities in East-Central Illinois and shall focus on increasing parents' involvement in their children's academic and emotional development by linking parents to community resources and services that include, but are not limited to, violence prevention, mentoring, tutoring, health education, and community safety. Requires participating communities to establish a local governing board to oversee and implement the coordination of needed services and supports. Contains provisions on the composition of the local governing boards and their duties, including the development of an evolving community action plan that guides their community's use of financial resources, time, staff, services, and other resources to improve families' access to basic health care, behavioral health services, and services that promote family stability and proper nutrition. Requires the Department to initially assist participating communities on how to coordinate services through school-community provider partnerships. Requires the Department to hire a Project Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of Project Success and to assist participating communities in the development of their community actions plans. Requires the Project Manager to post annual reports on the success of the pilot program, issues or barriers to community implementation, and recommendations. Makes implementation of Project Success subject to appropriations and private funding or resources. Amends the State Finance Act. Adds the Project Success Pilot Program Fund to the list of State special funds.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to submit, beginning June 1, 2027, annual reports to the General Assembly on the total number of youth in care who were classified by the Department as missing during the previous calendar year and, from that reported number, the total number of missing youth who were later located or recovered. Requires the annual reports to include for each youth who was classified as missing: information on the youth's age and gender, the type of placement the youth was placed in before the youth was classified as missing, the total length of time the youth has been under the Department's custody or guardianship, the date upon which the youth was first classified as missing, the circumstances leading up to the Department classifying the youth as missing, actions the Department has taken to locate or recover the youth, and, if applicable, the date on which the Department located or recovered the youth. Requires the Department to follow all State and federal privacy laws and regulations when collecting, sharing, storing, or reporting the data and information on missing youth in care.

Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Defines "hotel marketplace" and "hotel marketplace facilitator". Provides that hotel marketplace facilitators that meet specified tax remittance thresholds are considered to be hotel operators for the purposes of the taxes under the Act. Provides that a marketplace facilitator that is considered a hotel operator is required to remit the applicable taxes under the Act and any local hotel operators' occupation taxes administered by the Department of Revenue on all rentals, leases, or lettings of Illinois hotel rooms made by the hotel marketplace facilitator or facilitated for marketplace hotel operators to guests. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the General Obligation Bond Act. Authorizes an additional $700,000,000 of State Pension Obligation Acceleration Bonds. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Employees, State Universities, and Downstate Teachers Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Extends the option for a participant to receive an accelerated pension benefit payment in lieu of any pension benefit or for a reduction in the increases to his or her annual retirement annuity and survivor's annuity to June 30, 2028 (instead of June 30, 2026). Effective immediately.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Human Service to publish annually, beginning January 1, 2027, the assessment instruments used by the Department's Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure, and Certification to survey and license providers of community-integrated living arrangement homes for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Requires rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that, if a municipality with a population of 500,000 or more that receives grant funding from the Department of Human Services for emergency and transitional housing fails to achieve compliance with federal and State disability discrimination laws by July 1, 2027, the Department of Human Services shall require 30% of funds allocated for emergency and transitional housing to go toward improving accessibility and achieving compliance with federal and State disability discrimination laws.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning the Medicaid Access Adjustment payments to nursing facilities, provides that for dates of service beginning January 1, 2027, the Medicaid Access Adjustment shall be increased by $5.75 to $10.50 per diem. Provides that beginning January 1, 2027, facilities located outside of Rate Areas 6, 7, and 8 shall have the Medicaid percent of occupied bed days to be at least 60% of all occupied bed days adjusted quarterly to qualify for the Medicaid Access Adjustment. Provides that the remaining facilities shall have their threshold remain at 70%.

Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program in the Department of Agriculture to provide crop insurance premium discounts for cover crops. Directs the Department to award grants in specified amounts to Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Creates the Cover Crop Insurance Premium Discount Fund. Provides for requirements for the Program. Directs the Department to adopt rules.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. In the definition of "public works", includes installation, repair, wiring, and maintenance services to Illinois lottery machines and equipment pursuant to a contract between the Department of the Lottery and a contractor. Effective January 1, 2027.

Sets forth requirements for installation of fuel gas alarms. Provides that all covered buildings must comply with the requirements of this Act on or before January 1, 2028. Provides for requirements for compliance and implementation. Sets forth requirements for the transfer of real property that includes a covered building. Establishes the State Fuel Gas Safety Assistance Fund for the Office of the State Fire Marshal to provide free or subsidized fuel gas alarms to low-income households. Provides that a violation of the Act is a petty offense. Provides for enforcement and penalties. Provides for grants to units of local government, subject to appropriation. Creates the Gas Detector Alliance within the Office of the State Fire Marshal to make recommendations to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Limits home rule. Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to adopt rules. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for each taxpayer that is an eligible small employer in an amount equal to the amount paid during the taxable year by the eligible small employer to its employees as paid leave that is required by the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Provides that an eligible small employer is an employer that employs 50 or fewer employees during the taxable year and is subject to the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that an applicant for voter registration shall provide a valid and unexpired driver's license; social security card; public aid identification card; utility bill; lease or contract for a residence; civic, union, or professional association membership card; United States passport; or any other form of identification or documentation issued by the federal, State, or unit of local government that contains the applicant's residential address. Provides that the affidavits required for voter registration include additional affirmations concerning the residency of the applicant.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a municipality that has implemented a Residential Sound Insulation Program to mitigate aircraft noise shall replace all windows and doors in homes where defective products were found to have caused offensive odors prior the initiation of the Residential Sound Insulation Program. Provides that airport revenue funds shall not be used to replace any windows or doors in homes where later testing done as part of the Residential Sound Insulation Program found no offensive odor.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not require any medical assistance recipient to pay a co-payment for services or prescription medications. Requires the Department to apply for any State Plan amendment or federal approval necessary to implement the amendatory Act, if required.

Amends the Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform Act. Provides that the Office of Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance may establish a matching grant program to incentivize and assist units of local government in improving the use of technology tools for permitting and licensing processes. Sets forth reporting requirements for State agencies with jurisdiction over business permitting or licensing. Creates an Interagency Business Permitting and Licensing Reform Advisory Committee to coordinate business permitting and licensing processes. Sets forth provisions concerning membership of the advisory committee.