Illinois

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, beginning on and after October 1, 2026, for rate year 2027 and thereafter, the Medicaid inpatient utilization rate used in the determination of eligibility for inpatient adjustment payments provided under the Code shall be modified to exclude from both the numerator and denominator all days of care funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at a hospital approved to conduct its operations from more than one location within contiguous counties under a single license, if at the time of its licensing application the hospital was located in a county with fewer than 125,000 inhabitants and the hospital's second facility is located in a contiguous county with fewer than 235,000 inhabitants. Provides that, for purposes of the amendatory Act, days of care funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs include authorized VA community care provided at non-VA hospitals. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Firefighter-Paramedic Gino Casciola of Addison Fire Protection District #1 on being awarded the Illinois Fire Service Medal of Valor. Thanks him for his service and dedication to the Addison community and the State of Illinois.

Mourns the death of Judith "Judy" Georgantas.

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for a grant to Special Olympics Illinois for costs associated with contingent and operational expenses. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the $15 tax imposed on the privilege of using any motor vehicle acquired by gift, transfer, or purchase also applies to stepparents, grandparents, stepgrandparents, stepsiblings, stepchildren, and stepgrandchildren.

Amends the Child Labor Law of 2024. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits a minor's parent or legal guardian from employing the minor outside of school hours at a business in which the minor's parent or legal guardian has at least 51% ownership and that employs no more than 50 employees.

Congratulates the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and Northern Illinois University on the 60th anniversary of the dedication of Pine Rock Nature Preserve. Commends the organizations' ongoing commitment to conservation, education.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person who is serving a term of mandatory supervised release shall receive one day of additional supervision credit for each day of his or her mandatory supervised release term. Provides that each day of supervision credit shall reduce by one day the person's period of mandatory supervised release. Provides that if prior to expiration or termination of the term of mandatory supervised release, a person violates a condition set by the Prisoner Review Board or a condition of mandatory supervised release to govern that term, the Board may extend the term of mandatory supervised release by revoking supervision credit earned.

Congratulates the Retired Teachers Association of Chicago (RTAC) on achieving 100 years of service to retired Chicago Public School (CPS) educators.

Mourns the death of Bentley Kahne Wolfe.

Declares January 2026 as Blood Donor Month in the State of Illinois. Urges all citizens to celebrate the cause of blood donation and to recognize the lifesaving contributions of volunteer blood donors. Urges all eligible blood donors to donate regularly and for businesses and organizations throughout the State of Illinois to sponsor community blood drives with ImpactLife, Rock River Valley Blood Center, Versiti, and Vitalant, among other blood centers, providing the residents of the State the opportunity to save lives.

Urges the federal government to allocate more funding toward finding a cure for Lyme disease. Encourages the Illinois State Board of Education to begin health education to prevent tick bites for children who represent the highest risk group for tick-borne diseases. Declares the month of May 2026 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in the State of Illinois.

Amends the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Changes the definition of "biometric identifier". Defines "biometric lock", "biometric time clock", "person", and "security purpose". 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 may 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. Provides that any person aggrieved by a violation of the Act may commence an action in State court or federal court within one year from its occurrence. Requires the aggrieved person to provide the private entity 30 days' written notice identifying the specific provisions of the Act that have been violated. Provides the private entity 30 days to cure the noticed violation. Exempts a private entity if its employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement that provides for different policies regarding the retention, collection, disclosure, and destruction of biometric information. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Mayor Jeffrey Joseph "Jeff" Walik of the Village of Stickney.

Mourns the death of Terrence P. "Terry" Fitzmaurice.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that an applicant for a Substitute Teaching License who holds a valid paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations and who has been working in the capacity of a paraprofessional in this State for a minimum of 5 school years does not need to hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or be enrolled in an approved educator preparation program in this State and have earned at least 90 credit hours to be issued a Substitute Teaching License.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Strengthen Linkage to Follow-Up Care after a Behavioral Health Crisis Act. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for purposes of timely linking an individual to follow-up mental health care immediately after a behavioral health crisis, when mobile crisis response services are provided to someone in a behavioral health crisis, the Illinois Medicaid-Crisis Assessment Tool approved by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall enable the delivery of community support services, medication monitoring, and other specified services when delivered by the same provider, for up to 30 days without beginning, performing, or completing an integrated assessment and treatment plan. Provides that such services shall be billed separate from mobile crisis response services. Prohibits the Department from imposing more stringent requirements on its Illinois Medicaid-Crisis Assessment Tool than those requirements that exist on the effective date of the amendatory Act, as long as the services provided are delivered under the supervision of a licensed practitioner of the healing arts. Requires the Department to file any rules necessary to implement the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Declares May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Calls upon all Illinoisans to engage in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.

Declares March 25, 2026 as Women's Civic Day in the State of Illinois to celebrate and promote the vital role of women in public service and encourage the development of future women leaders in public affairs.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that, for persons dying on or after January 1, 2027, the State tax credit shall be calculated as though the decedent's federal taxable estate did not include the decedent's business interest in a manufacturing business located in this State. Defines "manufacturing business". Effective immediately.

Declares the month of March 2026 as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month in the State of Illinois to bring awareness to those living with cerebral palsy and prioritize disability inclusion and education. Celebrates the 20th anniversary of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness day.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction for gratuities that are included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income. Creates an income tax deduction for the amount of overtime compensation that is paid to the taxpayer during the taxable year and that is included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income. Effective immediately.

Mourns the passing of Beverly (Kall) Sussman.

Declares April 11-17, 2025 as Black Maternal Health Week. Recognizes that Black women are experiencing high, disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the State of Illinois. Recognizes that the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality among Black women are unacceptable and unjust. States what the Black community needs to mitigate the effects of systemic and structural racism. States that in order to improve maternal health outcomes we must fully support and encourage policies grounded in the racial justice, reproductive justice, birth justice, and human rights frameworks that address Black maternal health inequity. States that Black women and birthing people must be active participants in the policy decisions that impact their lives. States that in order to ensure access to safe and respectful maternal health care for Black birthing people, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act and other legislation rooted in human rights that seeks to improve maternal care and outcomes must be passed. States the goals of Black Maternal Health Week.

Declares August 2026 as Footwork Appreciation Month in the State of Illinois. Encourages state agencies, educational institutions, and the public at large to recognize and celebrate footwork as an essential part of the cultural heritage of Illinois.