Illinois

Amends the Election Code. Prohibits a political committee from making certain expenditures to provide a defense in any criminal case or a defense in a civil case against any claims that a person has committed misconduct in his or her capacity as a public official, any claims of sexual harassment, or any claims of discrimination. Requires that a person found to have used campaign contributions in violation of the Code shall return contributions to the contributor or pay to the State if the contributor cannot be identified or reimbursed. Requires the political committee to include information on the contributions returned to the contributor or paid to the State in the committee's quarterly report to the State Board of Elections.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that benefit or annuity payments to a member or participant in a retirement system or pension fund shall be suspended if the member or participant is indicted or charged by information with a felony and the board of the retirement system or pension fund determines that the felony relates to or arises out of or in connection with his or her service as a member or participant of the retirement system or pension fund. Provides that if the member or participant is not convicted of that felony, payment of the benefit or annuity shall resume and the retirement system or pension fund shall pay to the member or participant the amount of the suspended annuity or benefit payments with interest. Provides that if the member or participant is convicted of that felony, the suspended annuity or benefit payments shall not be paid to the member or participant. Provides that the amendatory Act applies without regard to whether the member or participant first became a member or participant of a retirement system or pension fund before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before issuing a subpoena. Provides that any existing rule, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, requiring the Legislative Inspectors General to seek the Commission's advanced approval before issuing a subpoena is void. Provides that within 60 days after receipt of a summary report and response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head, the Executive and Legislative Ethics Commissions shall make available to the public the report and response or a redacted version of the report and response (currently, report required to be made public only if it resulted in a suspension of at least 3 days or termination of employment). Removes language providing that the Legislative Inspector General needs the advanced approval of the Commission to issue subpoenas. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Repeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois State Police Act. Creates a registry of persistent domestic violence offenders within the Illinois State Police. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall maintain the registry based upon information supplied to the Illinois State Police by court clerks and information available to the Illinois State Police from the Department of Corrections and local law enforcement agencies. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall make the registry available for public inquiry on the Internet. Provides that the registry must consist of the persistent domestic violence offender's name, date of birth, conviction date, county of convictions, and a current photograph of the persistent domestic violence offender. Provides that, if a person is convicted of an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim and the person convicted has at least one prior conviction for an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim, then the court shall, upon proof of any prior convictions committed against a domestic abuse victim, order the person to register as a persistent domestic violence offender. Provides that a defendant who is required to register must be assessed a registration fee in the amount of $150. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall remove from the registry the name and other identifying information of a persistent domestic violence offender after a specified number of years following the defendant's most recent conviction.

Repeals the Illinois TRUST Act. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that any athletic team or sport that is under the jurisdiction of an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and student must be expressly designated as (i) a male athletic team or sport, (ii) a female athletic team or sport, or (iii) a coeducational athletic team or sport. Provides that an athletic team or sport designated as being female is available only to participants who are female, based on their biological sex. Requires a school district or nonpublic school to obtain a written statement signed by a student's parent or guardian or the student verifying the student's age, biological sex, and that the student has not taken performance enhancing drugs; provides for a penalty for false or misleading statements. Prohibits a governmental entity or an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and students from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against a school district or nonpublic school for maintaining athletic teams or sports in accordance with these provisions.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that no tax shall be imposed under the Act for persons dying on or after the effective date or for transfers made on or after the effective date. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois State Police Act. Creates a registry of persistent domestic violence offenders within the Illinois State Police. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall maintain the registry based upon information supplied to the Illinois State Police by court clerks and information available to the Illinois State Police from the Department of Corrections and local law enforcement agencies. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall make the registry available for public inquiry on the Internet. Provides that the registry must consist of the persistent domestic violence offender's name, date of birth, conviction date, county of convictions, and a current photograph of the persistent domestic violence offender. Provides that, if a person is convicted of an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim and the person convicted has at least one prior conviction for an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim, then the court shall, upon proof of any prior convictions committed against a domestic abuse victim, order the person to register as a persistent domestic violence offender. Provides that a defendant who is required to register must be assessed a registration fee in the amount of $150. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall remove from the registry the name and other identifying information of a persistent domestic violence offender after a specified number of years following the defendant's most recent conviction.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction in an amount equal to the amount paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year as monthly premiums for a health insurance plan bought through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace, plus an amount equal to the qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year.

Repeals the provisions of Public Act 102-1116 that make amendatory changes to the Firearms Restraining Order Act that provide that a petitioner for a firearms restraining order may request a plenary firearms restraining order of up to one-year, but not less than 6 months (restores the 6 months provision). Repeals provisions that the firearms restraining order may be renewed for an additional period of up to one year. Repeals amendatory provisions of the Criminal Code of 2012 making it unlawful, beginning January 1, 2024, for any person within the State to knowingly possess an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge, with exemptions. Repeals provisions that make it unlawful for any person within the State to knowingly manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase, or cause to be manufactured, delivered, sold, or purchased a large capacity ammunition feeding device, with specified exemptions. Repeals amendatory provisions of the Criminal Code of 2012 that prohibit the manufacture, possession, sale, or offer to sell, purchase, manufacture, import, transfer, or use any device, part, kit, tool, accessory, or combination of parts that is designed to and functions to increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic firearm above the standard rate of fire for semiautomatic firearms that is not equipped with that device, part, or combination of parts. Repeals amendatory provisions of the Freedom of Information Act that exempt from disclosure under the Act certain information concerning assault weapons endorsements received by the Illinois State Police. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $15,000,000 to the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees for the expansion of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville to expand its research capabilities and to increase biomanufacturing workforce training. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for a taxpayer that makes a qualified donation of real property during the taxable year to an employer that will use the property for the purpose of providing onsite child care to its employees. Provides that the credit shall be in an amount equal to the fair market value of the property, as determined by the Department of Revenue by rule.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, beginning in taxable year 2029, the maximum income limitation for the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption shall be increased each year by the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index. Effective immediately.

Amends the Veteran Service Organizations State Charter Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Veteran Service Organizations Equal Act. Provides that a veteran service organization shall be considered to have veteran service organization status (rather than shall be considered state chartered) when the organization meets all of the requirements listed in the Act and the organization's application for veteran service organization status (rather than state charter status) has been approved by the Attorney General. Makes corresponding changes throughout the Act. Provides that the Attorney General shall grant veteran service organization status (rather than state charter status) to any organization that has demonstrated that all requirements for obtaining veteran service organization status have been met. Requires a veteran service organization to have annual expenditures that demonstrate that 20% (rather than a majority) of the organization's expenses reflect support for veterans in order to qualify for veteran service organization status. Requires an application for veteran service organization status to include a statement from the organization's Commander, President, or chief executive officer (rather than all officers of the organization) attesting that all requirements for a veteran service organization status have been met. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for any person proving veteran or military benefits services to: (i) receive compensation for referring any individual to another person to advise or assist the individual with any veterans' benefits matter; (ii) guarantee, either directly or by implication, a successful outcome or that any individual is certain to receive specific veterans' benefits; (iii) utilize international call centers or data centers for processing veterans' personal information; and (iv) other matters.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction in an amount equal to the difference between (i) the homeowner's insurance premiums paid on the taxpayer's principal residence during the calendar year that begins during the taxable year for which the deduction is claimed and (ii) the homeowner's insurance premiums paid on the taxpayer's principal residence during the immediately preceding calendar year. Provides that the deduction applies only if the taxpayer has the same principal residence for the entirety of the current taxable year and the immediately preceding taxable year. Provides that, if 2 or more taxpayers are liable for the payment of homeowner's insurance on the same residence during a taxable year, only one such taxpayer may claim a deduction for that single property. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2026, the credit for employee child care shall be in an amount equal to: (1) 50% of the start-up costs expended by the corporate taxpayer to provide a child care facility for the children of its employees; and (2) 20% of the annual amount paid by the corporate taxpayer to (i) provide an on-site child care facility for the children of its employees, (ii) provide child care offsite for the children of its employees, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii) (currently, 30% of the start-up costs and 5% of the annual amount paid by the taxpayer in providing the child care facility). Provides that the taxpayer may coordinate with an independent child care facility to provide care for the children of employees. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers who are the custodians of one or more children who attend an eligible preschool program in the State during the taxable year. Provides that the amount of the credit shall be 100% of the eligible expenses incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year in sending the child to the eligible preschool program, but not to exceed $1,500 per child. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a child care credit in an amount equal to 25% of the federal tax credit for each qualifying child. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates the free and clear senior homestead exemption. Provides that certain homestead property that is owned and used a primary residence by a person who is 75 years of age or older and whose income does not exceed a specified income limitation is exempt from taxation under the Code.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates the Welcome Home Illinois tax credit. Provides that each taxpayer who is a first-time homebuyer of a principal residence in the State during the taxable year is entitled to an income tax credit in an amount equal to $500. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction in an amount equal to any overtime wages paid to the taxpayer during the taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction for gratuities that are included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable years 2027 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 percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the immediately preceding taxable year. Effective immediately.

Creates the Home Utility Relief Act. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create, as soon as practicable, a Home Utility Rebate Program to provide rebates to households that use electricity and that have a median household income between 100% and 500% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides that eligible households shall receive the rebates as soon as practicable after implementation of the program. Requires the Department to, by rule, establish qualifications for program participation which may include requirements that apply under the Energy Assistance Act and other requirements. Provides that rebates provided under the program shall be funded through appropriations made from the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund created under the Act. Requires the State Comptroller to direct and the State Treasurer to transfer $500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund to provide rebates to qualifying households for State fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Provides that any funds left over at the end of the second month following the conclusion of payments to households in a fiscal year may be awarded to certain qualifying first-time small business owners as determined by the Department. Requires the Department to adopt emergency rules in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to implement the program. Amends the State Finance Act to include the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund as a special fund. Effective immediately.