Illinois

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes language authorizing the Secretary of State from suspending or revoking the driving privileges of any person who has committed a violation related to the operation of a vehicle or streetcar on the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle that resulted in the death of another. Provides that a fee may be imposed for the operation or use of a motor vehicle in the commission of or in the attempt to commit an offense related to domestic battery or the violation of an order of protection. Exempts an official State vehicle and the State employee who is the operator of that vehicle is exempt from any local enforcement action. Allows the Illinois State Police to collect administrative fees from tows. Provides that the driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign is required for safety to stop, the driver shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if none, then before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, in the event there is no crosswalk, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway. Provides that a person commits aggravated operating a motorcycle, motor driven cycle, or moped on one wheel when he or she violates provisions of the Code related to special speed limits while passing schools and special speed limits while traveling through a highway construction or maintenance speed zone. Provides that a motorcycle may exhibit a white light emitted by a high intensity discharge lamp or a light of yellow or amber tint. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the statutory provisions regarding appointment of deputy sheriffs. Specifies that persons appointed as a county police officer shall be not less than 21 years of age, or 20 years of age and have successfully completed 2 years of law enforcement studies at an accredited college or university. Provides that all persons so appointed as a correctional officer or full-time deputy sheriff not employed as a county police officer shall, at the time of their appointment, be not less than 18 years of age. Specifies that the probationary period for a county police officer shall be at least 12 months. Provides that the probationary period for a correctional officer or full-time deputy sheriff not employed as a county police officer shall be 15 months.

Amends the Military Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Military Affairs has the authority to make grants from the Military Affairs Trust Fund for the purpose of incentivizing recruitment into the Illinois National Guard. Provides that the Joint Enlistment Enhancement Program (JEEP) is established for the purpose of increasing recruitment through peer-to-peer referrals, fostering esprit de corps, and promoting cross-component cooperation between the Illinois Army National Guard and the Illinois Air National Guard. Permits the Department to provide grants under the JEEP program to current members of the Illinois National Guard who are not assigned as recruiters, are in good standing, and serve as JEEP lead generators by supporting or facilitating the enlistment or accession of soldiers or airmen into the Illinois National Guard. Requires the State Treasurer to accept and deposit into the Military Affairs Trust Fund all gifts, grants, transfers, appropriations, and other funds from any lawful public or private source that are designated for deposit into the Fund. Requires the Department to establish eligibility criteria, grant conditions, and administrative requirements for the JEEP program by rule.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: In the definition of "service member student", deletes language expanding the definition to include the spouse of a service member. Provides that accommodations made by an institution of higher education for a service member student shall be mutually agreed upon and conditioned on tasks that both sides must complete to fulfill the agreement (rather than shall be a mutually agreed upon contract conditioned on tasks that both sides must complete to fulfill the agreement). Provides that financial aid provided to a service member student shall be credited for the academic year division requiring withdrawal due to military service, unless expressly prohibited by the terms of such financial aid or (rather than and) impossible or unreasonable under the circumstances. Provides that a service member student who must withdraw from any course due to military service, shall receive (i) the maximum price, based on condition, for physical textbooks (rather than textbooks) purchased from the bookstore under the control of and associated with the institution and (ii) a full refund for electronic books. Deletes a provision creating a private right of action and a provision granting rulemaking authority to the Attorney General. Provides that any action brought under the Act by the Attorney General shall be commenced within 20 years after the date upon which the alleged violation occurred. Makes some technical changes.

Amends the Department of Public Health Act. Provides that the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Program Advisory Council created by Public Act 103-8 is continued within the Department of Public Health, with modifications to its duties and composition. Amends the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois by repealing provisions regarding the Council.

Reinserts the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 2 with the following change in the Court of Claims Act. With regard to awards for time unjustly served in prison, in county jail, in county juvenile detention facilities, in Illinois Youth Centers, on parole or probation, or registered as a sex offender when the person unjustly convicted or adjudicated a delinquent received a pardon from the Governor on the grounds of innocence of the crime for which he or she was convicted or adjudicated a delinquent, provides that any time in custody that was served on a companion charge arising out of the same case shall be deducted from the total award. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Provides that an owner or operator of a place of entertainment that sells tickets to events, and any agent who conducts or facilitates those sales, shall report any violation (rather than known violation) to the Attorney General within a reasonable period of time after discovery of the violation. Provides that a violation of the Prohibition on Bots Purchasing Tickets 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. Removes provisions amending the Ticket Sale and Resale Act.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Safeguards to Ensure Continuity and Uphold Rights and Equity (SECURE) Act. Sets forth several legislative findings. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Adds provisions requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to protect a child from unnecessary and unapproved disclosure of the child's sensitive identity information. Defines "sensitive identity information" to mean personal data that is linked or reasonably linkable to a child or youth and identifies the child's or youth's sexual orientation, as the term is defined in the Illinois Human Rights Act. Contains provisions concerning a child-specific documentation requirement; internal electronic access controls; case plans based on a youth's protected characteristics; caregiver responsibilities; Department, service provider, and caregiver conduct to prevent harmful treatment of youth; protecting access to lawful health care for youth placed outside the State of Illinois; ongoing duty for Illinois-based caseworker contact and monitoring of interstate placement; public transparency and accountability reporting; Inspector General recommendations concerning measures to be taken to remediate harm caused to a youth who experienced harm due to conduct violating the youth's protected characteristic; and other matters. Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Adds provisions concerning supportive care for youth placed out-of-state; and licensure and contractual compliance. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Adds provisions concerning the assessment and monitoring of minors in out-of-state placements; direct case management, care, or placement violations; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a county, as trustee, may elect to acquire or sell tax delinquent property. Provides that, when the county, as trustee, files a petition for one or more delinquent tax liens or certificates, the county may request that the court issue a tax deed to the county without holding a judicial tax deed auction. Provides that the Order for Issuance of Tax Deed shall also include an order for the county to offer each parcel acquired by the county in this manner for sale at a public tax deed auction. Contains provisions concerning the public tax deed auction. Provides for the creation of a surplus equity fund and the imposition of a surplus equity fee. Provides that the owner of property who sustains loss or damage by reason of the issuance of a deed at a tax deed auction shall have the right to recover surplus equity that was lost in the property through an award of indemnity. Contains other provisions. Amends the Mobile Home Local Services Tax Enforcement Act. Contains provisions concerning notice if a distressed property is at risk of loss for the non-payment of real estate taxes. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. In provisions requiring an additional employer contribution for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude salary increases given on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act resulting from overload work, summer school, or stipend work when the school district has certified to the System, and the System has approved the certification, that the overload work, summer school, or the stipend work is for the sole purpose of classroom instruction in excess of the standard number of classes for a full-time teacher in a school district during a school year (instead of shall exclude salary increases given on or after July 1, 2025 resulting from overload work, including summer school, when the school district has certified to the System, and the System has approved the certification, that (i) the overload work is for the sole purpose of classroom instruction in excess of the standard number of classes for a full-time teacher in a school district during a school year and (ii) the salary increases are equal to or less than the rate of pay for classroom instruction computed on the teacher's current salary and work schedule). Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that early childhood programs receiving State funds shall restrict suspensions. Provides that the decision to suspend a student in preschool for 3 or more days may only be made by the superintendent of the school district, director of an early childhood program, or their equivalent and that the length of the suspension for any student in preschool may not be longer than the number of days required by the school district or early childhood program to develop and implement a behavior intervention plan or safety plan. Prohibits a student in kindergarten through grade 2 from being expelled unless otherwise required by federal or State law. Provides that the decision to suspend a student in kindergarten through grade 2 for 3 or more days may only be made by the superintendent of the school district and that the length of the suspension for any student in kindergarten through grade 2 may not be longer than the number of days required by the school district to develop and implement a behavior intervention plan or safety plan. Provides that a student who is suspended in excess of 20 school days may be immediately transferred to an alternative program. Provides that a student shall not be denied transfer because of the suspension, except in cases in which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety of students or staff in the alternative program. Makes other changes.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that, in order to be eligible to participate in the non-profit investment pool, a not-for-profit corporation shall: (1) not be on the federal system for award management (SAM) exclusion list; (2) not be on the Chief Procurement Officer's suspensions, debarments, voluntary exclusions, and voluntary non-participation agreements list; (3) not be on the Department of Labor's debarred contractors list; (4) not be on the Illinois Stop Payment List established under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act; and (5) be an organization with a purpose specified in the provision.

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. In a provision concerning registered professional nursing education programs, provides that no program shall be placed on probation until calendar year 2026 National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) results can be measured. Provides that any program with NCLEX pass rates for calendar year 2026 less than 75% shall receive a written warning of noncompliance from the Division of Professional Regulation of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation pursuant to a specific provision of the Illinois Administrative Code, except the Division may defer the written warning for an additional year if the program is within a public university and 55% or more of the university's total student population received Pell Grants. Removes a provision concerning the rescission of a license of an individual who has been identified by a federal investigation as presenting illegitimate educational credentials that have been flagged by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Effective September 1, 2026.

Creates the Transparency in Downcoding Act. Provides that, subject to federal requirements, the Act applies to certain policies of health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the Act, except for employee or employer self-insured health benefit plans under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and health care provided pursuant to the Workers' Compensation Act or the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act. Prohibits home rule units from regulating downcoding of medical claims in policies issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028. Prohibits a health care payor from implementing any policy or using any algorithm or other automated process, system, or tool that bypasses the evaluation of all information included by the billing health care professional to downcode a claim. Provides that a health care payor may use an automated process to identify claims that may justify a downcoding determination. Provides that all downcoding determinations must be made or reviewed by a natural person following American Medical Association Current Procedural Terminology coding guidelines in effect at the time. Prohibits a health care payor from downcoding a claim based solely on the reported diagnosis codes. Sets forth provisions concerning notification requirements and the dispute process for downcoded claims. Prohibits a health care payor from using downcoding practices in a targeted or discriminatory manner against health care professionals who routinely treat patients with complex or chronic conditions. Establishes administration and enforcement provisions. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all managed care organizations shall comply with the requirements of the Transparency in Downcoding Act. Effective January 1, 2028.

Amends the Crime Victims Compensation Act. Requires the Attorney General to, with the consent of an applicant, request and obtain supporting documentation required to verify a claim for compensation. Includes provisions regarding supporting documentation for applications and claims. Provides that to receive compensation under the Act, the appropriate law enforcement officials were notified within 180 days (rather than 72 hours or 7 days for specified offenses) of the perpetration of the crime allegedly causing the death or injury to the victim. Allows a mental health provider to seek reimbursement for an evaluation if the mental health provider is not currently providing treatment to the applicant, and will not seek reimbursement from the program for any additional treatment of the applicant. Provides that if a mental health provider who provides a certification form seeks reimbursement from the program for treatment of the applicant, or an applicant seeks reimbursement for payments made to the mental health provider for treatment, compensation for services provided by the mental health provider shall be limited to Medicare-approved rates. Prohibits a mental health provider from seeking reimbursement for services provided to an applicant if the applicant has not exhausted the benefits reasonably available under any governmental, medical, or health insurance program. Provides that if an applicant was receiving treatment from a mental health provider before the commission of the crime, and the mental health provider provides a certification form, the mental health provider may only seek reimbursement from the program for treatment that is in addition to the treatment the applicant was already receiving before the commission of the crime. Provides that furnishing an evaluation or furnishing another document as evidence of notification or cooperation may not be construed to waive any confidentiality or privilege that may exist between the victim or applicant and a third party. Provides that the Court shall issue a voucher for payment to the Comptroller of an emergency award after receiving notice of the decision to grant the emergency award, and if the Comptroller is not able to release the voucher for payment within 10 business days of receiving a voucher for payment from the Court, the Comptroller shall notify the Attorney General. Provides that if the amount of emergency compensation exceeds the actual amount the applicant incurs, the difference shall be repaid to the State. Provides that the Office of the Attorney General shall include a designated section in the application form for the applicant to request an emergency award. Makes other changes.

Amends the School Code regarding the establishment of kindergartens. With respect to a provision stating that kindergarten should provide opportunities for play-based learning, defines: (1) "play-based learning" as either guided play or student-initiated play; (2) "guided play" as intentional teacher-directed play with activities set up and led by a teacher that are aligned to learning goals or standards; and (3) "student-initiated play" as child-selected opportunities to build, pretend, create, move, or explore in an environment intentionally curated by a teacher to align with learning goals or standards.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that a petitioner for post-conviction relief who was convicted of a felony offense committed when that person was under 21 years of age who seeks leave to file a successive post-conviction petition claiming that his or her sentence violates the proportionate penalties clause of the Illinois Constitution does not have to demonstrate cause. Effective immediately.

Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Deletes provisions regarding statements of unresponsiveness by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Provides that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules may agree to a second extension of the second notice period for a period not to exceed 45 days. Specifies that this additional second notice period is not to be used for calculating the one-year deadline for specified rulemaking actions. Effective immediately.

Reinserts provisions of House Amendment No.1 with the following changes. Provides that if a private professional guardian is serving as a limited or plenary guardian of a person with a disability and intends to name the Office of State Guardian or public guardian as successor, notice shall be provided to the court and the Office of State Guardian or a public guardian not less than 120 days before the hearing for a successor to a limited or plenary guardian unless the assets of the person with a disability at the time of the appointment of the limited or plenary guardian do not exceed the estimated amount necessary for funding of the needs of the person with a disability for a period of 120 days. Provides that before being appointed as guardian for a person with a disability, the private professional guardian must certify, in open court or by affidavit: (i) that the private professional guardian has personally met with and assessed the respondent or, if not reasonably possible, consistent with the National Guardianship Association Standards of Practice, certify that they will meet with the respondent as soon as feasible after the appointment. Provides that a private professional guardian may not (i) have any direct or indirect beneficial interest, financial or otherwise, in entities or corporations that transact business with the estate or receive benefits, including referral fees, from persons, entities, or corporations that transact business with the estate or on behalf of the person under its guardianship, excluding any fixed salary received from its employer. Provides that within 2 years of the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person or the president, director, or chief executive officer of a not-for-profit corporation and employees of the private professional guardian who serve as a private professional guardian must be certified as a national master guardian or a national certified guardian by the Center for Guardianship Certification or its successor organization. Requires a private professional guardian that manages, in the aggregate, more than $1 million of assets as a guardian of persons with a disability, to arrange for an independent audit by a qualified examiner of its financial records on an annual basis. Requires a private professional guardian to promptly notify the court at such time that it estimates the estate of the person with a disability can no longer afford the services of the private professional guardian or, if the sale of respondent's residence would be required for the continued services of a private professional guardian, within 36 months or less. Makes structural changes.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that an owner or operator of a community water supply may, by an additional method approved by the State, give written notice of the existence of lead service lines that are connected to buildings. Provides that an owner or operator of a community water supply that performs at least 4,000 lead service line replacements per year or exceeds a statutorily prescribed lead service line replacement rate is exempt from a provision that prohibits partial lead service line replacements. Provides that, in a municipality with a population of more than 1,000,000 inhabitants, the owner of a private property upon which there is located a renter-occupied building, a building that is used as a day care, or a multi-dwelling building must allow the community water supply access to replace the lead service line on the private side of the property.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Deletes a provision that prohibits a Regional Transit Board or Regional Development Authority from creating or retaining an investigative body that investigates matters under the Executive Inspector General's jurisdiction. Authorizes complaints or allegations of violations of the Act to be received and reviewed by a Regional Transit Board. Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Transportation's statewide multi-modal transportation improvement program shall evaluate project potential for mode shift away from single-occupancy vehicles and commercial motor vehicles. Specifies that the Transit Integration Policy Development Committee shall also coordinate with local transit authorities, intercity bus operators, and local governments on the delivery of bus rapid transit. Requires the Department of Transportation to complete its planning study on improvements to the Joliet train station by January 1, 2028. Amends the State Finance Act. In provisions concerning the State Construction Account Fund and Road Fund, specifies that 90% (rather than 85%) of the investment income in those funds shall be deposited into the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Capital Improvement Fund and 10% (rather than 15%) shall be deposited into the Downstate Mass Transportation Capital Improvement Fund. Amends the Downstate Public Transportation Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning residual fund balances and definitions. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that the Regional Transportation Authority shall remodel, renovate, or construct a new station at or near the Central Avenue Station and the western entrance at the Lavergne Avenue location on the Blue Line. Provides that the renovated or newly constructed station shall be completed and open for public operation no later than January 1, 2029. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code, the Downstate Public Transportation Act, the People Over Parking Act, the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, the Local Mass Transit District Act, and the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning the installation of bus shields on fixed-route buses; the threshold at which employment contracts must be approved by the authority and the compensation paid to members for service on the Commuter Rail Board, the Chicago Transit Board, or the Suburban Bus Board; renovations to terminals; transit-related taxes; the management of contracts entered into on or before January 1, 2027; the Board of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority and the terms of its members; and other matters. Makes various technical changes. Further amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act and the Regional Transportation Authority Act to repeal provisions concerning visitor paratransit service. Effective June 1, 2026.

Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires a school district maintaining any of grades 9 through 12 to provide all eligible students graduating from high school with the opportunity to register to vote. Effective immediately.

Creates the Chemicals in Cosmetic Products Act. Prohibits the manufacture, sale, delivery, holding, or offering for sale of a cosmetic product that contains specific intentionally added chemical ingredients. Exempts cosmetic products that were manufactured with an intent to comply with the Act and contain a technically unavoidable trace quantity of a prohibited chemical ingredient due to certain reasons. Defines terms.

Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act. Provides that in any lawsuit or arbitration to collect a debt, subject to the Act, it is an affirmative defense that the debt is or is partially coerced debt to the plaintiff and the court or arbitrator. Provides that a plaintiff has the burden to disprove the debtor's defense by a preponderance of the evidence. Defines "coerced debt".

Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Requires the State agency to confirm, reject, or identify a claim under the Court of Claims Act that is a lapsed appropriation and valued at less than $2,500 within 60 days after being notified in writing of the claim by the Attorney General. Provides that, if the State agency (instead of the court) determines that it is unable to process a claim under the Act because the bill or invoice contains a defect, the State agency (instead of the court) must notify the vendor and the Attorney General (rather than the vendor only) in writing of the defect no later than 60 calendar days after receiving notice of the claim from the Attorney General's Office (rather 45 days after the bill or invoice was first submitted). Further provides that, for disapproved portions for the claim, the Attorney General (rather than the court) must allow vendors to submit documentation to the Attorney General's Office showing amendments and cured defects (rather than submit documentation to amend and cure defects). Requires a State agency to confirm, reject, or identify a defect within a claim for all other claims arising under the Act that are from lapsed appropriations that are equal to or more than $2,500. Amends the State Prompt Payment Act. Provides that a State agency shall review each bill or invoice within 30 calendar days after its receipt (currently, in a timely manner). Provides that, when a State official or agency responsible for administering a contract receives a bill or invoice from a contractor, that State official or agency shall confirm the date on which the bill or invoice was received within 15 business days of receipt and shall transmit any approved amount to the Comptroller within 30 calendar days of receipt. Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that the advice and technical assistance provided to State grant-making agencies by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget shall include an explanation of how to determine if the awardee is eligible for advance payments, reimbursement, or working capital advances. Provides that each State grant-making agency shall specify in each grant agreement whether the applicable payment methodology is advance payment, reimbursement, or working capital advance. Provides that, if advance payment is not the applicable payment methodology, the grant agreement will specify why an alternative payment methodology applies. Sets forth deadlines by which the State grant-making agency shall issue grant agreements after issuing a Notice of State-Issued Award. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2027.