Amends the Public Employee Disability Act. Provides that, for purposes of provisions in the Act concerning disability benefits, "eligible employee" includes any part-time or full-time county correctional officer or any other full-time or part-time employee of a county sheriff. Provides that, when an eligible employee suffers an injury in the line of duty that causes the employee to be unable to perform the employee's duties, the employing public entity shall continue to provide health insurance benefits on the same terms and conditions as were in effect immediately prior to the injury.
Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State shall require all school coaches to obtain and maintain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED). Requires certification in CPR and AED use to be consistent with national, evidence-based, emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Provides that a cardiac emergency response plan shall include (i) establishing a cardiac emergency response team that is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator and (ii) the use of annual cardiac response drills to practice the steps established in the cardiac emergency response plan, in partnership with local emergency medical services. Makes other changes concerning the plan.
Amends the First Responders Suicide Prevention Act. Provides that confidentiality protections under the Act apply regardless of whether the peer support person is employed by, or affiliated with, the same agency as the first responder receiving support. Provides that, except in specified circumstances, all communications, records, notes, reports, or information disclosed during, or in connection with, a critical incident stress management session is confidential and may not be disclosed by any CISM practitioner. Provides that a CISM practitioner may not be compelled to testify or disclose any communication, record, note, report, or information disclosed during, or in connection with, a critical incident stress management session in any administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding. Provides that the confidentiality protections under the provisions apply whether or not the CISM practitioner is affiliated with the same agency as the individual receiving services. Provides that any communication described in the provisions is subject to subpoena for good cause shown. Provides that the confidentiality protections under the provisions do not apply to (1) any threat of suicide or homicide made by a participant in a peer support counseling session or any information conveyed in a peer support counseling session related to a threat of suicide or homicide; (2) any information mandated by law or agency policy to be reported, including, but not limited to, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, or elder abuse or neglect; (3) any admission of criminal conduct; or (4) an admission or act of refusal to perform duties to protect others or the employee of the emergency services provider or law enforcement agency. Defines "CISM practitioner" and "CISM services".
Amends the School Code. Provides that when registering or seeking recognition status with the State Board of Education, a nonpublic elementary or secondary school shall include assurances that the school will not prohibit religious hairstyles, hair-related religious practices, or facial hair worn in accordance with a student's or employee's sincerely held religious beliefs, observance, or practice. Provides that a school uniform or dress code policy adopted by a school board or local school council may not include or apply to religious hairstyles, hair-related religious practices, or facial hair worn in accordance with a student's sincerely held religious beliefs, observance, or practice. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Genetic Information Privacy Act. Provides that the use of genetic testing, biomarker testing, or both (rather than only genetic testing), and the information derived from testing is confidential and privileged and may be released only to the individual tested and persons specifically authorized in writing by the individual tested to receive the information. Provides that an insurer may not seek information derived from genetic or biomarker testing (rather than only genetic testing) for use in connection with a policy of accident or health insurance (unless the individual voluntarily submits the results and the results are favorable to the individual), for nontherapeutic purposes, or for underwriting purposes. In provisions concerning the use of testing information by employers, provides that an employer may release genetic testing or biomarker testing information (rather than only genetic testing information) under specified circumstances. Limits an employer's use of genetic information, genetic testing, biomarkers, and biomarker testing (rather than only genetic information and genetic testing). In provisions concerning testing, provides that no person may disclose or be compelled to disclose the identity of any person upon whom a genetic test or biomarker test (rather than only genetic test) is performed or the results of a genetic test or biomarker test (rather than only genetic test) in a manner that permits identification of the subject of the test, except to the persons specified in the Act. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Defines "biomarker" and "biomarker testing". Makes other and conforming changes.
Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. In a provision requiring a school board, before setting a hearing on charges stemming from causes that are considered remediable, to give a teacher reasonable warning, in writing, stating specifically the causes that, if not removed, may result in charges, allows a teacher to grieve the issuance of such warning pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreement to determine whether the board had just cause in issuing the warning. Requires the written warning to narrowly specify the nature of the alleged misconduct that needs to be remedied. Provides that under no circumstances may the written warning remain effective for longer than 4 years from the date of the issuance of the written warning. Requires the school district to use reasonable efforts to remove the written warning from the teacher's personnel file after the 4 years have elapsed or sooner if agreed to through the exclusive bargaining representative, with an exception. Effective immediately.
Amends the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, if a school district and its teachers cannot reach agreement over the decision on whether to incorporate the use of data and indicators on student growth as a factor in rating teaching performance into a teacher evaluation plan and there is no collective bargaining agreement that includes or incorporates by reference the teacher evaluation plan, then the student growth component shall be removed from the teacher evaluation plan. Effective immediately.
Amends the Chicago Police, Chicago Firefighter, and Chicago Municipal Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a person who becomes a member on or after January 1, 2026 shall be automatically enrolled into a federal tax qualified pre-tax retirement plan that is otherwise allowed by State and federal law. Provides that a member subject to automatic enrollment shall have the option to opt out of the plan and shall be informed of that option within 30 days after being hired. Provides that if another option is not chosen by the member, the default employee contribution to the account shall be 3% of the member's salary. Provides that the plan administrator may automatically increase members contributions by no more than 1% per year, and a member may choose to opt out of the automatic increases. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Defines "grandfathered health plan". Provides that, except for grandfathered health plans, a health insurance issuer in the individual, small group, or large group market shall not deny coverage to an individual or employer due to the individual's or employer's failure to pay premiums owed under a prior policy, certificate, or contract of insurance. Specifies that nothing in the provisions concerning past-due premiums prohibits a health insurance issuer from pursuing the collection of past-due premiums from an individual or employer by any other means permitted by law. Effective immediately.
Amends the Health Care Violence Prevention Act. Makes changes to defined terms. In provisions concerning workplace safety, provides that a health care worker may not be discouraged from contacting law enforcement or the Department of Public Health regarding workplace violence and a health care provider may not hold a policy that limits such contact. Adds additional requirements to the workplace violence prevention program, including reporting requirements and identifying the need for additional security and alarms, adequate exit routes, monitoring systems, barrier protections, lighting, entry procedures, and systems to identify and flag persons who have previously committed violent acts in the health care provider space. Sets forth provisions concerning violent incident investigations and recordkeeping and reporting requirements for health care providers regarding violent incidents. Establishes penalties for failure to comply with the Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from public disclosure workplace violence records maintained by health care providers as required under a specified provision of the Health Care Violence Prevention Act.
