Technology

Amends the Genetic Information Privacy Act. Removes language exempting insurers that are issuing a long-term care policy from specified provisions. Provides that, with regard to any policy, contract, or plan offered, entered into, issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 by a health insurer, life insurer, disability insurer, or long-term care insurer authorized to transact insurance in this State, a health insurer, life insurer, disability insurer, or long-term care insurer may not: (1) cancel, limit, or deny coverage or establish differentials in premium rates based on a person's genetic information; or (2) require or solicit an individual's genetic information, use an individual's genetic test results, or consider an individual's decisions or actions relating to genetic information or a genetic test in any manner for any insurance purpose. Provides that the provisions may not be construed as: (1) preventing a life insurer, disability insurer, or long-term care insurer from accessing an individual's medical record as part of an application; or (2) prohibiting a life insurer, disability insurer, or long-term care insurer from considering a clinical diagnosis, such as a manifest disease or disorder, included in an individual's medical record for insurance purposes to the extent otherwise allowable by law. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education for adults over the age of 25. Sets forth application requirements and eligibility. Provides that grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Effective July 1, 2026.

Creates the Light Detection and Ranging Technology Security Act. Provides that all State infrastructure located within or serving Illinois shall be constructed so as not to include any light detection and ranging (LIDAR) equipment manufactured in or by, including any equipment whose critical or necessary components are manufactured in or by, a company domiciled within a country of concern or a company owned by a company domiciled in a country of concern. Provides that all State infrastructure in operation within or serving Illinois, including any covered infrastructure that is not permanently disabled, that contains LIDAR equipment prohibited by the Act shall be removed and replaced with LIDAR equipment that is not prohibited by the Act within 90 days after the effective date of the Act. Provides that an agency, private entity, or political subdivision primarily responsible for any covered infrastructure that includes prohibited LIDAR equipment may request a reimbursement up to the cost of the original purchase price of such prohibited LIDAR equipment from the State Comptroller, provided the request includes purchase orders and is submitted within 90 days after the effective date of the Act. Provides that no procurement made by the State government or a political subdivision of the State government can include LIDAR equipment manufactured in or by, including any equipment whose critical or necessary components are manufactured in or by, a company domiciled within a country of concern or a company owned by a company domiciled in a country of concern. Defines "country of concern" as the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, or any other entity deemed by the Governor in consultation with the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS). Defines other terms. Provides that the Act is fully enforceable as of 90 days after the effective date of the Act. Contains a severability provision.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Defines "video programming" and "video streaming service". Provides that, on and after July 1, 2027, a video streaming service that serves consumers residing in the State shall not transmit the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the advertisements accompany, consistent with the regulations adopted by the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act (Public Law 111-311) for television broadcast stations, cable operators, and other video programming distributors. Provides that the amendatory provisions do not create a private right of action.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education may provide statewide guidance to school districts concerning a workforce development curriculum or programming or both that can be adopted at the school district, school, or classroom level and that provides best practices for teaching artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other types of rapidly growing technologies as deemed necessary, in a manner that prepares students for workforce, job, and career competencies in the future and informs students of new or growing job or career opportunities in these new fields. Provides that the State Board shall prepare a comprehensive review of any workforce development preparation curriculum and programming specifically designed around technology implemented or considered in other states through other state actions, policies, pilot programs, or school-based programs implemented or tested on a statewide or school-district basis. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may convene meetings with stakeholders from the public or private sector in preparing the guidance and may allow for the submission of public comments from individuals, organizations, or other entities prior to finalizing the prepared guidance.

Creates the Unmanned Aerial Systems Security Act. Provides that a government agency may use a drone only if the manufacturer of the drone meets the minimum security requirements specified in the Act. Prohibits a government agency from purchasing, acquiring, or otherwise using a drone or any related services or equipment produced by (i) a manufacturer domiciled in a country of concern or (ii) a manufacturer the government agency reasonably believes to be owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by a country of concern or by a company domiciled in a country of concern. Classifies 3 different tiers of drones, and specifies restrictions for each tier level. Requires, subject to appropriation, a government agency using a drone on January 1, 2026 that does not meet the minimum requirements for that drone's usage tier to receive a reimbursement from the Unmanned Aerial Systems Security Reimbursement Fund up to the cost of acquiring a drone that meets the minimum requirements for that drone's usage tier if specified requirements are met. Requires the Department of Transportation to identify the geographic coordinates of sensitive installations within Illinois for the purpose of prohibiting drone usage over sensitive locations. Requires a provider of flight-mapping software or other program for operating a drone to geofence Illinois' sensitive locations to prevent the flight of a drone over Illinois' sensitive locations. Provides that it is a Class A misdemeanor for (i) a provider of flight-mapping software to allow a user to fly a drone over a sensitive location unless the user is a law enforcement agency or officer; or (ii) a user of a drone not using flight-mapping software to fly a drone over a sensitive location without permission from the governmental agency in charge of the sensitive location. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Contains a severability clause. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Unmanned Aerial Systems Security Reimbursement Fund. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the School Code. For websites that are blocked from being accessed by a student on a school-issued electronic device, requires each school board to develop an appeal process by which a student, at the request of the student's parent or guardian, may access a blocked website if the website is reasonably related to the student's education or pursuit of work opportunities during or after high school.

Creates the Data Center Construction by Foreign Adversaries Act. Provides that no foreign company may construct or cause to be constructed a data center in the State unless the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Illinois Power Agency, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity conduct a joint study of the energy consumption of the prospective data center and certify to the Governor and the General Assembly that the energy used by the new data center is a new self-generated load and does not affect the load supply of PJM or MISO. Provides that the term "foreign company" means an entity that (i) is at least 51% owned by a foreign adversary or (ii) is headquartered in a country with a government that is a foreign adversary.

Creates the Consumer Data Privacy Act. Establishes certain consumer rights relating to personal data, including the rights to confirm whether data is being processed, to correct any inaccuracies in the consumer's personal data, to delete personal data provided by the consumer, to obtain a copy of the consumer's personal data that was previously provided, and to opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of data, or profiling of the consumer. Defines terms. Applies to persons who conduct business in Illinois or produce products or services that are targeted to Illinois residents and that during the a calendar year control or process person data of at least 100,000 consumers or 25,0000 consumers and derives over 50% of gross revenue from the sale of personal data. Makes requirements for persons or entities that control and process consumer data and also exempts certain persons or entities from the statutory provisions of the Act. Provides that the Attorney General has exclusive authority to enforce the consumer data privacy rights. Creates the Consumer Privacy Fund to be administered by the Office of the Attorney General. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from disclosure data protection impact assessments done under the Illinois Consumer Data Privacy Act. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Amends the Digital Library Protection Act. Provides that no publisher shall enter into a contract or license agreement to distribute electronic literary materials to a library that: (1) restricts the library from performing customary operational functions; (2) restricts the library from performing customary lending functions; (3) restricts the library from disclosing the terms of the contract or license agreement to any other library in the State; or (4) requires the library to violate the Library Records Confidentiality Act. Provides that a violation of the Act constitutes an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that any contract to license electronic literary materials to a library that includes a provision prohibited under the Act is deemed unenforceable and void. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.