Creates the Child Welfare Agency Liability Task Force to develop and recommend a permanent solution to address the unavailability of liability insurance for child welfare agencies in the State.
States that the new Department of Early Childhood and its planning process should prioritize appropriate attention to the facilities needs of our State's mixed-delivery system of early care and education. Additionally states that the State should move expeditiously to award its remaining Early Childhood Construction Grant monies to qualified applicants, to assist providers of critical birth-to-five programs in meeting their growing building-and-repair demands. Finally states that the State should also move as quickly as feasible to replenish Early Childhood Construction Grant resources to help Illinois achieve the long-term vision of the bipartisan Funding Commission for making services "simpler, better, fairer" for young children, their families, and communities statewide.
Declares April 2025 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Encourages Illinois residents to use Distracted Driving Awareness Month as an opportunity to educate drivers of all ages on the dangers of distracted driving, to promote awareness campaigns through schools, workplaces, and community organizations, to encourage state and local law enforcement to continue enforcing distracted driving laws, and to highlight personal stories and testimonials of those impacted by distracted driving to inspire change.
Expresses strong support for the continued offering and expansion of night courses and programs at Illinois colleges and universities. Urges higher education institutions and governing bodies to prioritize and protect night programs from budgetary cuts or elimination.
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the lease of real estate is permitted when a vacant property, structure, or facility owned by the county can be used in the interest of the public or for the benefit and enjoyment of residents of the county.
Amends the Cycle Rider Safety Training Act. Removes motor driven cycle and moped from the definition of "cycle". Defines "Cycle Rider Safety Training Course Provider" and "Provider" as a for-profit or nonprofit business, community agency, community organization, community college, or State university that is capable of providing courses. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall put out notices to the public seeking Cycle Rider Safety Training Course Providers to provide courses in the State, and that such courses shall be open to all residents of the State who hold a currently valid driver's license and who have reached their 16th birthday before the first day of the course to be held. Allows providers to charge a nominal registration fee set by the Department. Provides that responses from potential providers shall include the location where classes are to be held at, the number of students they intend to train, whether they would be providing motorcycles or using motorcycles owned by the Department, and the cost for courses provided on a per student basis. Provides that contracts shall be awarded by the Department to providers based on training needs and cost effectiveness of each bid or proposal. Provides that a provider shall only be paid grant funds under one of the following conditions: a course was held; expenses submitted related to the maintenance of department owned equipment; or submitting other non-personnel expenses. Provides that a provider awarded a contract with grant funding shall: submit proof that each instructor employed by the provider meets the qualifications to teach the curriculum for the courses; have at least one employee on staff certified to do quality assurance or quality control visits where instructors are evaluated per curriculum standards on teaching; perform at least one quality assurance or quality control visit on each instructor employed during the year and submit the results of those visits to the Department; maintain appropriate liability insurance to cover training activities; submit requests for payment in a timely manner; and adhere to additional program rules and regulations. Prohibits a provider awarded a contract with grant funding from adopting any policy, requirement, or expectation regarding employee's manner of dress outside of the employee's scheduled work hours. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Makes certain changes concerning estates that contain qualified farm property. Provides that, for the purposes of calculating the State Death Tax Credit, those estates are subject to an exemption of $6,000,000 (rather than an exclusion amount of $4,000,000), which shall be deducted from the net estate value after the net estate value is computed in accordance with the Act. Provides that the exemption shall be adjusted each year according to the increase in the Consumer Price Index. Makes changes concerning the calculation of the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount for those estates. Provides for a special use valuation to provide that the value of the qualified farm property shall be calculated without regard to certain limitations under the Internal Revenue Code. Makes changes concerning the definition of "qualified heir".
Condemns in the strongest possible terms Governor JB Pritzker's recent inflammatory and divisive rhetoric that appears to advocate for unlawful action against the duly elected President and members of the federal government. Urges the Governor to retract and clarify his remarks and to reaffirm his commitment to civil discourse, the peaceful transfer of power, and adherence to the Constitution of the United States.
Creates the PRIOR Act. Defines terms. Provides that a Pre-Regulatory Impact Assessment shall be completed and presented to the General Assembly before legislation creating a new occupational regulation, expanding the scope of practice of a licensed occupation, or increasing the personal qualification for an occupational regulation can be voted on by a committee or the General Assembly. Provides that, on or before the first day of the General Assembly's legislative session, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, and the Chair of each relevant committee shall assign to the relevant committee or legislative staff the responsibility to analyze legislation creating a new occupational regulation, expanding the scope of practice of a licensed occupation, or increasing the personal qualifications for an occupational regulation and the accompanying Pre-Regulatory Impact Application submitted by proponents of the legislation. Provides that the designated staff are responsible for (i) reviewing legislation that requires a Pre-Regulatory Impact Assessment to ensure the least restrictive regulation is being proposed and (ii) preparing a Pre-Regulatory Impact Assessment that shall be considered with the legislation by the General Assembly. Provides that a proponent of a piece of legislation shall submit a Pre-Regulation Impact Application to the designated staff. Sets forth requirements for an application. Sets forth actions that designated staff may take. Sets forth a temporary moratorium on the creation of new occupational regulations. Effective immediately.
Creates the Definitions of Sex-Based Terms Act. Defines, for purposes of State statutes and administrative rules, the meaning of the following terms: "boy", "father", "female", "girl", "male", "man", "mother", "sex", and "woman".
