This Senate resolution honors the life of Deanna Z. Wilkins, a resident of Lombard who passed away on April 14, 2026. The document formally records her contributions to her community, including her 30 years of service as a trustee and assessor for York Township and her leadership roles in various local organizations. It extends official condolences to her family and friends and directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to them as a gesture of sympathy.
Amends the Regulation of Public Pension Funds Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance may (instead of shall) render advisory services to the pension funds on all matters pertaining to their operations. Provides that recommendations for corrective or clarifying legislation may (instead of shall) be made in the report of examination of the particular pension fund and in a biennial report to the General Assembly. Provides that the report to the Governor and General Assembly shall include the results of examinations made by an independent certified public accountant retained by the Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund or the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund for examinations of a downstate police or downstate firefighter pension fund. Requires downstate police and downstate firefighter pension funds to include, in their annual report to the Public Pension Division, details on transactions pertaining to nontransferable assets that funds retain after transferring investments to the Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund or the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund. Provides that, if a penalty is not paid within 30 days of the date of assessment and no just cause has been communicated, the Director of Insurance may (instead of if a penalty is not paid within 30 days of the date of assessment, the Director without further notice shall) report the act of noncompliance to the Attorney General. Repeals provisions establishing the Advisory Commission on Pension Benefits. Makes other changes.
Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that a school district is exempt from requiring pupils, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, to complete 2 years of foreign language in order to graduate if the school district sends a written request to waive the requirement to the State Board of Education and includes evidence in the request that the school district does not have the employees necessary to provide 2 years of foreign language education to all pupils in secondary school within the school district. Provides that after receiving a written request from a school district, the State Superintendent of Education shall approve the request if the evidence included in the request is determined by the State Superintendent to be sufficient. Provides that a pupil is exempt from the 2-year foreign language requirement if the pupil or a school counselor, in consultation with the pupil, develops a postsecondary plan that is centered around postsecondary opportunities that do not include postsecondary education through an institution of higher education. Provides that the pupil or the school counselor shall send the postsecondary plan to the superintendent of the school district in order to be exempt from the 2-year foreign language requirement. Effective July 1, 2026.
Amends the School Code. Requires every public elementary and high school to include in its curriculum the study of the contributions made by Latin Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the requirement during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit and make recommendations for improvement. Provides that the failure by a school district or school to comply with the requirement shall result in a written warning for the first offense, and if the school district or school continues to fail to comply with the requirements, the school district or school shall face disciplinary action at the discretion of the regional superintendent. Requires the State Superintendent of Education to prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials and professional development opportunities that may be used as guidelines for the development of a Latin American unit of study. Effective August 1, 2026.
HB 959 makes a technical change to the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Specifically, it amends a section concerning the short title of an existing law, likely to correct or clarify its official reference.
Creates the Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act. Provides that the Director of Labor shall adopt rules to establish excessive heat and excessive cold standards. Sets forth temporary excessive heat and excessive cold standards. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2026, the Director shall establish by rule an occupational temperature-related illness and injury prevention plan. Sets forth provisions concerning retaliation; violations; penalties; and enforcement of the Act.
Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning radon testing, provides that every school building of a school district that is occupied or will be occupied shall be tested by January 1, 2029 and shall be retested every 5 years thereafter for radon (instead of recommending that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon). Provides that all new schools of a school district shall be built using radon resistant new construction techniques in accordance with the American National Standards Institute/American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists CC-1000, Soil Gas Control Systems in New Construction of Multifamily, School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings standard or a successor standard (instead of recommending that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings). Removes a provision allowing a person to perform radon screening tests without a license. Makes changes concerning the exemption. Provides that if radon is found to exceed specified levels, then the school district shall (instead of may) hire a licensed radon professional to perform confirmatory measurements (instead of to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made). Sets forth provisions concerning mitigation. Provides that a school district may use life safety funds, if available, for radon testing and mitigation. Preempts home rule powers.
Amends the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Transit Innovation, Integration, and Reform Act. Provides that the member appointed to the Committee to represent individuals with disabilities shall either be an individual with a disability or an individual who has demonstrated experience advocating for and advancing the accessibility and transportation needs of individuals with disabilities. Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that one of the members of the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability who lives within the Authority's service area and uses the services provided by the Authority. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that one of the Directors of the Board of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability with expertise in transportation and shall be appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that one of the directors of the Suburban Bus Board shall be the Commissioner of the City of Chicago's Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (rather than appointed by the Mayor of Chicago). Provides that one of the directors of the Commuter Rail Board shall be a person with a disability who uses the services provided by the Commuter Rail Division and appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, and the Commuter Rail Board shall each establish and maintain an ADA Advisory Committee to advise the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, or the Commuter Rail Board on accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as it relates to fixed route and paratransit service.
Amends the Parentage Act of 2015. Requires any individual who is an intended parent to undergo and pass a comprehensive criminal background check and screening before any insemination or embryo transfer. Provides that failure to do so waives any presumption that the person is the legal parent of any resulting child born through assisted reproduction. Prohibits an individual who is an intended parent from becoming the legal parent of a child resulting from the use of assisted reproduction if the intended parent has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to or nolo contendere to a list of criminal offenses. Makes the same changes to the Gestational Surrogacy Act. Amends the Illinois Fertility Fraud Act. Creates a cause of action against a health care provider by a child born as a result of assisted reproductive treatment if the health care provider failed to conduct a comprehensive criminal background check and screening of the child's intended parents that would have revealed that the intended parent had been convicted of or pled guilty to or nolo contendere to any specified violations and that child later suffered sexual abuse or sexual assault by that intended parent.
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person serving a sentence under the law in effect prior to February 1, 1978 who is released from imprisonment shall be placed on mandatory supervised release in the same manner and for the same term as provided in the mandatory supervised release provisions of the Code for persons sentenced under determinate sentencing. Provides that any reference to "parole" under the Sentencing Chapter of the Code and the mandatory supervised release provisions of the Code mean "mandatory supervised release". Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply retroactively. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the State shall not expend or invest any public funds in any organization, nonprofit organization, religious organization, or any other entity to be used for conversion therapy. Provides that the State shall not enter into any contract for the provision of conversion therapy. Provides that any contract entered into or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act that is used or will be used for conversion therapy shall be void and unenforceable as contrary to public policy. Defines "conversion therapy".
Amends the Civic Center Code. Provides that all contracts for the sale of property of the value of more than the small purchase maximum under the Illinois Procurement Code (rather than $10,000) shall be awarded to the highest responsible bidder, after advertising for bids. Provides that all construction contracts and contracts for supplies, materials, equipment and services, when the expense thereof will exceed the small purchase maximum under the Illinois Procurement Code (rather than $10,000), shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, after advertising for bids, except in specified circumstances. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
