Amends the Public Utilities Act. In provisions concerning nondiscrimination, provides that the Commission is authorized to approve a low-income discount rate for residential electric and natural gas customers that applies to the entirety of a qualifying customer's bill, including, but not limited to, a qualifying customer's delivery service charges and energy supply charges. Provides that an electric or natural gas utility may fund low-income discount rates through a surcharge on customers' electric and natural gas bills. Provides that the changes to the Act apply retroactively on and after January 1, 2023. Amends the Energy Assistance Act. In provisions concerning eligibility under the Act, provides that, in setting the annual eligibility level for the use of State funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall consider the amount of available funding and may not set a limit higher than 300% of the federal nonfarm poverty level. In provisions concerning the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, provides that the yearly administrative expenses of the Fund may not exceed 15% (rather than 13%) of the amount collected during that year, except when unspent funds from the Fund are reallocated from a previous year. Provides that any unspent balance of the 15% administrative allowance may be utilized for administrative expenses in the year they are reallocated. Provides that, of the 15% administrative allowance, no less than 9% (rather than 8%) shall be provided to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the Base Energy Assistance Charge shall be $0.80 per month for each utility that is required by the Illinois Commerce Commission to implement a low-income discount rate and shall be $0.40 per month for each utility that is not required to implement a low-income discount rate and that contributes to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. Makes other changes.
Amends the Township Code. Provides that all townships with a population less than 500 are dissolved on January 1, 2029. Provides for the transfer of real and personal property, and any other assets, together with all personnel, contractual obligations, and liabilities of the dissolving township to the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township. Provides that, on and after the date of dissolution, all rights and duties of the dissolved township, excluding those of the township's road district, may be exercised by the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township solely on behalf of the residents of the geographic area within the boundaries of the dissolved township. Provides that the county board of the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township may levy a property tax within the boundaries of the dissolved township for the duties taken on by the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township. Provides that all road districts wholly within the boundaries of a dissolving township shall retain all the same powers and responsibilities of each road district that were held prior to the dissolution of the township. Provides that elected and appointed township officers and road commissioners shall cease to hold office on the date of dissolution of the township and road districts, no longer be compensated, and do not have legal recourse relating to the ceasing of their elected or appointed positions upon the ceasing of their offices. Requires the highway commissioner of a dissolved township to comply with specified provisions of the Illinois Highway Code. Requires the highway commissioner of a dissolved township to attend at least one county board meeting each month. Amends the Counties Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Creates the Home Utility Relief Act. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create, as soon as practicable, a Home Utility Rebate Program to provide rebates to households that use electricity and that have a median household income between 100% and 500% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides that eligible households shall receive the rebates as soon as practicable after implementation of the program. Requires the Department to, by rule, establish qualifications for program participation which may include requirements that apply under the Energy Assistance Act and other requirements. Provides that rebates provided under the program shall be funded through appropriations made from the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund created under the Act. Requires the State Comptroller to direct and the State Treasurer to transfer $500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund to provide rebates to qualifying households for State fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Provides that any funds left over at the end of the second month following the conclusion of payments to households in a fiscal year may be awarded to certain qualifying first-time small business owners as determined by the Department. Requires the Department to adopt emergency rules in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to implement the program. Amends the State Finance Act to include the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund as a special fund. Effective immediately.
This House resolution formally condemns all forms of violence, including microaggressions and physical abuse, directed at Black women in Illinois. It highlights how systemic racism and misogyny create unique dangers for this group, particularly affecting their safety and economic independence. The document calls for proactive societal intervention to address these issues, with a specific focus on educational institutions. As a non-binding statement, it does not create new laws or alter existing policies but serves to express the legislative body's stance on the issue.
Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Act. Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Program, to be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, to provide scholarship assistance until July 1, 2031 to eligible students for engineering-related study at a public university who agree to work as an engineer for the Department of Transportation for a period of not less than 3 years. Allows the Commission to award scholarships to pay the tuition and fees of a student enrolled in an approved program of professional engineering education for the equivalent of 8 semesters or 16 quarters of full-time enrollment. Provides for an additional stipend in an amount not to exceed $10,000. Establishes the total amount of scholarship assistance, the application process, eligibility requirements, and payments and repayments. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act to require the Board of Higher Education to establish and administer a competitive grant program for public institutions of higher education that award degrees in engineering. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2032.
HB 4438 designates the Black-and-Gold Bumblebee (*Bombus auricomus*) as Illinois' official state bee under the State Designations Act. This symbolic bill directly affects all Illinois residents by adding a new state symbol, similar to existing designations like the state flower or bird. The key provision simply amends the State Designations Act to include this specific bumblebee species in official state references. The bill has no regulatory or financial impact, as it is purely a ceremonial designation. It was introduced in January 2026 and referred to the Rules Committee.
This House Resolution congratulates the Village of Winthrop Harbor on the 125th anniversary of its incorporation. The document highlights the community's history, geography, and local landmarks, such as North Point Marina and Illinois Beach State Park, to celebrate its milestone. No new laws or funding are created; the measure simply serves as a formal expression of appreciation from the Illinois House of Representatives to the village's leadership and residents.
Creates the Facilitating Voting By All Eligible Citizens Act. Provides that all eligible citizens shall cast a ballot in every general election. Provides that an eligible citizen who casts a blank ballot in a general election shall satisfy the requirement. Provides that no fine, fee, or penalty shall be assessed if an eligible citizen does not cast a ballot in a general election.
This House resolution congratulates the University of Illinois on the 150th anniversary of the Morrow Plots, a historic agricultural research site established in 1876. The bill highlights the plots' significance as the nation's oldest continuous field experiment, which originally studied soil health and crop rotation methods over time. As a commemorative measure, the resolution directs that a copy of the text be presented to the director of the Morrow Plots to acknowledge their long-standing contribution to scientific knowledge.
Amends the School Code. Requires a statewide athletic association governing interscholastic competition for public schools to conduct an equity impact review if the statewide athletic association has established or changed within one year before the effective date of the amendatory Act or on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act a policy that: (1) reduces the opportunities in a girls' sport without making an equivalent reduction in a comparable boys' sport; (2) causes the length of the regular sports season or the length of the full sports season to differ by more than one week for comparable sports offered to both sexes; or (3) causes the nature and extent of interscholastic sports offered by the statewide athletic association to not accommodate the interests and abilities of both sexes to a comparable degree. Sets forth the timeline for which an equity impact review must be conducted. Establishes the requirements for the equity impact review. Requires the statewide athletic association to make the equity impact review available to the public and allow for a public comment period of not less than 30 days before any changes are finalized. Requires the statewide athletic association to submit each equity impact review to the State Board of Education. Allows the State Board to issue nonbinding findings regarding whether the reduction or discrepancy in program comparability complies with gender equity and student opportunity principles. Effective immediately.
This bill repeals the Digital Asset Tax Act, immediately ending the requirement for cryptocurrency exchanges in Illinois to collect a 1.5% tax on digital asset transactions. By removing the law from the books, the measure eliminates the obligation for these exchanges to withhold and remit taxes to the state. The change directly affects cryptocurrency platforms operating in Illinois and the investors who previously paid this specific tax on their trades.
Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, from July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, use and occupation taxes on motor fuel and gasohol are imposed at the rate of 1.25%. Makes corresponding changes concerning the distribution of proceeds. Effective immediately.
