Technology

Amends the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Defines "biometric identifier" to include neural data. Defines "neural data" as information that is generated by the measurement of activity of an individual's central or peripheral nervous system, and that is not inferred from non-neural information.

Creates the Illinois Data Privacy and Protection Act. Provides that a covered entity (any entity or any person, other than an individual acting in a non-commercial context, that alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of collecting, processing, or transferring covered data) may not collect, process, or transfer covered data unless the collection, processing, or transfer is limited to what is reasonably necessary and proportionate. Provides that a covered entity and a service provider shall establish, implement, and maintain reasonable policies, practices, and procedures concerning the collection, processing, and transferring of covered data. Contains provisions concerning retaliation; transparency; individual data rights; consent; data protection for children and minors; civil rights; data security; small business protections; executive responsibility; service providers and third parties; enforcement; severability; and rulemaking. Effective 180 days after becoming law.

Creates the Utility Data Access Act. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to enact the following procedures: (1) a utility shall retain all consumption data for a period of not less than 2 years; (2) a qualified utility shall retain monthly consumption data used for billing for a period of not less than 15 years; (3) a utility shall honor an account holder's request to transmit the account holder's covered usage data held by the utility to any entity designated by the account holder; (4) a qualified data recipient with respect to a qualified building or qualified property may request that a qualified utility provide aggregated usage data for the qualified building or qualified property; (5) a utility shall deliver requested data on a schedule set by the Commission; and (6) the account holder request process and utility delivery of requested data shall be convenient and secure. Establishes requirements for: the Commission's participation in a stakeholder process; the form and timeline in which covered usage data is provided to the data recipient; entry of data into the benchmarking tool; and the provision of covered usage data to recipients upon account holder authorization. Provides that, except in cases where the utility has not followed processes established by the Act or the utility is grossly negligent, the utility shall be held harmless for third-party misuse of data shared under the Act and no cause of action may be initiated against the utility for such subsequent misuse. Provides that prior to filing for cost recovery, a qualified utility must first demonstrate good faith efforts to secure federal, State, or other relevant funding options. Sets forth provisions regarding funding for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under the Act and the Commission selecting and engaging outside consultants with experience in benchmarking and utility data access. States findings. Defines terms.

SB 252 amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make the state's research and development tax credit permanent. This bill removes any expiration date for the credit, ensuring its continuous availability. It directly affects businesses in Illinois that conduct research and development activities and claim this specific income tax credit.

Creates the Anti-Click Gambling Data Analytics Collection Act. Provides that no entity that operates a remote gambling platform or a subsidiary of the entity shall collect data from a participant with the intent to predict how the participant will gamble in a particular gambling or betting scenario. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for any person to engage in a commercial transaction or trade practice with a consumer in which: (1) the consumer is communicating or otherwise interacting with a chatbot, artificial intelligence agent, avatar, or other computer technology that engages in a textual or aural conversation; (2) the communication may mislead or deceive a reasonable consumer to believe that the consumer is communicating with a human representative; and (3) the consumer is not notified in a clear and conspicuous manner that the consumer is communicating with an artificial intelligence system and not a human representative. Effective January 1, 2026.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Department of Innovation and Technology for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, as follows: General Funds $291,142,900; Other State Funds $768,869,700; Total $1,060,012,600.

Creates the Surveillance-Based Price and Wage Discrimination Act. Provides that a person shall not use surveillance data as part of an automated decision system to inform the individualized price assessed to a consumer for goods or services. Provides that a person shall not use surveillance data as part of an automated decision system to inform the individualized wage paid to an employee. Sets forth exemptions to the provisions. Provides that the Attorney General shall enforce the Act. Sets forth provisions concerning private rights of action and penalties for violations.

Creates the Secure Telecommunications Act of 2025. Provides that all critical telecommunications infrastructure located within or serving the State shall be constructed so as not to include any equipment manufactured by a federally banned corporation or any equipment banned at the federal level. Provides that all critical telecommunications infrastructure located within or serving the State shall be constructed so as not to include any equipment manufactured in or by a foreign adversary, a state-owned enterprise of a foreign adversary, or a company domiciled within a foreign adversary. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish a registration system for telecommunications providers. Provides for a registration fee. Sets forth requirements for registration of telecommunications providers. Provides for a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for any telecommunications provider who violates the Act or knowingly submits a false registration form. Provides that any telecommunications provider that fails to comply with a portion of the Act is prohibited from receiving any State or local funds, including funds from the Illinois Telecommunications Universal Service Fund, for the development or support of new or existing critical telecommunications infrastructure and is also prohibited from receiving any federal funds subject to distribution by State or local governments for the development or support of new or existing critical telecommunications infrastructure. Effective July 1, 2025.

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.