Rep. Adam Niemerg

Creates the Professional Licensure Apprenticeship Recognition Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall grant a license to any applicant who has: (1) completed a qualifying licensure apprenticeship program; (2) passed any examination required by the applicable licensing Act; (3) paid any applicable fees; and (4) met any other criteria unrelated to training and education requirements under the licensing Act. Sets forth provisions concerning the denial of an apprenticeship program, the determination of a passing score on a licensing examination, and licensing fees. Provides that the Department may work with relevant agencies, including the State Board of Education, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Department of Employment Security, to ensure that licensure apprenticeship programs that qualify under the Act are available and known to secondary and postsecondary students. Provides that the Department may consider licensure apprenticeship programs for professions that do not have a corresponding licensing Act as a path to licensure if, in the discretion of the Department, apprenticeship is appropriate. Provides that the Department shall not exempt a license obtained pursuant to the Act from any continuing training or education requirements required for license holders under the licensing Act to maintain or renew an existing license. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. With regard to the 5 State-funded retirement systems, provides that the following are forbidden entities for purposes of investment and certain other transactions: Hamas; any company or entity that is wholly or partially managed or controlled by Hamas; any company identified by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury as sponsoring terrorist activities in conjunction with Hamas or under specified regulations pertaining to terrorism sanctions; any company that has been fined, penalized, or sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury for any violation of any United States rules and restrictions relating to Hamas that occurred at any time following the effective date of the amendatory Act; or any company that has business operations that involve contracts with or the provision of supplies or services to Hamas, companies in which Hamas has any direct or indirect equity share, or consortiums or projects commissioned by Hamas. Provides that a retirement system shall not transfer or disburse funds to, deposit into, acquire any bonds or commercial paper from, or otherwise loan to or invest in any entity unless a certifying company certifies to the retirement system that: (1) with respect to investments in a publicly traded company, the certifying company has relied on information provided by an independent researching firm that specializes in global security risk; and (2) 100% of the retirement system's assets for which the certifying company provides services or advice are not and have not been invested or reinvested in any forbidden entity at any time after 4 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires the Illinois Investment Policy Board to make its best efforts to identify all Hamas-restricted companies and include those companies in the list of restricted companies for purposes of investment distributed to each retirement system and the Illinois State Board of Investment. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Auditor General to conduct a post audit of all accounts and transactions of the Department of Human Services to determine the total amount in public funds the Department has expended since January 1, 2018 (the effective date of Public Act 100-538) to cover the costs of elective abortions and related services. Provides that Department expenditures subject to examination under the audit include: any grant amounts awarded to nonprofit agencies and organizations in accordance with the Problem Pregnancy Health Services and Care Act to cover the costs of elective abortions and related services; and any funds used to cover the costs of elective abortions and related services provided under the Medical Assistance Program. Provides that the Auditor General may request the cooperation of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to assist in obtaining any information needed to complete the audit. Provides that upon completion of the post audit, the Auditor General shall issue a report in accordance with the Illinois State Auditing Act. Requires the report to be posted on the official website of the Department of Human Services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for enhanced mandatory sentences of imprisonment for trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude, and involuntary sexual servitude of a minor and aggravating factors concerning those offenses.

Amends the Fiscal Note Act, the Judicial Note Act, the State Debt Impact Note Act, the Correctional Budget and Impact Note Act, the Home Rule Note Act, the Balanced Budget Note Act, the Housing Affordability Impact Note Act, and the Racial Impact Note Act. Provides, in each of the affected Acts, that no rule of either house may authorize or require a note request to be deemed inapplicable. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, when a corner knows or is informed that a death is suspected to be a maternal or fetal death due to an abortion, the coroner shall go to the place where the dead body is located, take charge of the body, and make a preliminary investigation into the circumstances of the death. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a proceeding in the prosecution of an offense of criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery, or aggravated domestic battery, in which the victim is a child or a person with a moderate, severe, or profound intellectual disability or a victim affected by a developmental disability, the child victim or victim with a moderate, severe, or profound intellectual disability or a victim affected by a developmental disability does not need to testify or be present in court for the judge to make the determination of whether the testimony of such person will result in the person suffering serious emotional distress such that the person cannot reasonably communicate or that the person will suffer severe emotional distress that is likely to cause the person to suffer severe adverse effects. Provides that there is a rebuttable presumption that the testimony of a victim who is a child under 13 years of age shall testify outside the courtroom and the child's testimony shall be shown in the courtroom by means of a 2-way closed circuit television (rather than closed circuit television). Provides that before the court permits the testimony of a victim outside the courtroom that is to be shown in the courtroom by means of a closed circuit television, the court must make a finding that the testimony by means of a 2-way closed circuit television (rather than closed circuit television) does not prejudice the defendant.

Amends the Reproductive Health Act. Provides that no person shall perform or induce an abortion unless at least 72 hours prior thereto the health care professional who is to perform or induce the abortion has conferred with the patient and discussed with the patient the indicators, contraindicators, and risk factors in light of the patient's medical history and medical condition.

Amends the Statute on Statutes. Provides that a live child born as a result of an abortion shall be fully recognized as a human person and accorded immediate protection under the law. Removes language regarding interpretation of specified provisions. Effective immediately.

Creates the Ultrasound Opportunity Act. Sets forth legislative findings and definitions. Provides that at any facility where abortions are performed, the physician who is to perform the abortion, the referring physician, or another qualified person working in conjunction with either physician shall offer any woman seeking an abortion after 8 weeks of gestation an opportunity to receive and view an active ultrasound of her unborn child by someone qualified to perform ultrasounds at the facility, or at a facility listed in a listing of local ultrasound providers provided by the facility, prior to the woman having any part of an abortion performed or induced and prior to the administration of any anesthesia or medication in preparation for the abortion. Provides that, following the performance of an ultrasound on a woman, 72 hours must pass before the administration of any anesthesia or medication in preparation for an abortion for the woman. Provides that the requirements of the Act shall not apply when, in the medical judgment of the physician performing or inducing the abortion, there exists a medical emergency. Contains a severability provision.