Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall establish the Natural Resource Restoration Trust Grant Program to make grants to applicants for the restoration or replacement of injured or damaged natural resources resulting from claims pursued under the laws of the United States, the laws of this State, other statutory laws, or common law. Provides that the following entities may apply for grants under the Act: (i) units of local government; (ii) soil and water conservation districts; (iii) area-wide agencies, including counties, regional planning agencies, or both; (iv) nonprofit organizations; (iv) public or private institutes of higher education; (v) port authorities; and (vi) federally recognized tribes. Provides that the Department shall issue grants if (i) the requested grant complies with the purpose for which the Department was to provide funds and is subject to the requirements of all applicable court orders and (ii) the grant complies with the criteria established by administrative rule for the issuance of the grant. Provides that grants shall not be awarded to a grantee that is responsible for the pollution event that is the subject or basis for the issuance of the grant. Effective July 1, 2027.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person convicted of a felony, after the completion of his or her sentence, including the completion of his or her parole or mandatory supervised release term, shall be eligible to be nominated for, and elected to, an elective public office. Provides that the provision does not apply to a person convicted of a felony, bribery, perjury, or other infamous crime for an offense committed while he or she was serving as a public official in the State. Defines "elective public office". Amends the Election Code and the Illinois Municipal Code to make conforming changes.

Creates the Let the People Lift the Ban Act. Includes legislative findings and purpose. Defines terms. Excludes specified types of residences and occupancies from the Act. Includes provisions relating to rental agreements, tenant and landlord rights and obligations, tenant and landlord remedies, security deposits, retaliatory conduct, lockouts, and conflict with other provisions of law. Amends the Rent Control Preemption Act. Provides that a prohibition on a unit of local government enacting, maintaining, or enforcing an ordinance or resolution that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property does not apply if the voters of the unit of local government have approved a referendum allowing rent control. Adds provisions about local rent control regulation, including regulation within a district, precinct, ward, or other similar subdivision of a unit of local government. Changes the home rule preemption of the Act to concurrent exercise of home rule powers by a unit rather than exclusive exercise by the State. Repeals the Retaliatory Eviction Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, shall create an introductory content area endorsement for computer science that allows individuals with a Professional Educator License to teach introductory computer science courses in grades 5 through 12. Provides that the endorsement shall require no more than 8 credit hours of graduate-level preparation that includes instruction in introductory computer science concepts and computer science pedagogy. Allows an individual with a Professional Educator License seeking the endorsement to substitute a State Board-approved, one-week, professional development program in introductory high school computer science education for 4 credit hours of the graduate-level preparation in introductory computer science concepts. Provides that the one-week, professional development program may count as 4 credit hours of the graduate-level preparation. Allows an individual with an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement who completes the 8 credit hours of graduate-level preparation to count those credit hours toward completion of the requirements for a Professional Educator License with a computer science endorsement.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Defines "CCR management unit" as any area of land at any facility with a CCR surface impoundment, on which any noncontainerized accumulation of CCR is received, is placed, or is otherwise managed, and that is not itself a CCR surface impoundment. Provides that the term "CCR management unit" does not include CCR used in a manner that meets the definition of coal combustion by-product, unless the owner or operator, or the Agency, determines that the CCR is causing or contributing to a statistically significant concentration of one or more constituents above the groundwater protection standard established by the Board. Provides that no later than February 8, 2027, the owner or operator of a CCR surface impoundment must submit to the Agency a copy of the Facility Evaluation Reports Part 1 and 2. Provides that the Board shall adopt rules establishing permit requirements, reporting, financial assurance, and closure and post-closure care requirements for CCR management units. Provides that the owner or operator of a CCR management unit shall pay an initial fee of $75,000 for each CCR management unit by July 1, 2027 and an annual fee of $25,000 for each CCR management unit that has not completed closure; and $15,000 for each CCR management unit that has not completed post-closure care, beginning July 1, 2028.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that, if a voter is unable to submit a vote by mail ballot, it shall be sufficient for the voter to submit to the election judges an affidavit executed before the election judges specifying that the voter received a vote by mail ballot, but the vote by mail ballot was misplaced or destroyed, and was unable to bring the vote by mail ballot to the polling place. Makes conforming changes.

Specifies that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Public Office Eligibility and Criminal Conviction Clarification Act. Amends the Township Code. Repeals a provision that makes a person ineligible to hold any office under the Code if the person, at the time required for taking the oath of office, has been convicted of a felony. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. In a provision concerning qualification for specified elective offices, deletes provisions which prohibit a person from taking the oath of office if the person has been convicted of a felony.

Amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Provides that a full-service restaurant or quick-service restaurant shall not provide single-use plastic disposable foodware items to a consumer ordering or purchasing dine-in food unless requested by the consumer and that plastic drinking straws must be provided when specifically requested. Provides that single-use plastic disposable foodware items that are provided may not be packaged in plastic. Provides that a food dispensing establishment or takeout food delivery service must provide options for a customer to request disposable foodware items separate from the customer's order, with certain requirements. Provides that a full-service restaurant or quick-service restaurant offering condiments may use dispensers rather than prepackaged disposable condiment packets. Provides that a full-service restaurant or quick-service restaurant must post a sign indicating that single-use plastic disposable foodware will be made available upon request or at a self serve station. Provides that a full-service restaurant or quick-service restaurant may make single-use plastic straws available to customers ordering or purchasing dine-in food by making available dispensers or certain other means if a sign is posted encouraging the reduction of the use single-use plastics. Provides for a civil penalty of $25, after a first notice of violation, for each day a full-service restaurant or quick-service restaurant is in violation, paid to the Department of Public Health. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act. With regard to the retirement systems established under the General Assembly, State Employees, State Universities, Downstate Teachers, or Judges Article of the Code and the Illinois State Board of Investment, prohibits direct investment of any additional pension assets in the stocks, securities, or other obligations of any fossil fuel company or any subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of a fossil fuel company. Provides that each board of trustees of a pension system shall ensure the pension system does not make further indirect investments unless, upon exercising due diligence, the board of trustees is satisfied that the investment vehicle is unlikely to have more than 2% of its assets invested in fossil fuel companies. Requires pension system trustees to identify the pension system's holdings, whether directly or indirectly invested, including private investments. Requires pension system trustees to identify holdings that are invested in the stocks, securities, equities, fixed income, corporate bonds, prime commercial paper, or other obligations of fossil fuel companies. Requires pension systems to, in accordance with sound investment criteria and consistent with fiduciary obligations, divest any fossil fuel holdings, which must be completed by January 1, 2030. Requires pension systems to adopt an update to their written investment policies if necessary. Requires each pension system to disclose the analytic methods used, if any, in determining the climate-related financial risks posed by its fossil fuel investments (both publicly traded and private investments) and the results of the analysis. Sets forth provisions concerning definitions, de minimis exposure to fossil fuel securities, and annual reporting. Effective immediately.

Amends the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act. Provides that, beginning 18 months after the amendatory Act's effective date, (1) no store or food service business shall provide or sell a single-use plastic carryout bag to a customer and (2) no grocery store shall provide or sell a single-use paper carryout bag to a customer. Preempts home rule powers. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.