Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning no later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of State shall offer to qualified applicants the option to be issued an 8-year driver's license at a cost of $60. Provides that the Secretary shall submit proposed rules to implement the new provisions to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules no later than December 31, 2024. Makes corresponding changes.

Maddy summaryThis law creates a new program within the Department of Juvenile Justice designed specifically for young adults aged 18 to 22 who are currently held in adult correctional facilities. It allows eligible individuals to be transferred to juvenile facilities to participate in these emerging adult programs, provided the move follows specific federal guidelines. The transfer process requires written approval from the directors of both the Juvenile Justice and Corrections departments, and the two agencies must create an agreement to set rules for who qualifies and how transfers are handled.

Maddy summaryThis law prohibits public colleges and universities in Illinois from using legacy status or donor connections as a factor when admitting students. It defines legacy status as a familial relationship to a current or former student and explicitly bans schools from considering ties to past, current, or future donors. The bill amends existing education statutes to ensure that admission decisions are made without regard to these specific family or financial connections.

Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a hospital shall not charge or bill a patient whose household income is not greater than 138% of the federal poverty level.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that "alcoholic liquor" includes alcohol-infused products. Defines "alcohol-infused products" and "co-branded alcoholic beverage". Provides that, except for persons issued a license under the Act, no person shall manufacture, distribute, or sell alcohol-infused products. Provides that no retail establishment with a retail sales floor that exceeds 2,500 square feet shall display alcohol-infused products immediately adjacent to similar products that are not alcohol-infused products or immediately adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled waters, candies, or snack foods portraying cartoons or youth-oriented images. Provides that no retail establishment with a retail sales floor area that exceeds 2,500 square feet shall display co-branded alcoholic beverages immediately adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled waters, candies, or snack foods portraying cartoons or youth-oriented images or immediately adjacent to products that are not alcohol-infused products. Provides that any retail establishment with a retail sales floor that is equal to or less than 2,500 square feet shall either not display alcohol-infused products or co-branded alcoholic beverages immediately adjacent to specified products or equip the display with specified signage. Prohibits retail licensees from keeping, exposing for sale, or displaying alcohol-infused products immediately adjacent to products marketed toward children.

Creates the Water Plan Task Force Act. Establishes the State Water Plan Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall be chaired by the Director of the Office of Water Resources of the Department of Natural Resources and composed of the directors, or their designee, from various other State entities. Requires the Task Force to identify critical water issues, to develop and implement recommendations that address the critical water issues, and to reevaluate critical water issues and needs. Requires the Task Force to publish a State Water Plan not less than every 10 years. Provides that the Task Force shall develop and maintain a publicly available website or portal that summarizes projects of the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to meet not less than once per quarter each calendar year. Enumerates the authority granted to the Task Force.

Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force Act. Provides that it is the General Assembly's intent to require a coordinated, public health, and service-integrated response by various agencies within the State's health and child welfare systems to address the substance use treatment needs of infants born with prenatal substance exposure, as well as the treatment needs of their caregivers and families, by requiring the development, provision, and monitoring of family recovery plans. Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force within the Department of Human Services. Sets forth the duties of the Task Force, including reviewing models of family recovery plans that have been implemented in other states; and reviewing and developing recommendations to replace punitive policies with notification policies for health care professionals reporting a positive toxicology screen of a newborn. Contains provisions concerning Task Force membership, meetings, reporting requirements, and other matters. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop a standardized CAPTA notification form that is separate and distinct from the form for written confirmation reports of child abuse or neglect. Provides that a CAPTA notification shall not be treated as a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, shall not be recorded in the State Central Registry, and shall not be discoverable or admissible as evidence in any juvenile court or adoption proceeding unless the named party waives, in writing, his or her right to confidentiality. Repeals a provision requiring the Department to report to the State's Attorney every report of a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains a prohibited controlled substance. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Removes newborn infants whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance from the list of children presumed neglected or abused under the Act. Makes corresponding changes to a provision listing the types of evidence that constitute prima facie evidence of neglect and to relevant provisions under the Adoption Act. Effective immediately, except that some parts take effect January 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In provisions requiring a claimant or claimants to repay certain amounts received under the angel investment tax credit if a qualified new business venture fails to maintain its minimum employment threshold, provides that, during the 3-year reporting period that includes March 13, 2020 to January 1, 2024, the repayment of any tax credits issued under those provisions shall be determined at the discretion of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In a provision requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to award post-secondary education scholarships and fee waivers to eligible students, removes a provision that conditions the renewal of awarded scholarships and fee waivers on students continuing to work toward graduation. Instead provides that while students shall not be required to maintain a specified minimum grade point average to continue to receive scholarships and fee waivers, students must be making satisfactory progress toward completing their degree at a community college, university, or college. Requires the Department to adopt rules identifying the criteria for "satisfactory progress toward completing a degree" (rather than the criteria for "continuing to work toward graduation"). Removes a provision requiring a community college or public university that an applicant attends to waive any tuition and fee amounts that exceed the amounts paid to the applicant under the State's Monetary Award Program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act. Provides that the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation shall retain qualified persons to design and conduct one or more disparity studies to prepare and report findings and conclusions to the Secretary to: (1) identify and delineate geographies in Illinois exhibiting significant disparities by protected characteristics with respect to: access to financial products or services, including, but not limited to, physical branches of covered financial institutions; and lending and investments by covered financial institutions; and (2) identify policies, procedures, patterns, or practices that have or may have disparate impact or discriminatory effects. Provides that the Secretary shall implement the findings, conclusions, and other results from the study into the examination process as detailed in rule. Provides that the Secretary shall update the disparity studies at least every 4 years, but may require it to be updated more frequently at the Secretary's discretion. Provides that the Secretary may use specified fees to pay for the disparity studies, as necessary. Defines the term "protected characteristic". Effective immediately.