Rep. Brandun Schweizer

Amends the Human Remains Protection Act. Provides that if remains that are over 100 years old are identified as veteran's remains, the Department of Natural Resources shall permit a veterans' organization to place a marker to designate that grave, if not already designated, as the grave of a veteran. Provides that if the grave is damaged or destroyed, the veterans' organization may fix, add, install, or refurbish the grave or replace a broken or damaged headstone. Before the veterans' organization may repair, refurbish, place a marker, or otherwise repair a broken headstone on the grave, the veterans' organization must make a good faith effort to contact the next of kin of the person whose grave has been identified and receive no response from the next of kin within a reasonable period of time as determined by the Department, by rule. Provides that the Department shall, by rule, determine what relationship to a person whose grave has been identified as a veteran's grave must be contacted by the veterans' organization.

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Provides that physical therapy through telehealth services may be used to address access issues to care, enhance care delivery, or increase the physical therapist's ability to assess and direct the patient's performance in the patient's own environment. Provides that a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant working under the general supervision of a physical therapist may provide physical therapy through telehealth services pursuant to the terms and use defined in the Telehealth Act and the Illinois Insurance Code under specified conditions.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that every youth in care must have a Haircare Plan included in their case plan unless the youth explicitly indicates to the youth's caseworker that a Haircare Plan is not needed due to the youth's ability to maintain haircare without assistance. Provides that a caseworker or placement plan specialist must develop the Haircare Plan in consultation with the youth and parents. Provides that at a minimum, the Haircare Plan must address: (1) necessary haircare steps to be taken to preserve the youth's desired connection to their race, culture, gender, religion, and identity; (2) the desires of the youth as it pertains to the youth's hair; (3) the guidance and desires of the youth's parents, unless the parents cannot be contacted; and (4) steps to be taken specific to the youth's hair during emergency situations, including, but not limited to, lice infestations and scalp rashes and infections. Provides that by June 1, 2025, the Department of Children and Family Services must develop training for caregivers on how to provide culturally competent haircare. Provides that each time a youth is placed with a caregiver, the caregiver must sign a declaration stating that the caregiver has reviewed the training materials and will follow the Haircare Plan for the youth. Requires each Department office location to provide a list of affordable, accessible, and culturally competent haircare providers and resources in each of the Department's geographic regions. Requires the Department to adopt rules, by June 1, 2025, to facilitate the implementation of Haircare Plans.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that all reports involving railroad fatalities and all communications between police officers and train crew members involved in those occurrences shall not be public reports and shall be maintained by the police departments in a manner that ensures their confidentiality. Provides that these reports shall be accessible at all reasonable times upon written request to the host railroad, to the employing railroad, by court order, and to others specifically authorized by court order to obtain the information if the access is necessary in the performance of their duties. Provides that all such reports shall be accessible at all reasonable times, upon written or electronic mail request, to law enforcement officers, State's Attorneys, or Assistant State's Attorneys. Provides that communications between police officers and railroad employees of the incidents may be shared with these persons if the access is necessary in the performance of their duties.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that a day care home or group day care home is not required to be licensed under the Act if the day care home or group day care home: (1) serves only dependent children of military personnel; (2) is located on a military base or federal property; and (3) is certified as a child development program by a branch of the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S. Coast Guard. Provides that the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S. Coast Guard, or their agents, including an installation commander of a military base on which a day care home or group day care home is located, may assume responsibility for approving or determining which children may be served by the day care homes or group day care homes that are exempt from licensure.

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that the governing board of each public institution of higher education shall adopt a policy to allow a student who is a member of the National Guard of any state, the District of Columbia, a commonwealth, or a territory of the United States or any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States to submit classwork and complete any other class assignments missed due to the student participating in a drill required as a member of the National Guard or the reserve component.

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 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.

Maddy summarySB 464 amends the Right to Privacy in the School Setting Act to make a technical change regarding the bill's short title. This legislative update clarifies the official name of the existing law without altering its substantive provisions or creating new policies. The change directly affects the legal documentation of the act but does not impact school districts, funding mechanisms, or student privacy rights.

Creates the Construction Industry Employment Freedom Act. Provides that any employer not party to a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with a labor organization in the construction industry shall not enter into or enforce a non-compete agreement or non-solicitation agreement that restricts or prohibits a worker from accepting employment with an employer that is party to a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with a labor organization. Provides that any non-compete agreement or non-solicitation agreement that violates that provision shall be void and unenforceable. Provides that the Department of Labor shall be responsible for enforcing the provisions of the Act. Provides that any employer found to be in violation of the Act shall be subject to a fine as determined by the Department of Labor, not to exceed $5,000 for each violation. Provides that any affected employee may bring a civil action against an employer for injunctive relief and damages for violations of the Act. Effective immediately.