Rep. Ann Williams

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that for a 3-member body, 2 members of the body constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of 2 members is necessary to adopt any motion, resolution, or ordinance unless a greater number is otherwise provided. Provides that a Chicago Police District Council may hold a closed meeting involving public safety concerns to discuss (i) an ongoing, prior, or future law enforcement or official misconduct investigation or allegation thereof involving specific individuals or (ii) other topics that if discussed in an open meeting would pose an unreasonable risk to an ongoing criminal investigation or an unreasonable risk to the safety of specific individuals. Provides that an agenda for each regular meeting of a public body must be posted the principal office of the public body if such an office exists. Provides that if a public body has a website that is maintained by its full-time staff but does not have a principal office or single building where meetings are regularly held, that body is deemed to have complied with the requirement to post physical notice at the office or building of the meeting if the notice is timely posted on the public body's website. Excludes from the definition of "meeting" for a Chicago Police District Council a gathering of 2 members, except if gathered for a regularly scheduled meeting or otherwise gathered to adopt any motion, resolution, or ordinance. Provides a Chicago Police District Council may hold meetings by audio or video conference without the physical presence of the members under certain conditions except for required regularly scheduled meetings.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Prohibits a home rule unit of local government with a population of over 1,000,000 from enforcing any local ordinance passed prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act prohibiting the operation of video gaming terminals within the corporate limits of the municipality. Prohibits a home rule unit of government with a population of over 1,000,000 from imposing any fee for the operation of a video gaming terminal in excess of $250 per year.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning radon testing, provides that every school building of a school district that is occupied or will be occupied shall be tested by January 1, 2029 and shall be retested every 5 years thereafter for radon (instead of recommending that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon). Provides that all new schools of a school district shall be built using radon resistant new construction techniques in accordance with the American National Standards Institute/American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists CC-1000, Soil Gas Control Systems in New Construction of Multifamily, School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings standard or a successor standard (instead of recommending that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings). Removes a provision allowing a person to perform radon screening tests without a license. Makes changes concerning the exemption. Provides that if radon is found to exceed specified levels, then the school district shall (instead of may) hire a licensed radon professional to perform confirmatory measurements (instead of to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made). Sets forth provisions concerning mitigation. Provides that a school district may use life safety funds, if available, for radon testing and mitigation. Preempts home rule powers.

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 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.

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that exhaustion of remedies is not required for any person who files a claim in the court for damages based on the Code of Civil Procedure provisions pertaining to actions for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse. Contains a statement of findings and intent. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act applies to all actions pending or commenced on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and to any action that would not have been time barred under the statute of limitations or statute of repose under the Code of Civil Procedure affecting childhood sexual abuse before the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a law enforcement officer shall not wear any mask or neck gaiter while interacting with the public in the performance of the officer's duties, except for medical grade masks that are surgical or N95 respirators designed to prevent the transmission of airborne diseases and diseases, masks designed to protect against exposure to smoke during a state of emergency related to wildfires, or protective gear used by Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team officers necessary to protect their faces from harm while they perform their SWAT responsibilities. Provides that "mask" does not include a face shield if it does not conceal the wearer's face and does not include a clear mask that does not conceal the wearer's face. Provides that while executing law enforcement duties, a law enforcement officer shall display on the uniform that the officer wears: (i) the officer's name or badge number and (ii) the agency in which the officer is employed. Provides that the provisions do not apply to an officer while the officer is engaged in an undercover assignment. Provides that moneys from fines received for convictions under this provision shall be deposited into a special fund in the State treasury to be known as the Immigrant Family Services Fund and shall be used by the Department of Human Services to provide immigrant family services as determined by the Secretary of Human Services. Establishes penalties for violations. Defines terms. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption, provides that the Chief County Assessment Officer in a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants may request full social security numbers or individual taxpayer identification numbers for all members of the applicant's household. Provides that the Chief County Assessment Officer may renew the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption without a new application if the Chief County Assessment Officer is able to confirm both that the applicant still owns and resides in the property and that applicant's household income qualifies for the exemption. Provides that a Chief County Assessment Officer who renews a low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption without an annual application shall notify the applicant of both the decision to renew the exemption and the applicant's ongoing duty to report changes in the eligibility of the property to receive the exemption.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person shall not take, hold, conceal, or destroy mail addressed to another person with the intent to defraud any person or deprive the person to whom the mail was addressed of the mail. Provides that a person who violates this provision is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense. Provides that the provision applies if the victim of the offense is an individual whether the individual whose mail is obtained, or attempted to be obtained, is alive or deceased at the time of the violation. Provides that the provision does not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or sentenced for any other violation of law committed by that person using mail obtained in violation of the provision or any other violation of law committed by that person while violating or attempting to violate the provision. Defines "mail" and "person". Effective immediately.

Calls for the release of all files related to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged accomplices with redactions limited solely to shielding the identities of survivors as outlined in the Epstein Transparency Act. Further calls for the appointment of a special prosecutor independent of the Trump Administration's influence to review prosecution decisions stemming from the Epstein investigation to investigate whether the Trump Administration illegally redacted or withheld documents to shield individuals for political purposes.