Rep. Jen Gong-Gershowitz

Creates the Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act. Establishes a firearms manufacturer licensing program in the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, with certain requirements, including that the sum of all fees for firearms manufacturer licenses shall be equal to the public health costs and financial burdens from firearm injuries and deaths. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2028, a manufacturer of firearms may not operate in this State without a license from the Department and that a manufacturer who violates this provision is subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000,000 per month. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2028, a retailer may not sell a firearm to a consumer in this State from a manufacturer who does not have a license from the Department and that a retailer who violates this provision is subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, with certain requirements. Establishes the RIFL Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, with certain limitations. Provides that the proceeds from fees under the licensing program shall be deposited into the RIFL Fund. Establishes a financial assistance program in the Department with moneys from the RIFL Fund for financial assistance to victims of firearms and for other purposes. Provides that the Department shall contract with a program administrator to administer the financial assistance program, with certain requirements. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules for financial assistance to victims of firearms, with certain requirements, including regarding exemption from certain State taxes. Provides that the Department may contract with a program administrator to implement or administer any part of the Act, with certain requirements. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall report certain information to the Department. Provides that the Department may provide for other civil penalties of no more than $1,000 per violation. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce the Act. Makes other provisions. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the School Code. Requires every public elementary and high school to include in its curriculum the study of the contributions made by Latin Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the requirement during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit and make recommendations for improvement. Provides that the failure by a school district or school to comply with the requirement shall result in a written warning for the first offense, and if the school district or school continues to fail to comply with the requirements, the school district or school shall face disciplinary action at the discretion of the regional superintendent. Requires the State Superintendent of Education to prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials and professional development opportunities that may be used as guidelines for the development of a Latin American unit of study. Effective August 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that it is unlawful to include in any employment contract, or to require an employee to execute as a condition of employment or a work relationship, a contract that: (1) requires the employee to pay an employer, training provider, or debt collector for a debt if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated; (2) authorizes the employer, training provider, or debt collector to resume or initiate collection of or to end forbearance on a debt if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated; (3) imposes any penalty, fee, or cost on an employee if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated. Provides that the provision applies to contracts entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that a contract entered into in violation of the provision is void and unenforceable. Sets forth exceptions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Authorizes a petitioner, cross-petitioner, or respondent to request a one-time substitution of a guardian ad litem that must be granted if the motion to do so was made at any time before the guardian ad litem files an appearance or at the first court appearance, whichever is later.

Maddy summaryHB 4171 amends the Sports Wagering Act to remove the ability of local governments, known as home rule units, to regulate, license, or tax sports wagering activities within their jurisdictions. This means that local municipalities can no longer impose their own rules or fees on sports betting operations. The bill centralizes the authority over sports wagering at the state level. It is effective immediately upon becoming law.

Creates the Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act. Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall develop a program to represent noncitizen victims of violent crimes in the filing of victim remedies before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office administrative body. Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall use any funding provided to the pilot program to represent or give counsel to 50 noncitizen victims annually for the next 5 years who were victimized by violent crimes in Lake County. Provides that the to be eligible for assistance under the program, an individual must: (1) be a noncitizen victim, who has never been placed in removal proceedings; (2) have suffered a violent crime in Lake County; and (3) not be barred from the immigration remedies before the administrative body. Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in counties with a population of more than 500,000, a State's Attorney may act, without fee or appointment, as an attorney to a noncitizen victim in an immigration case only if the noncitizen victim was victimized within the county the State's Attorney serves and is located within the geographic boundaries of the county served by the State's Attorney.

Congratulates Immanuel Lutheran Church of Glenview on the 150th anniversary of its founding and the 100th anniversary of its sanctuary and commends the congregation for its century and a half of dedicated service to the residents of Glenview and the surrounding area.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Exempts low-speed personal mobility devices and low-speed personal micromobility devices from registration and certificate of title requirements. Prohibits high-speed mobility devices and moderate-speed mobility devices from being marketed, sold, or advertised as low-speed personal mobility devices or low-speed micromobility devices. Exempts persons operating low-speed personal mobility devices and low-speed micromobility devices from driver's license or permit requirements. Provides that high-speed personal mobility devices are subject to the rules and requirements that apply to motorcycles and moderate-speed personal mobility devices are subject to the rules and requirements that apply to mopeds. Requires a person to be covered by a liability insurance policy to operate, register, or maintain registration of a high-speed personal mobility device or moderate-speed personal mobility device. Allows a municipality or local unit of government to install signage clearly indicating the regulation of personal mobility devices. Sets forth prohibited operations of a high-speed personal mobility device, moderate-speed, and low-speed personal mobility device. Provides that traffic laws apply to persons riding low-speed personal mobility devices. Sets forth equipment requirements on low-speed personal mobility devices and moderate-speed personal mobility devices. Sets forth the operation standards for low-speed personal mobility devices, low-speed personal micromobility devices, high-speed personal mobility devices, and moderate-speed personal mobility devices. Repeals provisions regarding low-speed electric scooters and low-speed gas bicycles. Makes conforming and other changes. Amends the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. Provides that neither a local public entity nor a public employee is liable for an injury related to the use of a high-speed personal mobility device, moderate-speed personal mobility device, personal mobility device, or low-speed personal mobility device unless the local public entity or public employee is guilty of willful and wanton conduct. Makes conforming changes in the Micromobility Fire Safety Act and the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practice Act.

Creates the Chatbot Provider Liability Act. Provides that for purposes of the Act, chatbots are deemed products for the purpose of strict liability as other product liability actions. Provides that a chatbot provider has a duty to ensure that the use of its chatbot does not cause injury to a user and is liable for any injury it caused a user through the use of its chatbot regardless of whether the chatbot provider exercised all reasonable care in the design and distribution of the chatbot; or did not directly distribute the chatbot to the user or otherwise enter into a contractual relationship with the user. Provides that a user who is harmed by the actions of a chatbot provider under this Act may file a civil action in State or federal court seeking actual damages as allowed under Illinois law, injunctive relief, and reimbursement of reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

Amends the School Code. Provides that on or before the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year, each school board and charter school shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy. Establishes exceptions for the use of a wireless communication device during school time. Prohibits a school district or charter school from enforcing the wireless communication device policy through fees, fines, suspensions, expulsions, or the deployment of a school resource officer or local law enforcement officer. Sets forth how the policy shall be developed. Requires each school district and charter school to ensure all school personnel and substitute teachers are informed of the tenets of the policy, the roles and responsibilities of staff members, the importance of uniform enforcement, and the handling of implementation in a trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate manner. Provides that a school board and any school personnel, including charter school personnel, shall be immune from any liability resulting from damage to a wireless communication device when the device is stored in good faith and in accordance with the school board's wireless communication device policy. Provides that the wireless communication device policy shall be posted on the school district's or charter school's existing, publicly accessible Internet website and included in the student handbook. Requires, by September 1, 2026, the State Board of Education to post on its website a template for a model wireless communication device policy. Provides that if a school district or charter school has an existing wireless communication device policy in place before the effective date of the amendatory Act that limits wireless communication devices during a majority of or the entirety of the school day, the district or charter school may keep its existing policy in place until the 2030-2031 school year, at which point the district or charter school must adopt a wireless communication device policy meeting the requirements the amendatory Act. Makes other and conforming changes. Effective immediately.