Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has the power to establish a special pay supplement for those positions of employment that require that a person employed in that position speak or write a language other than English. Provides that such paid positions may be eligible for a bilingual pay supplement to attract bilingual individuals, to encourage present employees to become proficient in languages other than English, or to retain qualified bilingual employees. Provides that a bilingual pay supplement shall be processed within 30 calendar days after the employee presents to the Authority a certification from either the designated testing program process selected by the Authority or a State community college confirming that language skill proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking has been satisfied by the employee.

Amends the School Code. Requires, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, school boards to report specified data to the State Board of Education regarding computer science courses in schools maintaining any of grades kindergarten through 8. Requires the State Board to make the data publicly available. With respect to a Professional Educator License, provides that the State Board shall create an introductory content area endorsement for teaching computer science in grades 5 through 12 that allows licensed educators to teach introductory computer science courses. In provisions concerning required high school courses, provides that a computer science course (rather than an Advanced Placement computer science course) qualifies under the mathematics requirement. Requires each pupil entering the 9th grade beginning with the 2028-2029 school year to successfully complete one year of high school computer science and artificial intelligence as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, which may be taken in any of grades 7 through 12 and shall count toward the fulfillment of certain other high school graduation requirements. Requires the State Board to create guidelines for school districts. Provides that the computer science course requirement does not apply to a pupil transferring to a high school in this State from another state after the pupil's 11th grade year. Allows a school to enter into a cooperative resource sharing agreement to ensure that its students can enroll in a computer science course. Makes other changes.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that "plug-in solar energy system" means a moveable photovoltaic generation device that (i) may or may not include an energy storage system; (ii) exports no more than 1,200 watts to an outlet; (iii) is designed to be connected to a building's electrical system through a standard outlet; (iv) is intended primarily to offset part of an eligible customer's electricity consumption; and (v) is certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory. Provides that an electricity provider shall not require an eligible customer who uses, or intends to install and use, a plug-in solar energy system to do certain actions. Provides that a plug-in solar energy system is exempt from interconnection requirements under provisions concerning net electricity metering and any rules adopted pursuant to those provisions. Provides that a plug-in solar energy system is not eligible for net electricity metering or any distributed generation rebate. Provides that an electricity provider is not liable for any damage or injury caused by an eligible customer's plug-in solar energy system. Provides that a plug-in solar energy system that has a maximum power output to a receptacle outlet of 391 watts or less is exempt from any product listing standard that would require alterations to a building's premises, wiring, or electrical panels. Provides that landlords, homeowners' associations, common interest community associations, and condominium unit owners' associations shall not adopt, enforce, or attempt to enforce any restriction, covenant, bylaw, regulation, lease stipulation, or other rule that directly or indirectly restricts, prohibits, or imposes unreasonable conditions on the installation, use, or operation of a plug-in solar energy system. Amends the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, and the Homeowners' Energy Policy Statement Act. Provides that "solar energy system" includes a plug-in solar energy system. Makes other changes.

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Prison Education Fund. Provides that moneys in the Prison Education Fund shall be used by the Illinois Community College Board and Illinois Board of Higher Education to make grants to prison education programs that award associate degrees or bachelor's degrees to currently incarcerated students. Makes changes concerning the allocation of money from the Cannabis Regulation Fund. Provides that 0.5% of the moneys in the Cannabis Regulation Fund, after certain allocations have been made, shall be transferred from the Cannabis Regulation Fund to the Prison Education Fund.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Voting Rights Act of 2025. Creates the Voting Rights Act of 2025 Article. Provides that a political subdivision, State agency, or any other government official or entity responsible for election administration shall not implement or enforce any election policy or practice, or take any other action or fail to take any action that results in, is likely to result in, or is intended to result in disparate outcomes. Creates the Language Access in Elections Article. Provides that a local election authority shall provide language assistance for elections conducted in a political subdivision if that political subdivision meets specified conditions. Creates the Voting Rights Act of 2025 and the Language Access in Elections Articles in the Code. Effective July 1, 2025.

Creates the Protective Medical Equipment Freedom Act. Provides that all individual in the State have the right to wear protective medical equipment in any place of public accommodation where they have a lawful right to be without obligation to disclose health status or any other protected information, and no person, entity, or authority shall deny, restrict, or infringe upon this right. Provides that operators and public officials shall not discriminate against or penalize medical device wearers for exercising their right to wear protective medical equipment. Provides that discrimination under the Act includes, but is not limited to: denial of service; eviction from premises; any form of harassment to remove or refrain from wearing such equipment for any amount of time; specified actions taken by employers; and provision of unequal goods, services, facilities, advantages, or accommodations. Sets forth provisions concerning the protection against retaliation, the exceptions for security requirements, operational safety, age and identity restricted products, and financial institution customer identification, and an undue hardship exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Prohibits a person from selling a lottery ticket or share on a credit basis. Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides that an automated teller machine (ATM) located within a casino shall not be able to perform cash advances on credit cards. Prohibits a person from using a credit card to participate in a gambling game.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2030, no person shall sell or offer for sale in the State a new washing machine for residential, commercial, or State use unless the washing machine: (1) contains a microfiber filtration system with a mesh size of not greater than 100 micrometers; and (2) bears a conspicuous label that is visible to the consumer, in the form of a sticker or any other label type, that includes a specified statement. Provides that a person or entity who violates this prohibition shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for a first violation and not to exceed $30,000 for each subsequent violation.

Creates the Standardized Protections for Residential Tenants Act. Prohibits a landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, or grantor from requiring a deposit or advance that exceeds the amount of one month's rent, unless the deposit or advance is for a seasonal use dwelling unit or unless the deposit or advance is for an owner-occupied cooperative apartment. Prohibits a landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, or grantor from charging an application fee that exceeds $20. Allows a fee for a background check or credit check of $20 or the actual cost, whichever is less. Exempts entrance fees charged licensed continuing care retirement communities, licensed assisted living providers, licensed adult care facilities, senior residential communities, or not-for-profit independent retirement communities that offer personal emergency response, housekeeping, transportation, and meals to their residents. Prohibits any payment, fee, or charge for the late payment of rent unless the payment of rent has not been made within 5 days of the date it was due, and the payment, fee, or charge does not exceed $50 or 5% of the monthly rent, whichever is less; provided a cooperative housing corporation shall be permitted to charge a tenant or lessee that is a dwelling unit owner or shareholder of such cooperative housing corporation a fee of up to 8% of the monthly maintenance fee for the late payment of the monthly maintenance fee if the proprietary lease or occupancy agreement provides for such a fee. Voids any agreement by a lessee or tenant of a dwelling waiving or modifying the rights in the Act. Authorizes the Attorney General to enforce the Act and adopt rules to implement and administer the Act. Provides that a violation of the Act is a violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act. Preempts home rule.

Amends the Personalized Algorithmic Pricing Disclosure Act. Provides that any entity that sets the price of goods or services using personalized algorithmic pricing, and that directly or indirectly advertises, promotes, labels, or publishes a statement, display, image, offer, or announcement of personalized algorithmic pricing to a consumer, using personal data specific to the consumer, shall include a specified disclosure. Sets forth exceptions to the provision. Provides that a violation of the Act constitutes an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.