Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid

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 Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 of the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a public service company that is a member of a Regional Transmission Organization shall submit a report to the Illinois Commerce Commission on or before February 1 of each year of any recorded vote cast by the public service company during the immediately preceding calendar year. Provides that a public service company that is a member of a Regional Transmission Organization shall include in the report any recorded vote cast by an affiliate at a meeting of a Regional Transmission Organization during the immediately preceding calendar year. Provides that the report shall include: (i) all recorded votes cast by the public service company, regardless of whether the vote is otherwise disclosed; (ii) all votes cast by an affiliate of the public service company, if the public service company did not vote on the matter; and (iii) a brief description explaining how each vote cast by the public service company or its affiliate, as appropriate, is in the interest of the public.

Creates the Illinois Data Privacy and Protection Act. Provides that a covered entity (any entity or any person, other than an individual acting in a non-commercial context, that alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of collecting, processing, or transferring covered data) may not collect, process, or transfer covered data unless the collection, processing, or transfer is limited to what is reasonably necessary and proportionate. Provides that a covered entity and a service provider shall establish, implement, and maintain reasonable policies, practices, and procedures concerning the collection, processing, and transferring of covered data. Contains provisions concerning retaliation; transparency; individual data rights; consent; data protection for children and minors; civil rights; data security; small business protections; executive responsibility; service providers and third parties; enforcement; severability; and rulemaking. Effective 180 days after becoming law.

Creates the Meaningful Human Review of Artificial Intelligence Act. Sets forth provisions prohibiting a State agency, or any entity acting on behalf of an agency, from utilizing or applying any automated decision-making system, directly or indirectly, without continuous meaningful human review when performing any of the agency's specified functions. Requires impact assessments to be performed by State agencies seeking to utilize or apply an automated decision-making system with continuous meaningful human review. Provides that the impact assessment shall include a description of the objectives of the automated decision-making system; an evaluation of the ability of the automated decision-making system to achieve its stated objectives; a specified description and evaluation of the objectives and development of the automated decision-making; testing of the automated decision-making system; and the notification mechanism or procedure, if any, by which individuals impacted by the utilization of the automated decision-making system may be notified of the use of such automated decision-making system and of the individual's personal data, and informed of their rights and options relating to such use. Requires submission of impact assessments to the Governor and General Assembly.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution honors Firefighter Michael E. "Mickey" Altman of the Chicago Fire Department, who died on March 17, 2026, from injuries sustained while performing his duties. The bill formally expresses the Illinois House of Representatives' condolences to his family and friends, including his wife Nora, children Theodore and Baby Girl, and parents Mark and Mary. It also directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to Altman's family as a gesture of sympathy. This is a commemorative measure rather than a policy change, focusing on acknowledging the loss of a public servant and supporting his loved ones.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Arab American history, including the history of Arab Americans in the State and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of Arab Americans from the 19th century onward. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials, including those established by the Public Broadcasting Service, that may be used as guidelines for the development of the unit of instruction. Provides that each school board shall determine the minimum amount of instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the curricular requirements during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit. Provides that a school may meet the requirements through an online program or course. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Act. Establishes the Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Commission as an investigatory and advisory commission to investigate matters related to Jeffrey Epstein's network with a nexus to Illinois, facilitate enforcement of Illinois law, and promote transparency. Grants the Commission investigatory powers, including subpoena authority enforceable in circuit court, and requires referrals to the Attorney General and periodic reports to the Attorney General, Governor, and the General Assembly. Provides victim and whistleblower protections. Authorizes the Attorney General to exercise specified authority. Directs the Attorney General to share information upon request by the Commission. Ceases operation of the Commission after 5 years and repeals the Act after 6 years. Amends the Statewide Grand Jury Act to expand jurisdiction, to include human trafficking, involuntary servitude, sexual exploitation of children, permitting and failure to report sexual abuse of a child, prostitution-related offenses, patronizing a sexually exploited child, child pornography, bribery, official misconduct, solicitation of misconduct, tampering with public records, perjury, communicating with or harassment of jurors and witnesses, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and racketeering activity, but with a requirement for Attorney General certification or a requirement that offenses occur in more than one county or have a statewide nexus. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the maximum income limitation under the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be adjusted each year by the annual cost of living increase, if any, in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that took effect during the immediately preceding calendar year. Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that eligibility limits under the energy assistance program may not exceed the greater of (1) 150% of the federal nonfarm poverty level as established by the federal Office of Management and Budget or 60% of the State median income for the current State fiscal year as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, whichever is higher; or (2) the eligibility limit for the immediately preceding calendar year, increased by the annual cost of living increase, if any, in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that took effect during the immediately preceding calendar year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Whistleblower Act. Prohibits retaliation by an employer or third party related to a past, current, or future activity that the employee has a good-faith belief violates a municipal, county, State, or federal law, rule, or regulation or poses a substantial and specific danger to employees, public health, or safety. Changes the damages an employee may receive for violations of the Act to include compensatory damages.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Creates emergency rulemaking procedures for the student teaching stipend program. Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Authorizes a person to establish optional credit for periods of service as a student teacher under a specified provision of the Board of Higher Education Act. In provisions requiring an additional employer contribution for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude any stipends paid to an eligible cooperating teacher under the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Creates the student teaching stipend program. Defines terms. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of Higher Education of all eligible students and eligible cooperating teachers who qualify for the stipend program. Creates requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating teacher who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report in collaboration with the State Board of Education evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances subject to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.