Rep. Theresa Mah

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 Illinois TRUST Act. Provides that law enforcement may not: (i) retain information regarding the citizenship or immigration status or place of birth of any individual; (ii) give any immigration agent access, including by telephone or other communication medium (rather than only including by telephone), to any individual who is in that agency's custody; (iii) permit immigration agents' use of agency facilities or equipment, including any agency electronic databases not available to the public (rather than permit immigration agents use of agency facilities or equipment, including any agency electronic databases not available to the public, for investigative interviews or other investigative or immigration enforcement purpose); or (iv) provide information to any immigration agent regarding any individual in the agency's custody (rather than provide information in response to any immigration agent's inquiry or request for information regarding any individual in the agency's custody). Provides that law enforcement may not enter into or maintain any agreement regarding direct access to any electronic database or other data-sharing platform maintained by a law enforcement agency, or otherwise provide such direct access to a federal entity enforcing civil immigration law or any third parties unless such third parties certify that the information will not be used for civil immigration purposes or knowingly disseminated for any purpose related to civil immigration enforcement. Adds provisions from the Keep Illinois Families Together Act to the Illinois TRUST Act. Changes reporting requirements. Removes certain provisions from the legislative purpose. Changes definitions. Repeals the Keep Illinois Families Together Act. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 577 amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. It makes a technical change to a section concerning the short title of the act.

Amends the Clerks of Court Act. Authorizes a circuit court clerk of any county to develop and maintain a will depository. Provides a procedure for the clerk to accept for safekeeping a testamentary instrument executed in compliance with the Probate Act of 1975, including a will, codicil, trust, or trust and one or more trust amendments. Allows a depositor to deposit a will with the clerk if the depositor certifies in writing that the depositor is unable to locate the testator after a diligent search. Creates a procedure for the clerk to follow in accepting, keeping, and returning these documents. Allows the clerk to charge a fee of $25 for each will deposited, and the clerk may not collect a separate fee for additional documents concurrently deposited in relation to a single testator or for a single joint will prepared for a husband and wife.

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.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. In provisions concerning legend drugs, provides that, at the request of a person dispensing a drug or medicine, the label affixed to a box, bottle, vessel, or package containing mifepristone, misoprostol, or any generic alternative may include the name of the dispensing health care practice instead of the name of the person dispensing the drug or medicine. Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. In provisions concerning the label of a drug, medicine, or poison that is lawfully sold or dispensed, provides that, at a prescriber's request, the label affixed to a box, bottle, vessel, or package containing mifepristone, misoprostol, or any generic alternative may include the name of the prescribing health care practice instead of the name of the prescriber.

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.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Road to Census 2030 Act of 2026. Appropriates from the General Revenue Fund $500,000 to the Department of Human Services, $500,000 to the Secretary of State, and $1,600,000 to the Department of Public Health. Effective July 1, 2026.

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 Birth Control Services to Minors Act. Provides that any minor may give effective consent for contraceptive services or supplies and the consent of no other person is required. Provides that for such purposes, a minor is deemed to have the same legal capacity to act and has the same powers and obligations as a person of legal age.