Rep. Mike Crawford

Amends the Public Utilities Act. In provisions concerning the obligations of alternative retail electric suppliers and provisions concerning the obligations of alternative gas suppliers, provides that the alternative retail electric supplier or alternative gas supplier shall submit to the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Office of the Attorney General certain information about rates that the alternative retail electric supplier or alternative gas supplier charged to residential customers in the prior year, including the number of customers that were enrolled for each rate. Provides that an alternative retail electric supplier or alternative gas supplier shall not pay a commission or any other incentive-based compensation to individuals engaged in in-person solicitation or telemarketing and shall not charge a rate that is more than 25% higher than the current electric supply price or current monthly gas supply rate to any residential or small commercial retail customer at any time. In provisions concerning alternative retail electric supplier selection and provisions concerning alternative gas suppliers, provides that an alternative retail electric supplier or an alternative gas supplier shall not automatically renew a consumer's enrollment after the current term of the contract expires when the renewed contract provides that the consumer will be charged a rate that is higher than the consumer's current contract rate unless: (i) the alternative retail electric supplier or alternative gas supplier complies with certain provisions concerning contract renewal; and (ii) the customer expressly consents to the contract renewal in writing or by electronic signature at least 30 days, but no more than 60 days, before the contract expires. 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 Chicago Park District Act. Authorizes the Chicago Park District, in collaboration with the botanic gardens authorized under the Forest Preserve Botanic Gardens Act, to establish, maintain, and manage small public gardens throughout the City of Chicago. Provides that each public garden shall include a native landscape aimed at protecting butterfly populations that migrate through the City of Chicago. Defines "Illinois native plants" and "native landscape".

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the Governor shall annually designate by official proclamation the third Friday of September in each year as POW/MIA Recognition Day (rather than the third Friday of September in each year is designated as POW/MIA Recognition Day) to be observed in honor and remembrance of the men and women who, as POWs, have suffered captivity in foreign countries while in active service with the United States armed forces or who, as MIAs, have been recognized as missing in action in a time of war or during a period of hostilities (rather than who were recognized as POWs or MIAs in a time of war or during a period of hostilities). Provides that the Governor shall request, in the Governor's annual designation by official proclamation, that some portion of the third Friday of September be used for solemn contemplation on the plight of members of the United States armed forces who have been held prisoners of war and members of the United States armed forces who have been missing in action and the resolve of families and friends who continue to seek the fullest possible accounting for missing loved ones. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person convicted of a felony, after the completion of his or her sentence, including the completion of his or her parole or mandatory supervised release term, shall be eligible to be nominated for, and elected to, an elective public office. Provides that the provision does not apply to a person convicted of a felony, bribery, perjury, or other infamous crime for an offense committed while he or she was serving as a public official in the State. Defines "elective public office". Amends the Election Code and the Illinois Municipal Code to make conforming changes.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Ratifies and approves the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows for the issuance of multistate licenses that allow nurses to practice in their home state and other compact states. In provisions concerning an application for a license, provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may establish, by rule, fees to be charged for the purpose of implementing and enforcing the provisions of the Act, including the fees necessary to implement the Nurse Licensure Compact. Provides that, on or after the effective date of the Nurse Licensure Compact, the Department may set the required fees to apply for a multistate license, upgrade from a single state license to a multistate license, and renew a multistate license. Provides that the initial application fee for a multistate license shall be no less than $150 and the biennial multistate license renewal fee shall be no less than $125. Provides that the Nurse Licensure Compact does not supersede existing State labor laws. Provides that the State may not share with or disclose to the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators or any other state any of the contents of a nationwide criminal history records check conducted for the purpose of multistate licensure under the Nurse Licensure Compact. Provides that an employer who employs nurses, as defined in the Article, shall provide the nurses under its employment with the opportunity to obtain the required continuing education hours. Requires that nurses subject to the Nurse Licensure Compact complete 20 hours of approved continuing education per every 2-year license renewal cycle. Provides that the Nurse Licensure Compact does not apply to an advanced practice registered nurse. Adds provisions concerning employer attestations.

Declares the week of July 5 through July 10, 2026 as Blues Kids Week in the State of Illinois in recognition of the annual Blues Camp in Chicago and in celebration of Illinois' rich Blues legacy. Recognizes Fernando Jones and the Blues Kids Foundation for their extraordinary contributions to music education, cultural preservation, and youth development

Creates the Neurodegenerative Disease Patient Protection and Progress Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to convene a Neurodegenerative Disease Advisory Council within the Department. Sets forth provisions concerning the membership of the Advisory Council, terms of the members, meetings of the Advisory Council, and administrative support, and duties of the Advisory Council Provides that the Director of Public Health shall designate or hire a full-time Neurodegenerative Disease Coordinator within the Department to implement and administer the Act. Requires the Coordinator, acting through and under the supervision of the Director, and with input from the Advisory Council, to develop and publish a State plan to address neurodegenerative diseases. Sets forth required components of the Plan. Establishes a voluntary statewide clinical and population registry to collect de-identified information and, with the patient's informed consent, limited identifying information, to (i) improve understanding of burden imposed by neurodegenerative diseases, natural history, and outcomes, (ii) facilitate public health planning and service delivery, and (iii) support research consistent with applicable privacy protections. Establishes the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Support And Grant Fund to make grants to public or private not-for-profit entities for the purpose of conducting neurodegenerative disease research. Sets forth provisions concerning equity and rural access; coordination with federal programs, academic centers, and private partners; reporting; limitations; and rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.