Rep. Patrick Sheehan

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Allows an active-status member of the Illinois National Guard to use a toll highway without paying the toll if the active-status member has applied for and received from the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority an Official Permit Card. Requires the Authority to adopt rules for the issuance of a permit that allows an active-status member of the Illinois National Guard to use any toll highway without paying the established toll.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall allow commercial relocators to recover towing permit fees or vehicle release fees that are lawfully adopted by a unit of local government and imposed by a law enforcement agency as a necessary administrative fee in order to effectuate an existing relocator program in the unit of local government where the law enforcement agency and relocator operate. Allows the Commission to set the maximum amount of towing permit fees or vehicle release fees that a commercial relocator may recover.

Amends the School Code. In provisions requiring access to a high school campus and student directory information to the official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States, deletes language that provides that a school board is not required to give greater notice regarding the right of access to recruiting representatives than is given to other persons and groups. Provides instead that a school board shall invite official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States to hold a recruitment event on the high school campus at least once per school year.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purpose of granting the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities, for taxable years 2025 and thereafter, if the veteran has a service connected disability of 60% or more, then the property is exempt from taxation under the Code (currently, if the veteran has a service connected disability of 70% or more, then the first $250,000 in equalized assessed value is exempt from taxation under the Code). Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that violation of an order of protection is a Class 4 felony if the defendant has any prior conviction for violation of a civil no contact order, violation of a stalking no contact order, or any prior conviction under the law of another jurisdiction for an offense that could be charged in the State as violation of a civil no contact order or violation of a stalking no contact order. Provides that violation of a civil no contact order is a Class 4 felony if the defendant has any prior conviction for violation of an order of protection, violation of a civil no contact order, or violation of a stalking no contact order, or any prior conviction under the law of another jurisdiction for an offense that could be charged in the State as a violation of an order of protection, violation of a civil no contact order, or violation of a stalking no contact order. Provides that violation of a stalking no contact order is a Class 4 felony if the defendant has any prior conviction under the Code for a violation of an order of protection, violation of a stalking no contact order, or violation of a civil no contact order, or any prior conviction under the law of another jurisdiction for an offense that could be charged in the State as a violation of an order of protection, violation of a civil no contact order, or violation of a stalking no contact order.

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Increases the jurisdictional amount to use the summary administration procedure or the small estate affidavit from $100,000 to $500,000.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act. Provides that each self-insured commercial vehicle rental company may collect and shall pay into the Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Trust Fund an amount equal to $1.00, or a lesser amount determined by the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council, multiplied by each car rental contract providing physical damage insurance coverage written by it in the State during the preceding calendar year. Effective January 1, 2027.

Congratulates the Homer Junior High School wrestling team, the Mustangs, on winning the 2026 Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Class AA State Championship.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2028, the sheriff of each county and the corporate authorities of each municipality shall: (1) equip every patrol vehicle with a choking rescue device and (2) provide for every deputy or police officer to receive training to administer a choking rescue device from specified entities. Defines "choking rescue device".

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person may be retained in service as an investigator to investigate and enforce provisions of the Act administered by the Secretary of State after he or she has reached 65 (instead of 60) years of age. Removes the exemption for persons employed in the title of Capitol Police Investigator.