Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that registered professional nursing practice is a scientific process founded on a professional body of knowledge. Provides that professional nursing practice is a learned profession based on the understanding of the human condition across the life span and environment, includes all nursing specialties, and means the performance of any nursing act based upon professional knowledge, judgment, and skills acquired by means of completion of an approved professional nursing education program. Provides that registered professional nurses may delegate nursing interventions and tasks (rather than nursing interventions) to other registered professional nurses and licensed practical nurses based on a comprehensive nursing assessment. Provides that registered professional nurses may delegate tasks to unlicensed personnel based on a comprehensive nursing assessment. Provides that a registered professional nurse is prohibited from delegating work requiring nursing knowledge, assessment, judgment, inference, and decision making (including medication administration), the development of a plan of care, and the evaluation of a plan of care to unlicensed non-nurse personnel. Removes provisions concerning delegation of nursing interventions and administration of medications in community-based or in-home care settings. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Community Grief and Violence Prevention Pilot Program to interrupt cycles of violence and address grief and trauma in the City of Chicago and Southland region. Specifies that, under the Pilot Program, funds shall be allocated to deploy Community Grief Response Teams, which shall provide immediate, on-site trauma support to families and neighborhoods within 24 hours of a violent incident; shall provide long-term case management and grief counseling to survivors; and shall facilitate restorative justice circles to resolve community conflicts before they escalate to violence. Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public elementary school shall incorporate grief literacy and restorative justice practices and programs into its social-emotional learning standards. Requires the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Public Schools to expand the Parent University Program to include mandatory modules on violence prevention, trauma-informed care, and recognizing signs of grief. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish a grant program to support the recruitment and retention of mental health professionals in communities disproportionately impacted by violence. Requires the State of Illinois to formally recognizes the Master of Social Work (MSW) as a professional degree essential to public health and safety. Effective immediately.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Defines "professional breeder". Provides that an animal shelter shall not accept a dog or cat from an animal shelter licensed under the Act or an out-of-state animal control facility, rescue group, or animal shelter that is duly licensed in their state or is a not-for-profit organization unless it obtains documentation attesting that the dog or cat was not obtained through compensation or payment made to a cat breeder, dog breeder, dog dealer, or dog broker. Provides that an animal shelter shall not obtain a dog or cat by any means other than owner surrender, transfer from an animal control facility, an order by law enforcement, or an animal shelter in compliance with provisions concerning reporting of animals. Provides that a pet shop operator or dog dealer (rather than just a pet shop operator) may offer for sale a dog or cat only if the dog or cat is obtained from an animal control facility, animal shelter, or professional breeder (rather than just an animal control facility or an animal shelter) located in-state or out-of-state, that is in compliance with provisions concerning animal control facilities and animal shelters supplying to pet shop operators and requirements of professional dog breeders. Removes provisions concerning the requirement that a pet shop operator shall keep a record of each dog or cat offered for sale. Creates additional requirements for professional dog breeders. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's obligations under the provisions concerning the requirements for professional dog breeders are subject to appropriation.

Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Revenue, in consultation with the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of phasing out the use of property taxes as a funding source for school districts and replacing that revenue with other State and local revenue streams.

Creates the Financial Empowerment Commission Act. Provides for the establishment of the Financial Empowerment Commission. Provides that the Commission shall support the Board of Higher Education and organizations that provide financial educational programming through various capacity building initiatives. Provides that the Commission, in consultation with the Governor and appropriate State agencies, shall design a database platform to communicate with and connect existing financial literacy resources, programs, products and services in the State. Provides that the Commission shall identify, document, and track key metrics for young adults' financial health and well-being over time. Further provides that the Commission shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly, which shall detail the progress of financial empowerment efforts and the Commission's achievement of its main objectives. Provides that the Commission may collaborate with State and federal agencies, local governments, research and educational institutions, community and nonprofit organizations, financial institutions, the 3 main credit bureaus, service providers, and philanthropic organizations to ensure a coordinated, comprehensive approach with equitable access to resources and programming. Provides that the Commission may issue advisory material to stakeholders across Illinois to ensure monitoring, compliance, and adherence to consumer protection standards and may issue a supplementary report to the Governor and associated State agencies on best practices concerning consumer protections. Provides that the Commission may make policy recommendations to the General Assembly to enhance Illinois students' financial literacy and use of new and existing resources and may recommend that education programs be supported by economic policies dismantling structural issues, such as income disparities and financial barriers to health care.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit of $250 for taxpayers who make 4 or more qualified donations of human whole blood or human blood components during the taxable year. Effective immediately.

Creates the 340B Grantee Contract Pharmacy Access Act. Provides that no person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer, may deny, restrict, or otherwise limit the acquisition of a 340B drug by a 340B grantee or a 340B contract pharmacy authorized to receive 340B drugs on behalf of the 340B grantee unless the acquisition is prohibited by federal law. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is authorized to enforce the Act and investigate possible violations of the Act by any person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Sets forth provisions concerning preemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Defines "professional breeder". Provides that an animal shelter shall not accept a dog or cat from an animal shelter licensed under the Act or an out-of-state animal control facility, rescue group, or animal shelter that is duly licensed in their state or is a not-for-profit organization unless it obtains documentation attesting that the dog or cat was not obtained through compensation or payment made to a cat breeder, dog breeder, dog dealer, or dog broker. Provides that an animal shelter shall not obtain a dog or cat by any means other than owner surrender, transfer from an animal control facility, an order by law enforcement, or an animal shelter in compliance with provisions concerning reporting of animals. Provides that a pet shop operator or dog dealer (rather than just a pet shop operator) may offer for sale a dog or cat only if the dog or cat is obtained from an animal control facility, animal shelter, or professional breeder (rather than just an animal control facility or an animal shelter) located in-state or out-of-state, that is in compliance with provisions concerning animal control facilities and animal shelters supplying to pet shop operators and requirements of professional dog breeders. Removes provisions concerning the requirement that a pet shop operator shall keep a record of each dog or cat offered for sale. Provides for requirements of professional dog breeders.

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.

Creates the Enslavement Era Disclosure and Redress Act. Requires each contractor that participates in a competitive bid with the State to review its records for evidence of the contractor's or a related party's participation in slaveholding or the slave trade and to make certain disclosures with respect to that participation. Contains provisions concerning notice of public hearings following the disclosures. Provides that the Illinois Office of Equity shall appoint an administrator to oversee the program. Provides that each contractor that has disclosed participation in slaveholding or the slave trade shall provide the State with a statement of financial redress at the time of submitting its bid. Contains provisions creating a Redress Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.