Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock

Amends the Environmental Protection Act, Energy Efficient Building Act, Illinois Power Agency Act, Public Utilities Act, and related statutes to establish comprehensive environmental, water, and energy regulations for hyperscale data centers. In the Environmental Protection Act, requires cumulative impact assessments, public notice, and community benefits agreements for data centers; prohibits nondisclosure agreements; and creates the Data Center Community Intervenor Compensation Fund and Hyperscale Data Center Public Benefits and Affordability Fund funded by annual fees based on peak demand. Mandates water resource planning, quarterly water usage reporting, water scarcity plans, and Water Impact Permits with public hearings and renewal every 5 years. Requires compliance with stringent energy codes and annual energy and water reporting to the Illinois Commerce Commission. Expands renewable energy procurement programs, establishes a hyperscale data center self-direct program, and strengthens equity, transparency, and labor standards in clean energy initiatives. Creates the Residential Automated Solar Permitting Platform Act to require municipalities and counties to adopt a residential automated solar permitting platform on or before July 1, 2027, and authorizes persons to file a civil action against a municipality or county in violation.

Amends the Deposit of State Moneys Act. Provides that the State Treasurer may invest or reinvest any State money in private placement fixed income securities that are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission if specified conditions are satisfied. Effective immediately.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that prescriptions for drugs in Schedule II of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act may be transferred only once and may not be further transferred, consistent with federal regulations. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that the prescriber shall not be required to issue prescriptions electronically if the prescriptions need to be filled outside of typical retail pharmacy operating hours or may be difficult to obtain because of drug shortages or pharmacy inventory limitations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Construction Site Temporary Restroom Facility Act. Changes the Act's short title to the Construction Site Temporary Restroom Facility and Sanitary Conditions for Menstruation and Lactation Act. Repeals a provision which specifies that separate toileting facilities are not required for males and females if individual portable toilet facilities are used by an owner of a portable building or building under construction to provide access to a restroom. Provides that, if a woman or an individual who menstruates is present on a work site and there are 10 or more workers of any gender at the work site, then a separate toilet facility shall be provided at the work site and designated for use by women and individuals who menstruate. Requires employers in the construction industry to provide their workers who menstruate and are performing construction activities on a work site with minimum sanitary conditions. Describes the required minimum sanitary conditions. Requires employers in the construction industry, upon request, to provide their workers who are lactating and performing construction activities on a work site with reasonable accommodations needed to express breast milk. Describes reasonable accommodations for lactation. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2027, the Department of Public Health shall provide guidance to employers on the accommodations to be provided. Authorizes employees of construction sites to call the certified local public health agency with jurisdiction over a construction site to request an inspection if noncompliance with the Act is suspected. Prohibits retaliation by employers if a call is made by an employee on a construction site for suspected noncompliance with the Act. Provides that any owner who fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of the Act commits a petty offense and is subject to a fine to be determined by the certified local public health agency (rather than only being subject to a petty offense). Defines "employer". Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows an applicant for a driver's license to submit, with the application for a driver's license, documentation confirming an intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder so such information may be included on the person's driver's license. Provides that any such documentation is confidential. Defines "autism spectrum disorder" and "intellectual disability".

Creates the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act. Provides that all general operating expenses for public universities shall be distributed by the Board of Higher Education through a funding formula for eligible public institutions and shall be administered by the Board. Defines "eligible public institution". Sets forth provisions concerning the adequacy targets and resource profiles of eligible public institutions. Provides for the distribution of State appropriations and the calculation of the base funding minimum for each eligible public institution. Provides that the Board shall oversee an accountability and transparency framework for assessing the distribution and use of all funds appropriated by the funding formula and evaluating the funds' effects on institutional outcomes pertaining to student affordability, enrollment, persistence, and outcome metrics. Provides for reporting and the establishment of an Accountability and Transparency Committee. Provides that the Board shall establish a Funding Formula Review Panel tasked with studying and reviewing topics pertaining to the implementation and impact of the funding formula. Contains provisions concerning the Board's annual budget request and the collection of data. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Removes certain provisions concerning budget proposals. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act. Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law. Requires the Department of Public Health to create educational materials regarding menopause, including symptoms, treatment options, and patient rights for distribution to the public online. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that on or after January 1, 2028, all individual and group health insurance policies issued, renewed, or amended must provide coverage for medically necessary evaluation and treatment of perimenopause and menopause as determined by a licensed health care provider using evidence-based guidelines. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides if a licensee treats or evaluates patients suffering from menopause-related conditions, 5 hours of the required 50 hours must include continuing education on menopause care, including management of symptoms, hormonal and non-hormonal therapies, and bone health. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Defines "menopause-related condition" includes perimenopause, menopause, and associated medical or symptomatic conditions, including, but not limited to, vasomotor symptoms, sleep disruption, cognitive or mood changes, and osteoporosis-related changes. Provides that it is a civil rights violation to unlawfully discriminate because of a menopause-related condition or fail or refuse to provide reasonable accommodations.

Amends the Attorney Act. Prohibits a private equity group, hedge fund, or any entity owned, operated, or controlled by a private equity group or hedge fund, including management services organizations, that is involved with a law firm or an attorney's practice from: (1) interfering with the professional judgment of attorneys in representing clients; (2) exercising control over or being delegated the power to own or determine the content of client records, select, hire, or terminate the employment of attorneys or allied legal staff in whole or in part based on competency or proficiency; or set competency or proficiency parameters for attorneys or allied legal staff; or (3) charging any fee to the attorney or law firm that is directly or indirectly based on the fees, revenues, or profits of the attorney or law firm. Prohibits an attorney from sharing legal fees directly or indirectly with an out-of-state alternative business structure unless: (1) the attorney is also licensed in the state in which the alternative business structure is approved; (2) the fees are compensation for providing legal services in that state; and (3) the law of that state is controlling under the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct or a successor rule. Provides for the recovery of statutory damages, attorney's fees and costs, and injunctive or declaratory relief as a remedy for violation. Defines terms. Contains applicability provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships may also be known as School Social Work scholarships. Includes, as a qualified applicant subject to meeting the other requirements, (i) a person who is pursuing a clinical social work license or social work license and (ii) a person who will obtain a master's degree in social work from an approved program before enrolling the academic program that the scholarship would support. Allows scholarships to be applied to the payment of tuition and mandatory fees at a private, not-for-profit institution of higher education in the State that prepares students to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement in School Social Work. Provides that a scholarship for a recipient attending a private, not-for-profit institution shall not exceed the maximum grant payable to a student enrolled in the most expensive comparable program of study at a public university in the State. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning twice-exceptional children, changes references from "children" to "students" and defines "twice-exceptional student". Provides that in the development of an individualized education program (IEP) or federal Section 504 plan for a twice-exceptional student, if the student's ability or achievement indicates that the student would benefit from advanced academic programs, then those abilities or achievement levels shall be recognized and addressed in the student's IEP or Section 504 plan and be reflected in the individualized services, goals, accommodations, and objectives for the student, while continuing to provide appropriate services and support for the student's disabilities in all educational settings. Sets forth what the services, goals, objectives, accommodations, and best practices for identifying and addressing the educational and related needs of a twice-exceptional student may include. Effective immediately.