Rep. Barbara Hernandez

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.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows a home rule unit to install an automated speed enforcement system within the home rule unit. Requires a non-home rule unit to provide a referendum to install an automated speed enforcement system within the non-home rule unit. Provides that any funds collected from a violation of an automated speed enforcement system shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue to be used for any property tax relief program within the home rule unit or non-home rule unit where the violation occurred.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that the definition of "dog dealer" does not include a person who sells dogs at retail to the public. Provides that a person who sells dogs at retail to the public, shall not be considered an animal shelter under the Act. Defines "at retail to the public". Requires a dog breeder to provide each dog in the dog breeder's facility with a primary enclosure that complies with certain requirements. Requires a dog breeder to provide all adult dogs in the dog breeder's facility with constant, unfettered access to an exercise area of sufficient size to ensure proper physical development, health, and socialization. Provides that the exercise area should, at a minimum, be at least twice the amount of space required for the primary enclosure. Provides that the Illinois Department of Agriculture may refuse to issue or renew or may suspend or revoke a license due to an individual operating without a proper license under the Act.

Amends the School Code. With respect to in-service training programs, provides that the school board of each school district operating a secondary education program shall annually conduct in-service training on iron deficiency and iron anemia caused by participation in athletics for all coaches of high school interscholastic athletics in the school district. Provides that the training shall include menstrual dysfunction, low-energy availability, low bone-mineral density, signs and symptoms, the impact on health and performance, and what measures can be taken to prevent or mitigate the negative impacts of these conditions.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning the supportive living facilities program, prohibits a supportive living dementia care setting from limiting a resident's access to the sink, microwave, or refrigerator located within the respective resident's room, provided a comprehensive safety assessment deems the resident's use of the appliances safe. Requires the comprehensive safety assessment to be conducted prior to any resident moving in and at least once per quarter thereafter. Requires social and recreational programming to be provided no less than 3 times daily, including at least one time and location separate from a meal service. Requires newly constructed supportive living dementia care settings to provide no less than 300 square feet for a single occupancy apartment or no less than 450 square feet for a double occupancy apartment, which may include the closets and bathroom. Requires each apartment to include a sink, microwave, and refrigerator within the unit. Provides that any newly constructed supportive living dementia care setting shall provide a common area completely separate from the dining area.

Amends the Energy Efficient Building Act. Provides that each builder who completes construction on a newly constructed residential building in the State shall cause an energy audit to be completed on the building resulting in a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Score. Amends the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act. Provides that, subject to certain exceptions, prior to the transfer of title of a dwelling, the seller shall obtain an energy audit resulting in a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Score of the dwelling. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the requirement that cannabis (both medical and adult-use) must be stored in an odor-proof, child-resistant container in vehicles. It affects medical cannabis cardholders, caregivers, cultivation center agents, dispensing agents, and adult cannabis users who possess cannabis in any vehicle area while driving. The change simplifies storage rules but maintains existing prohibitions against possessing cannabis in passenger areas of vehicles. The bill amends Sections 11-502.1 (medical cannabis) and 11-502.15 (adult-use cannabis) of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

Amends the Procurement Code. Requires bidders that respond to solicitations issued on or after January 1, 2027 for master contracts for the purchase of vehicles to submit an Illinois Jobs Plan that meets certain requirements. Amends the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2027, changes electric vehicle rebates and requires Illinois residency and changes the luxury and low efficiency vehicle fee. Amends the Toll Highway Act. Requires the Toll Highway Authority to build at least 4 150 kW fast charging ports by 2027, expand to 8 ports by 2029 and 16 ports by 2031. Amends the Vehicle Code. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to establish biennial reporting for large fleets beginning in 2027. Amends the Electric Vehicle Charging Act. Provides that units of local government may grant exceptions if utility upgrades would materially increase construction costs, but EV capable spaces cannot fall below certain levels. Provides that Tenants and condominium owners may install Level 1, Low Power Level 2, or Level 2 charging systems at their own expense, subject to reasonable restrictions. Amends the State Mandates Act. Provides that State mandates created by the amendatory Act requires no reimbursement to units of local governments. Amends the Retailer Occupation Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to make other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Corrections Family Notification Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall notify all approved visitors of a committed person when that person is: (1) placed in restrictive housing; (2) removed from restrictive housing; (3) housed in a unit subject to lockdown; or (4) returned to normal operations following a lockdown. Establishes the contents of the notification. Provides that no security-sensitive details shall be disclosed. Provides that notification shall be provided via email and SMS text message, if the visitor opts in. Provides that the Department shall maintain an online portal for visitors to update contact information and select preferred notification methods. Provides that notification of the end of confinement or lockdown must be sent within 2 hours of normal operations resuming. Provides that if a notification is sent in error, the Department shall issue a corrected notification within 2 hours of identifying the error. Provides that the Department shall publish an annual report summarizing compliance. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules necessary to implement the provision, including: (1) visitor contact management; (2) communication protocols; and (3) data privacy protections. Effective January 1, 2027.

Creates the Operating Room Patient Safety Act. Provides that each surgical technologist hired or contracted by a health care facility on or after January 1, 2028 shall meet specified educational, certification, or experiential requirements. Provides that health care facilities located in a Health Professional Shortage Area or Medically Underserved Area, as determined by the federal government, shall be exempt as provided but shall have a hiring preference for surgical technologists who graduated from nationally accredited surgical technology programs and are certified through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or the National Center for Competency Testing. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits a person licensed in the State under any other Act from engaging in the practice for which the person is licensed, including, but not limited to, a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse, or a nurse performing surgery-related tasks within the scope of the nurse's license or registration; or a student or intern from performing surgical technology services under direct supervision, as defined in the Registered Surgical Assistant and Registered Surgical Technologist Title Protection Act.