Rep. Nicolle Grasse

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act, various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish a pathway program in which any public high school student in this State who graduates in the top 10% of the student's graduating class or meets other standardized thresholds is guaranteed admission to at least one public university. Requires the Board to submit an annual report to the General Assembly (and make the report publicly available) that includes, with respect to public universities: (1) how many in-state residents were admitted in the prior academic year compared to the number of out-of-state residents that were admitted; (2) the tuition trends for students who are residents of this State; and (3) how many university graduates continue to reside within this State following graduation. With respect to each academic program of a public university that has a limited capacity to admit students due to a high demand for admission to the program, provides that at least 70% of the students admitted to the program must be residents of this State. Beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, prohibits the governing board of each public university from increasing its in-state tuition rate for a given academic year by a percentage that exceeds the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor for the 12 months ending on the previous December 31. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish a workforce incentive program in which a student who enrolls in a high-need field at an institution of higher learning may receive a grant to reduce tuition costs or loan forgiveness if the student commits to working in this State for at least 3 after graduation. Provides that under the program, a student from an underserved region of this State may also receive additional admission and tuition support from the Commission.

Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. Provides that the Illinois Finance Authority and the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board may jointly administer a squad car revolving loan program. Creates the Squad Car Revolving Loan Fund. Provides that loans under the program shall be paid out of the Squad Car Revolving Loan Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that a State agency may exercise, without prior procurement compliance monitor review, administrative actions that are specifically provided for in a contract that has been entered into in accordance with this Code. Removes provisions that provide that each State purchasing officer owes a fiduciary duty to the State.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits authorizing a discharge from a facility designated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a major facility, shall, at a minimum, require for publicly owned treatment works, periodic sampling of influent, effluent, and biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods and, for all other facilities, periodic effluent sampling for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that the Agency shall require any NPDES permit application for a discharge of wastewater that has potential to contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances to fully characterize the discharge through sample results for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that the Agency shall not issue any permit under specified provisions for the land application of a sludge or biosolids unless the application includes sample results for the sludge or biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that any permit issued under specified provisions for the land application of a sludge or biosolids shall require, at minimum, periodic sampling of the sludge or biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods.

Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Expands the list of mandated reporters to include investment advisers, investment adviser representatives, dealers and salespersons, and employees of financial institutions who have direct contact with eligible adults who are clients of the financial institution and have access to the financial information of the institution's clients. Permits a financial institution to place a transactional hold on an eligible adult's account if the institution's employees have a reasonable suspicion that a transaction or disbursement from the eligible adult's account may involve, facilitate, result in, or contribute to financial exploitation of the eligible adult. Provides that transactional holds must be followed by an internal review that satisfies the internal policies of the financial institution that issued the hold. Further provides that a financial institution that uses a transactional hold must create internal policies regarding identifying and reporting financial exploitation of eligible adults and transactional holds. Contains provisions on the duration of initial transactional holds and extended transactional holds; requirements on notification to law enforcement, especially in cases involving financial fraud that is outside the Act's scope; civil immunity for any financial institution and its employees who place a transactional hold on an eligible adult's account in good faith; mandated reporter training for specified employees of a financial institution; and other matters. Makes conforming changes to the Illinois Securities Law of 1953, the Illinois Banking Act, the Savings Bank Act, Illinois Credit Union Act, and the Criminal Code of 2012. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. In provisions concerning competitive sealed bidding, provides that a contract for supplies may be awarded using a market basket analysis to evaluate the lowest price a vendor can offer for a representative sample of supplies.

Creates the Limitations on Facility Fees Act. Provides that no health care provider shall charge, bill, or collect a facility fee, except for: (i) services provided on a hospital's campus; (ii) services provided at a facility that includes a licensed hospital emergency department; or (iii) emergency services provided at a freestanding emergency center. Provides that, except as specified, no health care provider shall charge, bill, or collect a facility fee for: (i) outpatient evaluation and management services; or (ii) any other outpatient, diagnostic, or imaging services identified by the Department of Public Health. Requires the Department to annually identify services subject to the limitations on specified facility fees that may reliably be provided safely and effectively in settings other than hospitals. Sets forth provisions concerning reporting, rulemaking, and enforcement of the Act. Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act to make a conforming change. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that any person who violates the Limitations on Facility Fees Act commits an unlawful practice.

Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Changes the name of the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired to the Illinois School for the Blind. Makes conforming changes to the Personnel Code, the School Code, the School Safety Drill Act, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and the MRSA Prevention, Control, and Reporting Act.

Creates the Meaningful Human Control of Artificial Intelligence Act. Provides that a public employer, including a contractor or subcontractor of the public employer, shall not use or apply, or authorize any procurement, purchase, or acquisition of any service or system using or relying on any automated decision-making system, directly or indirectly, without meaningful and continuing human review when performing specified functions. Provides that an employer seeking to use or apply an automated decision-making system shall conduct an initial impact assessment and an additional impact assessments at least once every 2 years and prior to any material changes to the automated decision-making system. Sets forth provisions concerning anti-retaliation; enforcement by the Department of Labor; and private rights of action.

Creates the Automated License Plate Recognition System Act. Sets forth provisions regarding authorized uses of an automated license plate recognition system, data retention, prohibited uses of an automated license plate recognition system, restrictions, requirements for use, preservation and disclosure, required data collection, reporting requirements, admissibility, privacy, penalties, and a private right of action. Makes a conforming change in the Freedom of Information Act. Effective immediately.