Rep. Dan Didech

Amends the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971. Defines "sign" as any outdoor sign, display, device, notice, figure painting, drawing, message, placard, poster, billboard, or other thing, which is operated or owned by a person or entity where any person or entity is paying or earning remuneration directly or indirectly for (i) the existence or placement of the outdoor sign or (ii) the placement of the message on the outdoor sign (rather than any outdoor sign which is designated, intended, or used to advertise or inform, and of which any part of the existing or intended advertising or informative content) is capable of being visible from any place on the main-traveled way of any portion of any Interstate or primary highway and which is within 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way of such highway. Provides that for purposes of the definition of "erect", attaching a vinyl substrate medium to a sign structure or wall surface shall constitute normal maintenance or repair of a sign or sign structure. Defines "remuneration". Removes the definitions of "on premise sign", "off premise sign", and "real estate sign". Removes language providing that registration must be made of each sign and shall be accompanied by a registration fee of $5. Removes provisions concerning directional and other official signs, real estate signs, on premise signs, off premise signs, and signs affixed by public utilities. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Early Childhood Education Act to establish a framework for early childhood education in Illinois. A specific provision within the legislation ensures that the rights, benefits, and employment status of state employees and their agencies remain unchanged by the new act. It explicitly states that the law does not affect existing personnel codes, labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, or pension plans. The bill was signed into law and became effective on June 25, 2024, with some provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Includes in offense of threatening a public official or human service provider, threatening a library employee. Provides that the threat to a public official, human service provider, or library employee includes a threat made electronically or via social media. Defines "library employee". In the offense of threatening a public official, human service provider, or library employee, includes in the definition of "public official" an employee of any State of Illinois constitutional office, State agency, or the General Assembly. Provides that the offense of disorderly conduct includes transmitting or causing to be transmitted threats or false reports electronically or via social media. Provides that disorderly conduct includes the knowing transmission of or causing to be transmitted in any manner, including electronically or via social media, a lewd, lascivious, indecent, or obscene message to a public official. Provides that making a terrorist threat or falsely making a terrorist threat includes making a terrorist threat or falsely making a terrorist threat by any means of communication, including electronically or via social media. Makes other changes.

Maddy summaryHB 394, known as the GAMING-TECH bill, proposes a minor technical adjustment to the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975. The legislation specifically updates the short title section of the law to ensure its official name is correctly recorded. This change does not alter any existing rules, regulations, or operational aspects of horse racing in Illinois. The bill focuses solely on clarifying the document's title rather than introducing new policies or affecting stakeholders.

Amends the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act. Provides that the Division of Developmental Disabilities of the Department of Human Services shall continue, in cases of medically required absences from a community integrated living arrangement, to provide 50% of the per diem reimbursement to providers while the community integrated living arrangement holds the vacancy for the absent resident. Provides that the absent resident shall be able to return to the community integrated living arrangement when the resident is medically able to return. Defines "medically required absences".

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that a local school council shall have and exercise the power and duty to contract with the Chicago Police Department to have police officers or school resource officers on school grounds. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that owners and operators of CCR surface impoundments at electric generating plants that are bordering Lake Michigan shall close the CCR surface impoundment by removal by off-site disposal, pursuant to specified provisions and requirements. In additional provisions, requires an owner or operator to remove from his or her site, for off-site disposal, all CCR generated by a facility that is not disposed of, treated, stored, or abandoned in a CCR surface impoundment, and remediate all soil and groundwater impacted by that CCR, in accordance with specified requirements. Requires owners or operators to submit specified plans and reports to the Environmental Protection Agency. Provides that an owner or operator shall post with the Agency a performance bond or other security for the purpose of ensuring removal and remediation in accordance with the provisions. Provides that the Agency may enter into such contracts and agreements as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the provisions. Provides that neither the State, nor the Director of the Agency, nor any State employee shall be liable for any damages or injuries arising out of or resulting from any action taken under the provisions. Contains other provisions. Contains a severability provision. Effective immediately.

Declares October of 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and supports and commends the efforts of the people and organizations who work tirelessly to help victims break free of the devastating effects of domestic abuse.

Urges the State Board of Education to conduct a study on the number of schools, school districts, and other public school associations across the State that currently utilize Native American names, logos, and mascots. Urges the State Board of Education, through conversations with local schools and school districts, to collect findings on what the cost would be for these individual schools and districts to remove and change Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to include its findings in a written report to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024. Urges schools, school districts, and other public school associations to consider and plan for changing these harmful Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to use all tools available to work towards the immediate end of the practice of using racial slurs as team names in Illinois schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific section of Route 31 in Batavia as the "SSG Robert D. Herreid Memorial Highway" to honor Staff Sergeant Robert Dale Herreid, a U.S. Army soldier who died in Vietnam in 1968. The legislation requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to install signs marking the road with this new name and to send copies of the resolution to the soldier's family and local officials. It does not change any laws or funding but serves as a formal tribute to Herreid's service and sacrifice by renaming a local roadway in his memory.