Rep. Joyce Mason

Creates the Warehouse Worker Protection Act. Provides that each employer shall provide to each employee, upon hire or within 30 days after the effective date of the Act, whichever is later, a written description of each quota to which the employee is subject, including the quantified number of tasks to be performed or materials to be produced or handled, within a defined time period, and any potential adverse employment action that could result from failure to meet the quota. Provides that an employee shall not be required to meet a quota that prevents compliance with meal or rest periods or use of bathroom facilities, including reasonable travel time to and from bathroom facilities. Requires employers to post a notice of employees' rights under the Act and to comply with certain recordkeeping requirements. Establishes civil penalties for noncompliance with the Act. Provides for a private right of action and injunctive relief. Sets forth provisions concerning definitions, employee's right to request records, enforcement, and severability. Effective July 1, 2025.

Creates the Protecting Illinois Native Landscapes Act. Provides that a unit of local government may not enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution that prohibits or unreasonably restricts an owner, authorized agent, or authorized occupant of privately owned residential land or a premises from allowing Illinois native species to voluntarily grow within the landscape or to install and maintain Illinois native species within a managed native landscape. Provides that native landscaping that may not be prohibited includes small or large areas of native landscaping in the front, back, or side yard or in areas that do not fit a standard definition of yard, such as areas on farms, rural properties, corporate campuses, school campuses, and large estates. Excludes from the scope of the Act an ordinance or resolution of a unit of local government that prohibits plants, trees, or other landscaping from interfering with public transportation, vehicular traffic, or driveway or entrance road sight lines or from crossing sidewalks or property boundaries. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Requires certified pesticide applicators to give written or email notice 72 hours prior to application of pesticide to schools and parks within half of a mile from the site of application. Provides other notice requirements. Defines terms.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Bans the sale and use of ester formulations of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Creates the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act. Sets forth legislative findings and objectives. Provides that beginning on November 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter on November 1, all electric cooperatives with members in the State, municipal power agencies, and municipalities shall file with the Illinois Power Agency an integrated resource plan. Includes provisions regarding the purposes and available resources for the integrated resource plan and rulemaking powers of the Agency. Requires the Agency to maintain a list of qualified experts or expert consulting firms for the purpose of developing integrated resource plans. Sets forth meeting requirements for an electric cooperative and publishing and posting requirements for specific information related to an electric cooperative. Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold closed meetings to consider the operation by a municipality of a municipal utility or the operation of a municipal power agency or municipal natural gas agency when the discussion involves certain topics. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Allows any additional municipality which operates an electric utility system to join a municipal power agency consistent with the bylaws of the municipal power agency, and upon payment of any termination obligations. Outlines a number of requirements for a municipal power agency. Makes other changes. Amends the Public Utilities Act. In a provision regarding net electricity metering, defines "electricity provider" and "electric utility". Makes other changes. Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Provides that for all acquisitions where the property, or any right or interest in property, is to be used for utility purposes, and where the condemning authority is an entity required to submit an integrated resource plan under the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act, the rebuttable presumption that such acquisition of that property is primarily for the benefit, use, or enjoyment of the public and necessary for a public purpose shall only apply if the most recent integrated resource plan filed by the condemning authority identified the facility or articulated a need for a facility of similar capacity and type to the facility for which the property or right or interest is sought. Effective immediately.

Amends the PFAS Reduction Act. Requires, on or before January 1, 2026, a manufacturer of a product sold, offered for sale, or distributed in the State that contains intentionally added PFAS to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency specified information. Allows the Agency to waive the submission of information required by a manufacturer or extend the amount of time a manufacturer has to submit the required information. Provides that, if the Pollution Control Board has reason to believe that a product contains intentionally added PFAS and the product is being offered for sale in the State, the Board may direct the manufacturer of the product to provide the Board with testing results that demonstrate the amount of each of the PFAS in the product. Provides that, if testing demonstrates that the product does not contain intentionally added PFAS, the manufacturer must provide the Board with a certificate attesting that the product does not contain intentionally added PFAS. Restricts the sale of specified products beginning January 1, 2025 if the product contains intentionally added PFAS. Allows the Agency to establish a fee payable by a manufacturer to the Agency upon submission of the required information to cover the Agency's reasonable costs to implement the provisions. Allows the Agency to coordinate with the Board, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Public Health to enforce the provisions. Sets forth products that are exempt from the provisions.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Adds 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid, and atrazine to the definition of "Restricted Use Pesticide".

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall not consider as an expense of any public utility, for the purpose of determining any rate or charge, any amount expended for contributions or gifts to political candidates, political parties, political or legislative committees, or any committee or organization working to influence referendum petitions or elections or contributions to a trade association, chamber of commerce, or public charity, including, but not limited to, a charity managed by the public utility or affiliated interest. Provides that the Commission shall not consider as an expense of any public utility, for the purpose of determining any rate or charge, any amount expended by the public utility for director and officers liability insurance and fiduciary liability insurance. Provides that in determining whether other types of insurance purchased by the public utility are recoverable, the Commission shall determine whether the insurance is of financial benefit to ratepayers of the public utility or its shareholders. Provides that if the Commission determines the insurance purchased by the public utility is of benefit to its shareholders, then it shall not be a recoverable expense. Provides that, if a gas, electric, water, or sewer utility requests a general rate increase, the Commission shall hold at least one public hearing for the public to provide input on the proposed increase in rates. Provides that the public hearing shall be held in the service area of the public utility that is requesting the general rate increase at a time and location determined by the Commission. Makes changes in provisions definitions; donations made by a public utility for energy assistance; consideration of attorney and expert compensation as an expense; and the Consumer Intervenor Compensation Fund.

Creates the Illinois Appliance Standards Act. Directs the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to adopt minimum efficiency standards for covered products. Provides for testing, certification, and labeling of covered products. Contains provisions concerning enforcement of the Act's requirements. Provides for administrative rulemaking by the Agency. Makes findings. Defines terms.

Creates the Street Light Energy Conservation Act. Provides that, within 5 years after the effective date of the Act, each street light entity (a unit of local government, a public utility, and the State) exercising control over any street lights in the State shall install or replace each street light in the State, subject to appropriation, as follows: (1) the street light must be installed or replaced using LED technology; (2) the minimum illuminance must be adequate for the intended purpose of the street light and must be used with consideration given to nationally recognized standards; (3) for lighting of the State highway system, installation or replacement applies only if the Department of Transportation determines that the purpose of the street light cannot be achieved by the installation of reflective road markers, lines, warning, informational signs, or other effective passive methods; and (4) installation or replacement shall occur only after full consideration has been given to energy conservation, reducing glare, minimizing light pollution, and preserving the natural night environment. Includes exceptions to the requirement to install or replace each street light in the State with LED technology. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective immediately.