Rep. Steve Reick

Amends the Township Code, the Park District Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, and the Public Community College Act. Provides that if a township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college has been issued a credit card, then, each month, the governing authority of the township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college shall vote to verify the validity of an itemized statement of all purchases made using the credit card in the preceding month. Provides that the itemized statement must include all purchases made using the credit card in the preceding month and may not be redacted. Provides that the vote shall solely be for the approval of the itemized statement of all purchases made using the credit card and shall not include any other expense approval. Provides that, if a township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college has a website maintained by a full-time staff, then the township, park district, municipality, school district, or community college shall publish each itemized statement on its website.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections and the County Jail Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall create a process for Department of Corrections correctional officers, retired Department of Corrections correctional officers, deputy sheriffs, county correctional officers, retired deputy sheriffs, and retired county correctional officers to be issued concealed carry licenses through the Illinois Retired Officer Concealed Carry program.

Amends the Counties Code. In provisions concerning energy storage systems, provides that the farmland drainage plan that a facility owner must file with a county shall include, among other things, plans to repair any subsurface drainage affected during construction or deconstruction using procedures outlined in the agricultural impact mitigation agreement (rather than outlined in the decommissioning plan) and procedures for the repair and restoration of surface drainage affected during construction or deconstruction. Provides that a county shall (rather than may) require a facility owner to provide a decommissioning plan to the county. Makes changes to the requirements of a decommissioning plan. Provides that a county shall (rather than may) require the facility owner to submit to the county (i) a commercial operation a commissioning report meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; (ii) a hazard mitigation analysis meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; (iii) an emergency operations plan meeting specified requirements of specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association; and (iv) a warning that complies with specified publications of the National Fire Protection Association. Provides that the energy storage system owner shall enter into one agricultural impact mitigation agreement for each energy storage system. Requires the agricultural impact mitigation agreement for an energy storage system to include specified plans. Requires a commercial renewable energy facility owner to make available a copy of the signed agricultural impact mitigation agreement at the site of the commercial renewable energy facility during any construction or deconstruction activities. Makes other changes.

Amends the General Provisions and Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a person who first becomes a member on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act who (i) is at least 50 years of age and (ii) does not have any service credit in the System or any other reciprocal System may elect to participate in the defined contribution benefit in lieu of participation in the defined benefit plan under the Article. Provides that the member shall contribute an amount equal to 7.5% of the member's pre-tax salary to the member's defined contribution account. Provides that, in addition, the employer shall contribute 6% of the member's pre-tax salary to the defined contribution account. Provides that a person who participates in the defined contribution plan in lieu of the defined benefit plan may not establish any service credit in the System. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Makes conforming changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person may be retained in service as an investigator to investigate and enforce provisions of the Act administered by the Secretary of State after he or she has reached 65 (instead of 60) years of age. Removes the exemption for persons employed in the title of Capitol Police Investigator.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, "production agriculture" also includes scouting crops, inspecting or repairing fences used to raise livestock, tile mapping, and herding or inspecting livestock.

Creates the Food Truck Freedom Act. Provides that a municipality, county, or township may create a license or permitting scheme for a food truck to operate within its jurisdiction. Provides that a food truck license or permit obtained from a municipality, county, or township in Illinois has full force and effect in all other jurisdictions in Illinois so long as that license or permit was issued after: (1) an inspection by a local health department that uses recommendations made by the Food and Drug Administration concerning food trucks and (2) an inspection by a local fire department that uses recommendations made by the National Fire Prevention Association concerning food trucks. Provides that nothing in the provisions prevents a municipality, county, or township from imposing placement or zoning restrictions or fees so long as those restrictions and fees are uniformly applied to all food trucks, regardless of the food truck's license or permit jurisdiction. Defines "food truck". Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Time Standardization Act. Provides that daylight saving time shall be the year-round standard time of the entire State. Makes other changes.

Maddy summaryHR 427, the "EDUCATIONAL CHOICE ACT," is a resolution that urges Governor JB Pritzker to opt Illinois into the provisions of the federal "Educational Choice for Children Act." If the Governor were to act on this urging, it would enable Illinois to participate in a program related to educational choices for children.

Directs the Auditor General to conduct a management, performance, and fiscal audit of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford Illinois Rural Medical Education (RMED) Program.