Rep. Suzanne Ness

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution that formally recognizes April 2026 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month in Illinois. It does not create new laws, change funding, or alter existing programs; instead, it serves as an official acknowledgment to raise awareness about preventing child abuse and neglect. The resolution highlights the ongoing efforts of communities, families, and organizations to protect children and strengthen family units. By designating this month, the Illinois House of Representatives aims to encourage continued public attention and support for child safety initiatives already in place.

Declares the month of March 2026 as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month in the State of Illinois to bring awareness to those living with cerebral palsy and prioritize disability inclusion and education. Celebrates the 20th anniversary of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness day.

Declares May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Calls upon all Illinoisans to engage in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.

Declares May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Calls upon all Illinoisans to join in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research and advocating for increased funding and to stand in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease. Expresses support for the ALS community as they seek to increase awareness, prioritize research funding, and secure additional caregiving support.

Creates the Artificial Intelligence Public Safety and Child Protection Transparency Act. Provides that a frontier artificial intelligence model developer or large chatbot provider shall write, implement, comply with, and clearly and conspicuously publish on its website a public safety and child protection plan. Provides that the Attorney General shall establish a mechanism to be used by a large frontier developer, a large chatbot provider, or a member of the public to report a safety incident related to specified artificial intelligence models or chatbots. Sets forth provisions concerning the protection of whistleblowers; third party audits of large frontier developers; and civil penalties. Provides for rulemaking by the Attorney General. Effective January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a memorial resolution honoring the life and service of former Illinois State Representative Rosemary Magner Kurtz, who passed away on April 1, 2026. It officially expresses the condolences of the Illinois House of Representatives to her family and friends while recognizing her extensive career as an educator, activist, and public official. The document highlights her achievements, including her election to the state legislature at age 70 and her later service on the school board at age 85, but does not enact any new laws or policies.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of a municipality may license and regulate all commercial operations within the municipality's boundaries, whether for profit or not for profit, but may not impose any tax upon their operations except as otherwise authorized by law. Limits the definition of "commercial operations" to exclude agritourism operations, agricultural properties, agribusinesses, agritourism activities, agricultural experiences, and pollution control facilities.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program and confer a bachelor's degree if specified conditions are met. Requires the board of trustees to demonstrate that the community college district has the expertise, the resources, and sufficient student demand to offer a baccalaureate degree. Sets forth the application requirements. Prohibits a community college district from using semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree program for certain grants. Sets forth limitations on community college districts for establishing baccalaureate programs. Requires a community college district that offers a baccalaureate degree program to submit an annual report to the Illinois Community College Board. Requires the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education to conduct a statewide evaluation of all baccalaureate degree programs established under the amendatory Act and report the results of the evaluation on or before 5 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, in addition to being made publicly available online. Effective immediately.

Creates the Temporary Immunity for Child Welfare Agencies Act. Creates immunity from civil liability for a licensed child welfare agency that provides service for youth in foster care for a 2-year period unless the agency's acts or omissions constitute willful and wanton conduct. Provides that the immunity extends to the agency's employees, volunteers, and agents acting within the scope of their employment. Defines a "child welfare agency" to mean a public or private child care facility that receives a child or children for the purpose of placing or arranging for the placement or free care of the child or children in foster family homes, unlicensed pre-adoptive and adoptive homes, adoption-only homes, or other facilities for child care apart from the custody of the child's or children's parents. The term "child welfare agency" includes (i) all agencies established and maintained by a municipality or other political subdivision of the State to protect, guard, train or care for children outside their own homes; and (ii) all agencies, persons, groups of persons, organizations, corporations, institutions, centers, or group providing adoption services but does not include a circuit court, appointed juvenile probation officer, or youth counselor of the court who receive and place children under an order of the court. Creates the Child Welfare Agency Liability Task Force to develop and recommend a permanent solution to address the unavailability of liability insurance for child welfare agencies in the State. Requires that the Task Force submit its first report to the General Assembly no later than December 26, 2026. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority for grants to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office to expand the Human Exploitation Unit. Effective July 1, 2026.