Rep. Jackie Haas

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a law enforcement or correctional agency shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 15 business days (rather than within 5 business days) after its receipt of the request, unless the time for response is properly extended under certain provisions. Allows for an extension for not more than 15 business days from the original due date for the reason that the requested records are records that are partially exempt from disclosure but that require blurring of body camera footage by a law enforcement or correctional agency or other redactions by a law enforcement or correctional agency before making the remaining requested information available for inspection and copying.

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, if an ordinance is adopted after the effective date of the amendatory Act creating a redevelopment project area, the redevelopment project area will expire in the 23rd year after the year in which the first project started using the moneys from the special tax allocation fund (rather than the 23rd year after the year in which the ordinance approving the redevelopment project area was adopted). Provides, however, that, for ordinances adopted after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the 23 years must begin to run no later than 10 years after the year in which the ordinance approving the redevelopment project area was adopted even if no projects have been started using the moneys from the special tax allocation fund. Makes a conforming change in provisions extending the expiration of a redevelopment project area to the 35th calendar year. Provides that no extensions of redevelopment project areas to the 47th calendar year may occur after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities and veterans of World War II, provides that the term "veteran" also includes veterans who were killed in the line of duty but were not Illinois residents at the time of their death. Provides that a requirement that a surviving spouse must be a resident of Illinois from the time of the veteran's death through the taxable year for which the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities is sought does not apply if the veteran was killed in the line of duty. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Creates the Deferred Retirement Option Article. Provides a deferred retirement option plan (DROP) for certain participants under the Downstate Teacher Article who are eligible to retire and meet other criteria. Provides that a participant in the DROP may elect to participate for up to 5 years. Provides that on the effective date of the member's election, the System shall credit the member's account on a monthly basis, for as long as the member participates in the DROP, an amount equal to the monthly amount of retirement annuity the member would otherwise be eligible to receive had the member retired on the date of the election. Provides that the DROP member shall be considered in active service for purposes of participation in a collective bargaining agreement, for health care benefits, and for other purposes. Establishes a DROP administered by the State Treasurer for pension funds or retirement systems that are required to establish a DROP and elect to transfer administrative responsibility for the DROP to the State Treasurer. Sets forth provisions concerning interest on the account; termination of the DROP; contributions; administrative costs; and a DROP advisory board. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that subject to federal approval, beginning on January 1, 2026, the reimbursement rates for the support component of the nursing facility rate for facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act as skilled or intermediate care facilities and for facilities licensed under the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013 shall be the rate in effect on June 30, 2024 increased by the percent change in the Consumer Price Index-U from September 2016 to September 2025. Effective immediately.

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.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the penalty for aggravated domestic battery is a Class X felony for which the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory term of imprisonment of not less than 6 years and not more than 30 years when the person, in committing a domestic battery, strangles another individual.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In a provision requiring policies of group accident and health insurance to provide coverage for certain examination and testing services provided to a victim of specified criminal offenses, prohibits the policy from imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided, except to the extent that the coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account under the Internal Revenue Code. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act and the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to hold semiannual joint training sessions for surveyors, nursing home providers, and assisted living establishment providers. Provides that the Department shall include the State long-term care ombudsman, or the State long-term care ombudsman's designee, and representatives of each nursing home provider association and assisted living provider association in the State in the planning process to create the topics and content of the joint training sessions as well as the coordination and presentations for the joint training sessions. Provides that, at least annually, a joint training session shall include, but not be limited to, regional citation patterns relating to complaints, standards, and outcomes in the nursing home and assisted living survey process. Requires the Department to develop standardized training for establishments to prevent common citations in the assisted living survey process.

Commends the establishment of the Serenity Garden, located beside Duane Dean Behavioral Health Center in Kankakee, as an exemplary initiative advancing social-emotional wellness, ecological stewardship, and pollinator conservation.