Rep. La Shawn Ford

Commends the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) for its commitment to fostering leadership and dialogue through the Chair Chats series. Celebrates the upcoming event featuring Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski and Chancellor Dr. Marie Lynn Miranda. Commends Coach K for his distinctive legacy of leadership. Commends Chancellor Miranda for her dedication to expanding inclusive access to world-class higher education, advancing student success, promoting research excellence, and enhancing the public good.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that it is unlawful to apply for a new commercial vehicle relocator's license or safety relocator's registration certificate while the commercial vehicle relocator's license or safety relocator's registration certificate of the applicant, or an entity that the applicant has an ownership interest in, is suspended. Provides that it is unlawful to apply for a new commercial vehicle relocator's license or safety relocator's registration certificate within 5 years after the date when the commercial vehicle relocator's license or safety relocator's registration certificate of the applicant, or an entity that the applicant has an ownership interest in, was revoked. Provides that it is unlawful to relocate a vehicle of which the commercial vehicle relocator has possession from any premises controlled by the commercial vehicle relocator without (1) providing at least 90 days notice by posting on the premises, visible to the general public, a notice of intent to relocate the vehicle prior to the relocation of the vehicle, and (2) providing at least 60 days notice by mail to the registered address of the registered owner or owners of the vehicle prior to the relocation of the vehicle. Provides that a commercial vehicle safety relocator shall provide a price list indicating both the per mile towing charge and per day storage charge to the driver of the vehicle prior to removing the vehicle, to specified others if the driver cannot be located, or, under specified conditions, mailed within 24 hours to the registered address of the registered vehicle owner.

Maddy summaryHB 473 amends the School Code to correct a technical error in the section that defines the code's short title. This change is purely administrative and does not alter any educational policies, programs, or requirements. The bill affects no specific groups, schools, or students, as it only updates the official reference language within the code. It has no substantive impact on education funding, curriculum, or school operations.

Amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Provides that any covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not be enforceable with respect to the provision of reproductive health care or maternity care by a health care professional in the State if the enforcement of the covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit is likely to reduce the availability of reproductive health care or maternity care. Provides that in an action to enforce a covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a party seeking to enforce the covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit has the burden of proving that it will not reduce the availability of reproductive health care or maternity care in the State. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Directs the Department of Agriculture to study: (1) the specific actions that can be taken and the practices that can be implemented to mitigate the impacts of drought and climate change on agriculture in the State; (2) the costs, benefits, and feasibility of establishing and implementing financial and technical assistance programs to mitigate the impacts of drought and climate change on agricultural producers in the State; (3) the costs, benefits, and feasibility of using agricultural land management to realize greenhouse gas reductions and maximize carbon sequestration opportunities in the State; (4) the costs, benefits, and feasibility of using floatovoltaics in State waterways; and (5) the costs, benefits, and feasibility of establishing within the Department an Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office for the purpose of providing agricultural producers with the voluntary technical assistance, nonregulatory programs, and incentives necessary to harden the State's agricultural sector to the coming impacts of drought and climate change. Allows the Department to enter into a contract or grant agreement with one or more organizations or institutions with expertise in environmental and agricultural issues for the purpose of completing the tasks delegated to the Department in these provisions. Authorizes the Department, in conducting the required cost-benefit analyses, to take into account the value of ecosystem services. Directs the Department to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly within 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Tobacco Products Act. Defines "electronic cigarette", "nicotine", and "tobacco products". Imposes a tax on any person engaged in business as a distributor of tobacco products at the rate of (i) 18% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State before July 1, 2012; (ii) 36% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State prior to July 1, 2025; and (iii) 45% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State beginning on July 1, 2025. Makes the changes made to the definition of "electronic cigarette" by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly apply on and after June 30, 2025, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly for such taxes paid during the period beginning June 30, 2025 and the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning PDPM STRIVE staffing ratio calculations for nursing facilities, provides that beginning January 1, 2025, the staffing percentage used in the calculation of the per diem staffing add-on shall be its PDPM STRIVE Staffing Ratio which equals: its Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day as published in the most recent federal staffing report (the Provider Information file), divided by the facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target. Provides that each facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target is equal to .76 times the facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case-Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day. Provides that a facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case-Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day is equal to its Nursing Case-Mix (as published in the most recent federal Provider Information file) divided by 1.4627 times 3.79 (which is the Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day for the Nation as reported in the January 2024 State US Averages file). Effective July 1, 2025.

Creates the Right to Play Act. Provides that a student who is a member of a school athletic activity may participate in a nonschool athletic activity that is of the same sport as the school athletic activity during the season in which the student participates in the school athletic activity without losing eligibility to participate in the school athletic activity, provided that the student may not participate in both the nonschool athletic activity and a school athletic practice or competition for the same sport on the same day.

Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Provides that, if the injured employee subsequently dies, the employer shall continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the surviving spouse (rather than the surviving spouse until remarried) and for the dependent children under specified conditions.

Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides the Illinois Gaming Board shall: allow sworn law enforcement personnel employed by the Board who retire in good standing to keep their previously issued Board identification cards; or issue photographic identification cards to sworn law enforcement personnel employed by the Board who retire in good standing that indicate their separation from service and identify the person as having been employed by the Board as sworn law enforcement personnel. Provides that if a Board-issued identification card is lost or stolen, the Board shall immediately reissue a replacement identification card upon written request by the retired sworn law enforcement personnel. Effective immediately.