Rep. Nicole La Ha

Amends the Illinois State Police Law. Provides that the Illinois State Police, in cooperation with the Golden Search Task Force, shall develop as part of the Endangered Missing Person Advisory a coordinated statewide awareness program and toolkit, which shall be referred to as the Golden Search, to be used when there is a missing person who is believed to be a person having a developmental disability or a person having an intellectual disability. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall complete development and deployment of the Golden Search Awareness Program and toolkit on or before July 1, 2026. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall establish a Golden Search Task Force within 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act to assist the Illinois State Police in development and deployment of the Golden Search Awareness Program and toolkit. Provides that the Task Force shall monitor and review the implementation and operation of that program, including procedures, budgetary requirements, standards, and minimum requirements for the training of law enforcement personnel on how to interact appropriately and effectively with individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Sets forth membership of the Task Force. Provides that the Director of the Illinois State Police or the Director's designee shall serve as Chair of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall meet at least twice a year and shall provide a report on the operations of the Golden Search Program to the General Assembly and the Governor each year by June 30th. Provides that the Child Safety Coordinator shall act in the capacity of Golden Search Program Coordinator in addition to the Child Safety Coordinator's other duties. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct a training program for law enforcement personnel of local governmental agencies in the statewide coordinated Golden Search Awareness Program and toolkit. Provides that the Board shall adopt written protocols and guidelines for the handling of missing persons cases involving a person having a developmental disability or a person having an intellectual disability based upon protocols developed by the Golden Search Task Force in conjunction with the Illinois State Police on or before July 1, 2026.

Amends the First Responders Suicide Prevention Act. Reinstates the First Responders Suicide Task Force. Adds to the reconstituted Task Force one member who represents an organization that provides mental health training and support for first responders in State of Illinois, appointed by the President of the Senate. Provides that members of the Task Force shall be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Directs the Task Force to issue a final report to the General Assembly on or December 31, 2026. Provides for the repeal of the Task Force on January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who is 79 years or older to renew in person. Requires every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who is 87 years of age or or who is 75 years of age or older and holds a commercial driver's license to prove, by an actual demonstration, the applicant's ability to exercise reasonable care in the safe operation of a motor vehicle. Allows an immediate family member to submit information to the Secretary of State relative to the medical condition of a person if the condition interferes with the person's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Requires information to be submitted in writing in a manner and form approved by the Secretary and shall include the name of the person submitting the information. Prohibits the Secretary from accepting or acting on anonymous reports. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Department of Early Childhood Act. Expands the definition of "eligible infants and toddlers" to list infants having a birth weight less than 1,000 grams. Requires the Department of Early Childhood, as the designated lead agency to administer the system of early intervention services on and after July 1, 2026, to develop informational materials and handouts for hospitals to distribute to the parents or legal guardians of severely premature infants, explaining that infants having a birth weight of less than 1,000 grams automatically qualify for early intervention services up until their 3rd birthday. Provides that the informational materials and handouts shall also contain information on the benefits of early intervention services for severely premature infants, the website addresses and phone numbers that parents and legal guardians can access to obtain more information on early intervention services, and the contact information of the early intervention regional intake entity designated to coordinate services for eligible infants. Requires the statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive, interagency and interdisciplinary early intervention programs to include in its public awareness program, a special focus on the early identification of infants who automatically qualify for early intervention services on account of having a birth weight less than 1,000 grams. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Requires hospitals to distribute, free of charge, to the parents or legal guardians of each severely premature infant having a birth weight of less than 1,000 grams informational materials and handouts developed by the Department of Early Childhood on the availability of early intervention services for severely premature infants. Requires a nurse or physical therapist to review the proffered materials with the infant's parents or legal guardians prior to discharge and explain that premature infants having a birth weight of less than 1,000 grams automatically qualify for early intervention services up until their 3rd birthday, including speech, physical, occupational, and other therapies.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a pensioner, annuitant, applicant for a refund, disability beneficiary, or other beneficiary does not have the right to transfer or assign his or her pension, annuity, refund, or disability benefit, or any part thereof, by mortgage or otherwise; except that an annuitant or disability beneficiary may direct, in writing, that a monthly payment be made to an association or organization with which the annuitant or disability beneficiary or the annuitant's or disability beneficiary's surviving spouse may be affiliated by virtue of his or her fire service or for hospitalization insurance purposes.

Maddy summarySB 408 makes a technical change within the School Code. This bill amends a section concerning the short title of the code, without introducing substantive policy changes or directly affecting specific groups.

Amends the Domestic Violence Shelters Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall be responsible for the provision of a single, easy to use telephone number for public access to information and referral for domestic violence services. Authorizes the Department to identify and enter into a contract with a lead entity to provide governance and oversight, including the ability to design, implement, support, and coordinate a State-wide Domestic Violence Hotline system. Provides that the lead entity must: (i) have the ability to provide statewide, toll-free, 24-hour, 7 day-a-week, multi-lingual, confidential referral services to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and information to people calling on behalf of a victim, including friends or family of the domestic violence victim and first responders such as the police; (ii) have a record of providing effective, victim-centered referral services to victims of domestic violence for at least 2 years prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act; (iii) be an Illinois 501(c)(3) non-profit agency or organization; (iv) provide the most up-to-date technology to increase access to domestic violence services for the deaf and hard of hearing; and (v) have other specified qualifications. Requires the lead entity to provide periodic programmatic and fiscal reports on activities, accomplishments, and other issues to the Department. Requires the Department to ensure, prior to awarding a contract, that the Domestic Violence Hotline lead entity has the organizational capacity to carry out the terms of the contract.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person who commits the offense of non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images may be tried in any one of the following counties in which: (1) the offense occurred; or (2) the victim resides.

Creates the Complex Wheelchair Right to Repair Act. Provides that, for complex wheelchairs and parts for complex wheelchairs sold or used in the State, an original equipment manufacturer shall make available to an independent repair provider, solely for the purpose of repairing complex wheelchairs, on fair and reasonable terms, any documentation, parts, service access methods, and tools, including, but not limited to, any updates to information, firmware, or embedded software that is needed for purposes of repair of complex wheelchairs and training courses and materials on the operation, inspection, diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of complex wheelchairs. Provides that a violation of any of the provisions of the Act is an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides for penalties. Provides that nothing in the Act shall require an original equipment manufacturer to divulge a trade secret to an independent repair provider. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Prohibits a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 from requiring a qualified complex rehabilitation technology supplier to obtain any form of prior authorization or any medical documentation to complete repairs for consumer-owned complex rehab technology. Requires coverage for time and labor expenses; travel allowance; and maintenance and repair of a consumer's backup power wheelchair or a rental wheelchair. Provides coverage for preventive maintenance. Amends various Acts to require coverage under those provisions. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2026.

Creates the Child Welfare Disclosure to Parents and Caregivers Act. Provides that it is the policy of the State that parents receiving intact family services or reunification services from the Illinois child welfare system have specified rights, including, but not limited to, the right to: (1) be treated with dignity and respect and as a valued member of the child welfare team; (2) be consulted about relative placement options for their children prior to placement in a foster home; (3) be notified and considered as a placement resource, as the noncustodial parent, prior to protective custody; (4) receive timely visitation with their children; (5) be provided a copy of the Child Welfare Disclosure to Parents and Caregivers Act at the time of case opening for intact family services or reunification services; (6) participate in the development of the hair care plan for their child; and other enumerated rights. Effective immediately.