Rep. Matt Hanson

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a grocery store that offers a digital coupon to consumers shall make available a corresponding paper coupon of equal value. Provides that the paper coupons shall be easily accessible at the service desk and may also be placed in other locations around the store. Provides that a grocery store that violates the requirement commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act.

Amends the Motor Vehicle Franchise Act. Provides that it shall be deemed a violation for a manufacturer, a distributor, a wholesaler, or other specified entity to distribute new motor vehicles directly to consumers or to circumvent franchise distribution obligations under the Act. Provides that it shall be deemed a violation for any manufacturer with an established franchise dealer network in the State to engage in the sale, lease, or servicing of new motor vehicles in a manner that bypasses or competes with the manufacturer's existing franchisee network. Makes conforming and other changes. Defines terms.

Amends the General Obligation Bond Act. Authorizes an additional $1,000,000,000 of State Pension Obligation Acceleration Bonds. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Employees, State Universities, and Downstate Teachers Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Extends the option for a participant to receive an accelerated pension benefit payment in lieu of any pension benefit or for a reduction in the increases to his or her annual retirement annuity and survivor's annuity to June 30, 2030 (instead of June 30, 2026). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Makes structural and other changes to the list of controlled substances. Adds xylazine as a Class III controlled substance. Defines "isomer". Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the State Finance Act. In provisions concerning vouchers, provides that the signature requirement for construction contracts procured by the Department of Transportation shall apply to contracts, contract renewals, and orders against a master contract in the amount of $750,000 or more in a fiscal year and to any contract amendment or change to an existing contract that increases the value of the contract to or by $750,000 or more in a fiscal year. Amends the Public Contract Fraud Act. In provisions concerning spending money without obtaining title to land, provides that the Department of Transportation may proceed with bidding or awarding a contract or any construction activities once it has complied with specified federal requirements. Amends the Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act of 2002. Makes changes in provisions concerning: waiver valuations; endorsement; grounds for disciplinary action; citations; discrimination; investigation, notice, and hearing; and meetings of the Real Estate Appraisal Administration and Disciplinary Board. Amends the Illinois Highway Code. In provisions allowing the Department of Transportation to acquire an interest in land, rights, or other property for specified road construction purposes, specifies that the property may be public or private property. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 226 amends the Illinois Fairness in Lending Act. The bill makes a technical change specifically to the section of the Act that concerns its short title.

Creates the Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act. Provides for the review of the case file of open unresolved murders. Defines "open unresolved murder" as any criminal activity in which death occurred more than 3 years prior to the date of the application for review of the case file under the Act, for which all probative investigative leads have been exhausted, and for which no likely perpetrator has been identified. Provides that the person or persons performing the review shall not have previously investigated the murder. Provides that only one case review shall be undertaken at any one time with respect to the same murder victim. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall develop a written application to be used for persons to request a case file review. Provides that the applicable agency shall conduct a full reinvestigation of the murder if the review of the case file concludes that a full reinvestigation of the murder would result in probative investigative leads. Provides for the compilation and publication of specified information and statistics regarding open unresolved murders by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall employ or designate a minimum number of family liaison officers proportionate to the average number of homicides in the agency's jurisdiction within the previous 5 years of the date of employment with the maximum ratio of 40 homicides per each family liaison officer employed or designated. Each agency may establish a lower ratio for hiring or designating of family liaison officers. Establishes the duties and training for family liaison officers. Amends the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a distressed location project that is located within a distressed community shall be eligible for assistance of up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement proposals that are in conformity with the purposes of the Act. Specifies that a project that is located within a distressed community, regardless of whether the project is located within a distressed location, is eligible for assistance up to 90% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement proposals that are in conformity with the purposes of the Act. Provides that a distressed location project that is not located in a distressed community shall be eligible for assistance of up to 75% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement proposals that are in conformity with the purposes of the Act. Directs the Department of Natural Resources to prioritize the making of grants under the Act for projects that are located in distressed locations and distressed communities. Sets limits on the appropriated amounts that may be used for grants to distressed communities and distressed locations. Repeals a provision that required the Department of Natural Resources to prepare a Distressed Local Government Report. Repeals provisions that define terms. Adds other definitions. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants emergency rulemaking powers to the Department of Natural Resources.

Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, moneys in the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Fund may not be appropriated, assigned, or transferred to another State fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Statute on Statutes. Provides that any reference to the term "electronic data processing" in any statute of the State, any rule adopted by an administrative agency of the State, or any appropriations Act of the State includes information technology as defined in a specified provision of the State Finance Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Replaces the term "electronic data processing" with "information technology". Provides that, upon written approval by the Office of the Comptroller, a State agency may submit electronic travel vouchers under procedures and controls prescribed by the Comptroller. Effective immediately.