Rep. Stephanie Kifowit

Creates the Illinois Veterans Homes Expansion Task Force to study the need for the expansion of high-quality, specialized, and affordable long-term care for aged and disabled veterans through the Illinois Veterans Homes system.

Creates the Wetlands Protection Act. Provides that no person may discharge dredged or fill material into a State jurisdictional wetland except with a permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources. Exempts certain activities from the requirements of the Act. Sets forth procedures for individual permit applications and other related procedural requirements. Provides that the Department shall not issue an individual permit unless the Environmental Protection Agency certifies to the Department that there will not be a violation of State water quality standards. Provides that the Department may issue an after-the-fact permit in certain emergency circumstances. Sets forth financial assurance requirements. Authorizes the Department to adopt general permits under the Act. Provides that any person who intends to conduct a regulated activity may do so in accordance with a general permit issued by the Department, which pre-authorizes a category of activities with minimal adverse effects. Provides procedures and requirements regarding preconstruction notifications. Provides that certain entities may establish and operate a mitigation bank or in lieu fee program. Describes procedures and requirements for mitigation banks. Grants the Department rulemaking powers. Provides that the Department shall prepare certain reports and studies. Provides for the review of final decisions of the Department. Provides for investigations by the Department and enforcement by a State's Attorney or the Attorney General. Provides for a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 per day of violation, with interest after judgment, and with certain costs, fees, and expenses, payable to the Wetlands Protection Fund. Provides that any person may file a complaint with the Illinois Pollution Control Board concerning a violation of the Act, a rule adopted under the Act, a condition of a permit issued under the Act, or an order of the Pollution Control Board issued under the Act. Provides for county and special district stormwater program authorities to control or regulate activities in any wetlands within their jurisdiction. Establishes the Wetlands Protection Fund. Provides that a permit review fee for all permit applications is to be set by the Department by rule. Makes corresponding changes to the State Finance Act. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, the term "public works" also includes all private projects that are located in a tax increment financing district and paid for wholly or in part out of public funds, unless the total cost of the project is less than $25,000 or the project is performed in a designated historic district requiring specialty contractors because of that designation.

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.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to make grants available for community schools separate and apart from any federal appropriations to be issued to the Afterschool for Children and Teens Now Coalition (ACT Now) through its fiscal sponsor Metropolitan Family Services and disbursed to 32 partner schools in the State. Requires all ACT Now partner schools to develop plans for implementing community schools that include activities in all of the pipeline services. Requires ACT Now partner schools to submit data on services designated by ACT Now annually to the State Board. Requires ACT Now partner schools to submit all oversight and accounting procedures established by ACT Now to the State Board. Requires ACT Now to conduct technical assistance services, provide professional development to schools and partners, and conduct an annual evaluation of a grant awarded by the State Board. Effective July 1, 2026.

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.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a member who is eligible to receive an alternative retirement annuity may elect to receive an estimated payment that shall commence no later than 30 days after the later of either the member's last day of employment or 30 days after the member files for the retirement benefit with the System. Provides that the estimated payment shall be the best estimate by the System of the total monthly amount due to the member based on the information that the System possesses at the time of the estimate. Provides that if the amount of the estimate is greater or less than the actual amount of the monthly annuity, the System shall pay or recover the difference within 6 months after the start of the monthly annuity. Excludes a benefit increase resulting from the amendatory Act from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Amends the Regulation of Public Pension Funds Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance may (instead of shall) render advisory services to the pension funds on all matters pertaining to their operations. Provides that recommendations for corrective or clarifying legislation may (instead of shall) be made in the report of examination of the particular pension fund and in a biennial report to the General Assembly. Provides that the report to the Governor and General Assembly shall include the results of examinations made by an independent certified public accountant retained by the Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund or the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund for examinations of a downstate police or downstate firefighter pension fund. Requires downstate police and downstate firefighter pension funds to include, in their annual report to the Public Pension Division, details on transactions pertaining to nontransferable assets that funds retain after transferring investments to the Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund or the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund. Provides that, if a penalty is not paid within 30 days of the date of assessment and no just cause has been communicated, the Director of Insurance may (instead of if a penalty is not paid within 30 days of the date of assessment, the Director without further notice shall) report the act of noncompliance to the Attorney General. Repeals provisions establishing the Advisory Commission on Pension Benefits. Makes other changes.

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.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that "stakeholder" includes any organization that is a nonprofit organization that represents or serves at least 10% of either participants or annuitants of the System and whose primary purpose is as a membership organization serving either participants, annuitants, or both. Provides that the Board of Trustees of the System shall make an annual report available to stakeholders that includes a list of: (1) the name of each annuitant, the annuitant's last employer, and the zip code associated with the annuitant's address on file; and (2) the name of each active participant, the participant's current employer, and a zip code associated with the participant's address on file. Requires the report to be delivered electronically to stakeholders on August 1 of each year.