Rep. Larry Walsh

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act. Provides that each self-insured commercial vehicle rental company may collect and shall pay into the Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Trust Fund an amount equal to $1.00, or a lesser amount determined by the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council, multiplied by each car rental contract providing physical damage insurance coverage written by it in the State during the preceding calendar year. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a qualified taxpayer may apply to the Department of Revenue for an income tax credit in an amount equal to 20% of the wages paid by the qualified taxpayer to a qualified energy choice worker based in Illinois in the taxable year. Provides that the term "qualified taxpayer" means a taxpayer that is a regulated utility in the State of Illinois or a power generating company providing baseload or intermediate generation in Illinois and that meets specified criteria and is able to demonstrate an adverse and material operational impact to either its overall Illinois-based workforce or its ability to conduct business in Illinois based on the scheduled phaseout target dates of 2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045, as provided in Public Act 102-662. Sets forth limitations on the amount of the credit. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In a provision establishing greenhouse gas emission controls, authorizes an electric generating unit or large GHG-emitting unit to continue operating if an emergency, pre-emergency, or conservative operations situation exists. Provides that no variance, adjusted standard, or other regulatory relief that is otherwise available under the Act may be granted from the Act's greenhouse gas emission controls if battery storage resources constitute at least 10% of the total State-installed generation capacity. Provides that, if battery storage resources constitute less than 10% of the total State-installed generation capacity at any time after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Environmental Protection Agency shall delay enforcement of certain greenhouse gas emission controls. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt rules to implement these requirements. Defines "battery storage resource" and "total State-installed generation capacity". Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. Provides that "excavation" does not include an excavation for the purpose of connecting a communications service customer's home or business to the communications service provider's own communications network that is performed: (i) only with a hand tool, (ii) by a communications service provider, and (iii) to a depth not greater than 12 inches. Effective immediately.

Creates the Transmission Ownership and Reliability Act. Defines terms. Provides that all new electric transmission facilities located wholly or partly within the geographic boundaries of the State shall be owned, operated, and maintained exclusively by a Commission-regulated and investor-owned utility. Provides that any entity proposing to construct a new electric transmission facility in the State shall obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity under the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the construction of electric transmission facilities shall comply with all provisions of the Electric Transmission Systems Construction Standards Act and that third-party constructors shall adhere to prevailing wage, safety, and diversity requirements under that Act. Sets forth rulemaking provisions. Provides that any entity that constructs or operates an electric transmission facility in violation of the Act may be subject to monetary penalties, revocation of certification, or transfer orders issued by the Commission. Amends the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act. Provides that, to qualify as a "community-based organization", an organization must demonstrate, among other things, a plan to provide the skills and knowledge necessary to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL). Creates the Transmission Efficiency and Cooperation Law within the Public Utilities Act. Provides that an incumbent electric transmission owner has the right to construct, own, and maintain an electric transmission line that has been approved for construction in a transmission plan and that will connect to facilities that are owned by the incumbent electric transmission owner and are or will be under the functional control of a regional transmission operator. Provides that the right to construct, own, and maintain an electric transmission line belongs individually and proportionally to each incumbent electric transmission owner, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing. Provides that proportionality shall be determined based on the location of the electric transmission line relative to each incumbent electric transmission owner's retail service territory. Provides that an incumbent electric transmission owner may assign its right to construct, own, and maintain an electric transmission line to a transmission affiliate. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. In a provision concerning trapping, replaces references to "leghold" with "foothold". Provides that the diameter of traps shall be measured from the inside edges of the outer most portion of the jaws of the trap. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning colocation of photovoltaic community renewable generation projects, changes references from "community renewable generation project" to "photovoltaic community renewable generation project" and "community solar projects" to "photovoltaic community renewable generation projects". Requires a project labor agreement for the new construction of certain facilities related to community-driven community solar projects. In a provision applying prevailing wage requirements to facilities for which a renewable energy credit delivery contract is signed, removes an exception for multi-family residential buildings with aggregate geothermal system tonnage, including colocated projects, of no more than 29 tons. Amends the Energy Transition Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall jointly develop activities to support the recruitment of eligible candidates to the Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program. Provides that the activities shall include coordinating on sharing with community-based providers the contact information of persons preparing to be released into the community, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, if the person preparing to be released consents to the person's contact information being shared. Makes other changes.

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Disability Benefits Maximization Program. Provides that, within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Central Management Services, in conjunction with the 5 State-funded retirement systems, shall enter into a contract with an administrator to establish and conduct a Disability Benefits Maximization Program to identify individuals eligible for but not enrolled in Medicare, and to assist those individuals with enrolling in Social Security and Medicare. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall conduct an annual audit of the State health benefits program for everyone covered under the State Employees Group Insurance Program, the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program, and the College Insurance Program for the purpose of identifying participants and their dependents who are eligible for Medicare under federal law and shall also ensure that those annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, and dependents who are eligible for Medicare are enrolled in Medicare with Medicare as their primary health care benefits coverage and the State health benefits program being the secondary provider of their health care benefits coverage. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall assist annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, and their survivors and dependents who become disabled and are not enrolled in Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare with enrolling in and obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Provides that the administrator of the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall provide the Department, the 5 State-funded retirement systems, and the General Assembly with an annual report. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person may be retained in service as an investigator to investigate and enforce provisions of the Act administered by the Secretary of State after he or she has reached 65 (instead of 60) years of age. Removes the exemption for persons employed in the title of Capitol Police Investigator.

Amends the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Provides that the definition of "employee" does not include an employee who is engaged in the operation of a vessel that is documented by the United States under a specified federal law. Effective immediately.