Rep. Sharon Chung

Amends the Strengthening Community Media Act. Provides that, for the fiscal year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, a State agency shall direct at least 5% of its total spending on advertising to local news organization publications, provided that a State agency may seek an exemption from this requirement upon a showing to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity that the purposes of the advertising are inconsistent with placement in a local news organization. Provides that the Department shall maintain a list of eligible local news organizations. Provides that all State agencies are prohibited from discriminating among local news organizations based on editorial content, unless that content is objectively relevant to the target audience and articulated purposes of the advertising. Provides that, no later than 3 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department shall publish on its website a report on the implementation of the Act. Provides that, for the first full fiscal year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department shall publish an annual report that includes specified information. Defines "State agencies".

Amends the Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act. Provides that an employer shall provide 30 minutes of paid break time (rather than reasonable break time) to an employee who needs to express breast milk for her nursing infant child each time the employee has the need to express milk for one year after the child's birth. Provides that the employee may use other paid break time or meal time for any time needed in excess of 30 minutes. Provides that an employer shall provide paid break time (rather than reasonable break time) as needed by the employee unless to do so would create an undue hardship.

Amends the Accident and Health Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no health insurer may charge a patient out-of-network rates for neonatal care at any hospital.

Amends the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Authorizes grants to be provided under the Act for financing shoreline restoration and protection projects on behalf of counties and park districts.

Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Provides that, beginning no later than 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall track and record the manner of death for all firefighters in Illinois, including suicide and the various types of cancer.

Creates the Safe Gun Storage Act. Provides that a firearm owner shall not store or keep any firearm in any premises where the firearm owner knows or reasonably should know a minor without the lawful permission of the minor's parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person is likely to gain access to the firearm unless the firearm is secured in a locked container, properly engaged so as to render the firearm inaccessible or unusable to any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user. Provides that if the firearm is carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user, then the firearm is deemed lawfully stored or kept. Provides that a violation of the Act is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500, except (i) if any person knows or reasonably should know that a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person is likely to gain access to a firearm belonging to or under the control of that person, and a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains the firearm, the civil penalty shall not exceed $1,000 and (ii) if a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains a firearm and uses it to injure or cause the death of a person or uses the firearm in connection with a crime, the civil penalty shall not exceed $10,000. Provides that the court may order a person who is found in violation of the Act to perform community service or pay restitution in lieu of the civil penalties imposed under this Section if good cause is shown. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to preclude civil liabilities for violations of the Act. Provides that a violation of the Act is prima facie evidence of negligence per se in any civil proceeding if a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains a firearm and causes personal injury to the death of oneself or another or uses the firearm in the commission of a crime. Provides that an action to collect a civil penalty under the Act may be brought by the Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in which the violation occurred. Provides that any money received from the collection of a civil penalty under the Act shall be deposited in the Mental Health Fund. Defines terms. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 2008 amends the existing Grocery Initiative Act. This bill primarily focuses on establishing clear definitions for "independently owned" and "local ownership." These new definitions would apply to businesses operating under the Grocery Initiative Act, likely clarifying which entities qualify as independently or locally owned within that framework.

Amends the Illinois State Police Law. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, all 9-1-1 telecommunicators who provide dispatch for emergency medical conditions shall be required to be trained, utilizing the most current nationally recognized emergency cardiovascular care guidelines, in high-quality telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR). Defines telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation for the purposes of the provisions.

Creates the Child Welfare Agency Liability Task Force to develop and recommend a permanent solution to address the unavailability of liability insurance for child welfare agencies in the State.

Urges full restoration of all eliminated direct support professionals (DSP) hours in the final FY26 State budget to protect the services individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) depend on.