Rep. Travis Weaver

Creates the Design Professional Self-Certification Act. Provides that the Executive Director of the Capital Development Board shall establish a self-certification program through which a qualified design professional within a participating municipality shall be permitted to: (1) take responsibility for a project's compliance with the baseline building code; and (2) self-certify that a permit application, plans, and specifications comply with the baseline building code. Requires the Executive Director to establish requirements for design professionals to qualify for the self-certification program. Sets forth program requirements; oversight; and recordkeeping. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Includes trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude, and involuntary sexual servitude of a minor in the definition of "sex offense" under the Act.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that any member of the General Assembly, person whose appointment to office is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, or head of a department, commission, board, division, bureau, authority, or other administrative unit within the government of this State who takes office on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act shall not, within a 3-year period immediately following termination of that person's most recent term of office, register as a lobbyist and engage in lobbying with members of the General Assembly. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Deletes an affirmative defense to the charge of patronizing a minor engaged in prostitution that the accused reasonably believed that the person was of the age of 18 years or over or was not a person with a severe or profound intellectual disability at the time of the act giving rise to the charge.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that when the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, or trafficking in persons and related offenses may be commenced at any time (rather than within 25 years of the victim attaining the age of 18 years).

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a permanent polling place for early voting must remain open beginning the 15th day before an election through the end of the day before election day during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., on weekdays (currently, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekdays).

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that homestead property that is owned and used as a primary residence by a Gold Star Parent is exempt from taxation under the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act. Provides that certain taxpayers that are primarily engaged in the recycling and melting of steel products and in the manufacturing of new steel wire and rod products may elect to claim the credit under the Act against their withholding tax liability instead of their income tax liability. Effective immediately.

Amends the Notice By Publication Act. Provides that in counties with a population of less than 3,000,000, if a unit of local government, community college, or school district is required to provide notice in a newspaper by law, order of court, or contract, those entities may publish the notice on its official government website instead of in a newspaper. Provides that the entity or the host of the notice website must enter into a service-level agreement with an Internet service provider that guarantees the site is accessible to the public over the Internet at least 98% of the time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Provides that the official Internet website of the entity must prominently display a link to the notice web page. Provides that if an individual is unable to access an electronic publication of a legal notice, the entity must provide a copy of the notice to the individual free of charge. Requires that notices must remain available on the website at least until the last posting date required by law has expired or until the event described in a notice has taken place, whichever is later. Repeals the current provisions that a newspaper that publishes a notice required by law must contract to place the notice at no additional cost on the statewide website established and maintained as a joint venture of the majority of State newspapers as a repository of these notices. Amends the Newspaper Legal Notice Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mechanics Lien Act. Provides that an agreement to waive any right to enforce or claim any lien under this Act, whether upon conditional or unconditional terms, or an agreement to subordinate the lien, where the agreement is in anticipation of and in consideration for the awarding of a contract, subcontract, or payment, either express or implied, to perform work or supply materials for an improvement upon real property is against public policy and unenforceable.