Rep. Harry Benton

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific section of Route 31 in Batavia as the "SSG Robert D. Herreid Memorial Highway" to honor Staff Sergeant Robert Dale Herreid, a U.S. Army soldier who died in Vietnam in 1968. The legislation requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to install signs marking the road with this new name and to send copies of the resolution to the soldier's family and local officials. It does not change any laws or funding but serves as a formal tribute to Herreid's service and sacrifice by renaming a local roadway in his memory.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of Route 25 in Aurora, running from Sullivan Road to Ashland Avenue, as the "SFC Ogden N. Thompson Memorial Highway" to honor a local soldier. The legislation directly affects the Illinois Department of Transportation, which is asked to install signs or plaques at appropriate locations to display the new name. It also requires that copies of the resolution be given to the family of the late Sergeant First Class Ogden N. Thompson, the Aurora Mayor, and the Secretary of Transportation. The bill serves as a commemorative measure recognizing Thompson's service and presumed death during the Korean War.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Makes certain changes concerning estates that contain qualified farm property. Provides that, for the purposes of calculating the State Death Tax Credit, those estates are subject to an exemption of $6,000,000 (rather than an exclusion amount of $4,000,000), which shall be deducted from the net estate value after the net estate value is computed in accordance with the Act. Provides that the exemption shall be adjusted each year according to the increase in the Consumer Price Index. Makes changes concerning the calculation of the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount for those estates. Provides for a special use valuation to provide that the value of the qualified farm property shall be calculated without regard to certain limitations under the Internal Revenue Code. Makes changes concerning the definition of "qualified heir" to provide that a decedent's brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, or first cousin is also included.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction for an amount equal to the amount included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income that is attributable to student loan repayment assistance received by the taxpayer during the taxable year from a qualified community foundation if the taxpayer is a qualified worker. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning radon testing, provides that every school building of a school district that is occupied or will be occupied shall be tested by January 1, 2028 and shall be tested every 5 years thereafter for radon (instead of recommending that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon). Provides that all new schools of a school district shall be built using radon resistant new construction techniques in accordance with the American National Standards Institute/American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists CC-1000, Soil Gas Control Systems in New Construction of Multifamily, School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings standard or a successor standard (instead of recommending that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings). Removes a provision allowing a person to perform radon screening tests without a license. Makes changes concerning the exemption. Provides that if radon is found to exceed specified levels, then the school district shall (instead of may) hire a licensed radon professional to perform confirmatory measurements (instead of to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made). Sets forth provisions concerning mitigation. Provides that a school district may use life safety funds, if available, for radon testing and mitigation. Preempts home rule powers.

Creates the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Establishes the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board within the Department of Public Health for the purpose of advising and making recommendations to the Department regarding the provision of psilocybin and psilocybin services. Provides that the Department shall begin receiving applications for the licensing of persons to manufacture or test psilocybin products, operate service centers, or facilitate psilocybin services. Contains licensure requirements and prohibitions. Provides that a licensee or licensee representative may manufacture, deliver, or possess a psilocybin product. Provides that the Department may obtain, relinquish, or dispose of psilocybin products to ensure compliance with and enforce the Act and rules adopted under the Act. Creates the Psilocybin Control and Regulation Fund and the Illinois Psilocybin Fund and makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, and the Department of Revenue to perform specified duties. Contains provisions concerning rulemaking; taxes; fees; zoning; labeling; and penalties. Preempts home rule powers. Contains other provisions. Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that specified records shall be expunged prior to (i) January 1, 2024 (rather than January 1, 2023) and (ii) January 1, 2026 (rather than January 1, 2025). Provides for expungement of specified records concerning the possession of psilocybin and psilocin. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Removes psilocybin and psilocin from the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Amends the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal Act of 2012. Provides that the Tax Tribunal shall have original jurisdiction over all determinations of the Department of Revenue reflected on specified notices issued under the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Gender Violence Act. Provides that "gender-related violence" means, among other meanings, contact between a sexual organ from which a condom has been removed and the intimate part of another who did not verbally consent to the condom being removed and contact between an intimate part of the person and a sexual organ of another from which the person removed a condom without verbal consent.

Amends the Co-Responder Pilot Program Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Adds the McHenry County Sheriff's Office to the offices to which the Division is applicable, including that the Office shall establish, subject to appropriation, a co-responder unit no later than 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, including the hiring of personnel as provided in the Division. Makes conforming changes, including in the Counties Code. Provides that, along with the duties described elsewhere in the Division, the unit's social workers are responsible for following up with victims (rather than conducting follow-up visits for victims) who may benefit from mental or behavioral health services.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Reenacts a provision concerning the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force repealed by Public Act 102-417. Changes the name of the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force to the Veterans' Services Task Force. Changes the frequency of Task Force meetings to at least twice a year and at any other times the Task Force deems necessary. Requires the Task Force to submit its report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31, 2025. Repeals the provisions creating the Task Force on December 31, 2026. Effective immediately.

Congratulates Rachel Costabile, Ashley McLeod, Ruth Pligge, Bridget Brown, and Erika Kissel on the successful creation and operation of their small business, Just A Dollop. Wishes them continued success on their entrepreneurial journey. Encourages the entrepreneurship of people with developmental disabilities.