Rep. Harry Benton

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if the denial of a request includes a request for minutes or a verbatim record of a meeting of the public body closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act that have not been previously made available for public inspection, suit may be filed under a specified provision only after a 60-day period following (i) the receipt of the request by the public body or (ii) the issuance of a binding or non-binding opinion from the Public Access Counselor, whichever is later, to allow for review of the requested records as provided under the Open Meetings Act.

Maddy summaryHB 3305 requires "dark stores" (retail spaces used solely for online order fulfillment or vacant retail space) to be taxed as active properties starting in 2026, changing how these properties are assessed for property tax purposes. This directly affects businesses operating fulfillment centers for online orders and local governments collecting property taxes. The bill amends Illinois' Property Tax Code to define "dark store" and mandates these spaces be classified as active properties for tax assessment, ending previous treatment where they might have been taxed as vacant. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment, with the new assessment method applying to taxable year 2026 and beyond.

Creates the Meaningful Human Review of Artificial Intelligence Act. Sets forth provisions prohibiting a State agency, or any entity acting on behalf of an agency, from utilizing or applying any automated decision-making system, directly or indirectly, without continuous meaningful human review when performing any of the agency's specified functions. Requires impact assessments to be performed by State agencies seeking to utilize or apply an automated decision-making system with continuous meaningful human review. Provides that the impact assessment shall include a description of the objectives of the automated decision-making system; an evaluation of the ability of the automated decision-making system to achieve its stated objectives; a specified description and evaluation of the objectives and development of the automated decision-making; testing of the automated decision-making system; and the notification mechanism or procedure, if any, by which individuals impacted by the utilization of the automated decision-making system may be notified of the use of such automated decision-making system and of the individual's personal data, and informed of their rights and options relating to such use. Requires submission of impact assessments to the Governor and General Assembly.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a contributing employee may establish additional service credit for periods of full-time employment with the federal government or a unit of state or local government located outside Illinois for which he or she does not qualify for credit under any other provision of the State Employee Article of the Code, provided that (i) the amount of service credit established by a person under the provision shall not exceed 9 years, (ii) the amount of service credit established by a person under the provision for federal employment, when added to the amount of all military service credit granted to the person under the State Employee Article, shall not exceed 14 years, and (iii) any credit received for the federal or out-of-state employment in any federal or other public employee pension fund or retirement system has been terminated or relinquished. Prohibits credit from being established under the provision for any period of military service or for any period for which credit has been or may be established under the alternative formula provisions of the State Employee Article of the Code. Requires the applicant for the additional service credit to submit a written application to the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, including documentation of the federal or out-of-state employment satisfactory to the System's Board, and pay to the System (1) employee contributions at the rates provided in the Article based upon the person's salary on the last day as a participating employee prior to the federal or out-of-state employment, or on the first day as a participating employee after that employment, whichever is greater, plus (2) an amount determined by the Board to be equal to the employer's normal cost of the benefits accrued for that employment, plus (3) regular interest on items (1) and (2) from the date of conclusion of the employment to the date of payment. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that a grant made by the Department of Transportation to municipalities and airport authorities for the renovation, construction, and development of airport facilities must include a condition that the renovation, construction, and development of airport facilities is covered by a project labor agreement entered into with the local building and construction trades council having geographic jurisdiction over the airport facilities. Amends the Airport Authorities Act. Provides that any contract entered into by an airport authority to construct, develop, expand, extend, or improve any airport or airport facility must include a project labor agreement entered into with the local building and construction trades council having geographic jurisdiction over the airport or airport facility. Defines "project labor agreement". Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption, provides that the Chief County Assessment Officer in a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants may request full social security numbers or individual taxpayer identification numbers for all members of the applicant's household. Provides that the Chief County Assessment Officer may renew the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption without a new application if the Chief County Assessment Officer is able to confirm both that the applicant still owns and resides in the property and that applicant's household income qualifies for the exemption. Provides that a Chief County Assessment Officer who renews a low-income senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption without an annual application shall notify the applicant of both the decision to renew the exemption and the applicant's ongoing duty to report changes in the eligibility of the property to receive the exemption.

Amends the Decennial Committees on Local Government Efficiency Act. Provides that the term "governmental unit" does not include a fire protection districts established under the Fire Protection District Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person shall not take, hold, conceal, or destroy mail addressed to another person with the intent to defraud any person or deprive the person to whom the mail was addressed of the mail. Provides that a person who violates this provision is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense. Provides that the provision applies if the victim of the offense is an individual whether the individual whose mail is obtained, or attempted to be obtained, is alive or deceased at the time of the violation. Provides that the provision does not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or sentenced for any other violation of law committed by that person using mail obtained in violation of the provision or any other violation of law committed by that person while violating or attempting to violate the provision. Defines "mail" and "person". Effective immediately.

Appropriates the sum of $5,000,000 from the Capital Projects Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the DuPage Children’s Museum for costs associated with operational expenses of the museum. Effective July 1, 2026.

Commends David J. Silverman for his decades of dedication to his community, his determination to see those around him succeed, and his consistent, effective advocacy for those who need a voice.