Amends the Election Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Voting Rights Act of 2026. Creates the Voting Rights Act of 2026 Article in the Code. Provides that a political subdivision, State agency, or any other government official or entity responsible for election administration shall not implement or enforce any election policy or practice or take any other action or fail to take any action that results in, is likely to result in, or is intended to result in disparate outcomes. Creates the Language Access in Elections Article in the Code. Provides that a local election authority shall provide language assistance for elections conducted in a political subdivision if that political subdivision meets specified conditions. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective July 1, 2026.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Creates the End-of-life Care Peer Support Program. Provides that the program is available to terminally ill persons committed to the Department of Corrections. Provides that the program shall be administered by the Department of Corrections in partnership with certain health care providers. Provides that individual patients may accept or decline care or participation in the program. Provides that individual patients shall define the scope of peer support, including the option to opt out of certain aspects of support. Provides that patient care plans shall be developed with the individual patient, the patient's peer support attendants, and the interdisciplinary team. Provides that participating patients shall be subject to the least restrictive security measures possible, with access to comfort items such as blankets, memorabilia, music, and books. Provides that participating patients shall have the following rights: (1) the right to dignity, privacy, respect, and culturally competent care; (2) the right to request peer support services; (3) the right to refuse services; and (4) the right to request family visitation. Provides that all participants in the program, including patients and peer support attendants, shall have access to grief counseling and mental health care services as needed. Provides that the program shall be funded through: (1) the Individual Benefit Fund; (2) direct appropriations from the General Revenue Fund; and (3) federal appropriations if applicable.
Creates the Comprehensive Charitable Food System Coordination Act. Provides that State agencies involved in administering or appropriating State or State-managed federal grant funds for hunger relief shall consult and coordinate, to the extent practicable, with all categories of actors within the charitable food system. Further provides that those State agencies shall ensure that grant solicitations and funding criteria reflect the interconnected roles of food providers, distributors, producers, facilitators, and data systems. Requires those State agencies to consider proposals that strengthen coordination, efficiency, resiliency, and equity across the charitable food system. Provides that State agencies may establish advisory groups composed of representatives from food providers and distributors. Provides that each State agency administering hunger relief grant funds shall submit an annual report to the appropriate State oversight entity describing: how actors in the charitable food system were engaged in grant planning, allocation, and evaluation; measurable impacts on food access, food quality, and community resilience; and barriers or opportunities identified through cross-sector collaboration. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall make grants to food banks and providers (rather than food banks only). Defines "provider" as a public or charitable organization that is unaffiliated with a food bank, that maintains an operation involving the provision of food or edible commodities, and that, as an integral part of its normal activities, provides meals or food to feed needy persons on a regular basis. Effective July 1, 2026.
Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a Tier 2 investigator for the Department of the Lottery is entitled to an annuity under the alternative retirement annuity provisions only if the person has withdrawn from service with not less than 20 years of eligible creditable service and has attained age 55. Authorizes an investigator for the Department of the Lottery to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity provisions. Provides that a specified educational requirement for persons employed by the Department of Juvenile Justice shall no longer determine eligibility to earn eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity provisions and authorizes the conversion of service credit to eligible creditable service. Establishes a deferred retirement option plan for certain police officers, firefighters, sheriff's law enforcement employees, and deputy sheriffs in the Cook County Police Department who are otherwise eligible to retire under which a participant may continue in active service for up to 5 years while having his or her retirement pension paid into a special account. Provides that the election to participate in the deferred retirement option plan must be made before January 1, 2030. Provides that the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act (Article 20 of the Code) is adopted and made a part of the Downstate Police, Downstate Firefighter, Chicago Police, and Chicago Firefighter Articles. In the Chicago Teacher Article of the Code, makes changes to how days of validated service are computed. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Makes other changes.
Creates the Surveillance-Based Price and Wage Discrimination Act. Provides that a person shall not use surveillance data as part of an automated decision system to inform the individualized price assessed to a consumer for goods or services. Provides that a person shall not use surveillance data as part of an automated decision system to inform the individualized wage paid to an employee. Sets forth exemptions to the provisions. Provides that the Attorney General shall enforce the Act. Sets forth provisions concerning private rights of action and penalties for violations.
Amends the Election Code. Provides that a public question may be initiated by the filing with the clerk or secretary of the governmental unit of a petition signed by a number of qualified electors equal to or greater than at least 4% of the total votes cast for candidates for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election (rather than 8% of the total votes cast for candidates for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election), requesting the submission of the proposal for such action to the voters of the governmental unit at a regular election. Makes conforming changes.
Amends the Election Code. Provides that an election authority shall not permit a law enforcement agent to enter and remain in a polling place, unless the law enforcement agent is called upon by the election authority or judges of election or required by court order. Provides that an election authority shall ensure that any law enforcement agent who is permitted to enter and remain in a polling place has provided the election authority with a valid pollwatcher credential. Provides that no judge of election, pollwatcher, or other person shall engage in any practice that is intended to intimidate a voter within any polling place, within 100 feet of any polling place, or on any of the property of that church or private school that is a polling place. Provides that nothing in the provisions shall (i) prohibit a law enforcement agent from serving as a pollwatcher when the law enforcement agent is not performing law enforcement duties or (ii) apply to other spaces within a municipal building that are not specifically being used as polls.
Amends the Public Utilities Act. In provisions concerning the exercise of eminent domain powers by a public utility, provides that an owner or operator of a pipeline designed, constructed, and operated to transport carbon dioxide to which the Illinois Commerce Commission has granted a certificate under the Carbon Dioxide Transportation and Sequestration Act shall not seek or exercise eminent domain authority from the Commission. Amends the Carbon Dioxide Transportation and Sequestration Act. Provides that a certificate of authority does not grant an owner or operator of a carbon dioxide pipeline the authority to take and acquire an easement in any property or interest in property for the construction, maintenance, or operation of a carbon dioxide pipeline through the exercise of eminent domain power. Removes corresponding provisions concerning eminent domain.
Creates the Legal Deserts Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts may establish a program to provide grants or reimbursements to compensate an individual lawyer or law firms that relocate or open an office within a geographic area for the purpose of providing legal services to individuals residing within a legal desert. Provides that the grants or reimbursements may cover marketing expenses, compensation for an attorney or up to 2 attorneys per firm, or other eligible expenses identified by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning tax sales, provides that, for tax sales that occur on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the redemption period shall be 5 years (instead of 2.5 years). Provides that a tax deed grantee may file a petition in the circuit court of the county in which the property is located forcing a judicial sale of the property. Contains provisions concerning the distribution of surplus funds. Effective immediately.