Sen. Emil Jones

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board that decides to offer to the school district's teachers a retirement savings plan under Section 401(k) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 may enter into a contract with only one vendor to administer the plan. Provides that a vendor shall be selected, with the approval of the teachers' exclusive bargaining representative, if any, through a competitive bidding process. Provides that the school board may enter into a contract with the vendor for no more than 5 years.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Early Childhood Education Act to establish a framework for early childhood education in Illinois. A specific provision within the legislation ensures that the rights, benefits, and employment status of state employees and their agencies remain unchanged by the new act. It explicitly states that the law does not affect existing personnel codes, labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, or pension plans. The bill was signed into law and became effective on June 25, 2024, with some provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Creates the Small Business Truth in Lending Act. Sets forth provisions concerning disclosure requirements for sales-based financing, closed-end commercial financing, open-end commercial financing, factoring transactions, renewal financing, and other forms of financing. Provides that all commercial financing shall include a clear and conspicuous notice on how to file a complaint with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that the Department may adopt rules. Provides that upon a finding by the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation that a provider has violated the provisions or rules, the provider shall be ordered to pay the Department a civil penalty for each violation of the provisions or any rule not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, or if a violation is willful, $20,000 for each violation. Sets forth provisions concerning cease and desist orders, injunctions, investigation and examination, civil actions, violations, and registration. Provides that a violation of the provisions constitutes an unlawful practice in violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Defines terms. Makes a conforming change in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Provides that the State Treasurer may establish and administer a non-profit investment pool to supplement and enhance investment opportunities otherwise available to not-for-profit corporations in the State. Provides that the Treasurer may receive funds paid into the pool for the purpose of holding and investing those funds. Provides for surety bonds payable to not-for-profit corporations who participate in the pool. Makes changes to provisions concerning the direct deposit of State payments. Amends the Accountability for the Investment of Public Funds Act. Provides that the Treasurer shall adopt rules for the efficient administration of the pool. Provides that each State agency shall make available on the Internet, and update at least monthly, no later than the end of each month (rather than by the 15th of the month), sufficient information concerning the investment of any public funds held by that State agency to identify specified information. Effective immediately.

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Requires a law enforcement agency to attempt to obtain a biological sample from closely related family members of the missing person or a personal item of the missing person beginning 30 days after the date of the missing person report (rather than within 30 days after receipt of a report). Provides that a law enforcement agency may not establish or maintain a policy that requires the observance of a waiting period before accepting a missing person report. Modifies the circumstances under which a law enforcement agency may not refuse to accept a missing person report. Requires a law enforcement agency to notify a person responsible for the missing person's welfare, or other specified individuals, about specified efforts to locate a missing person. Provides that, if a person remains missing for 30 days after the date of report, the law enforcement agency shall immediately (rather than may) generate a report of the missing person within NamUs, and the law enforcement agency shall (rather than may) attempt to obtain specified information and materials that have not been received. Modifies the follow-up action required by a law enforcement agency after creation of a missing person report. Modifies the definition of "high-risk missing person". Upon receipt of a missing person report (rather than immediately), requires the responding local law enforcement agency to enter all collected information relating to the missing person case in the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System and the National Crime Information Center. Makes other changes to reporting requirements. Modifies requirements for submission of fingerprints from unidentified remains for analysis as well as other requirements relating identified human remains. Provides that an assisting law enforcement agency, a medical examiner, a coroner, or the Illinois State Police may not close an unidentified person case until the individual has been identified and must keep the case active. Requires the coroner, medical examiner, or assisting law enforcement agency (rather than the coroner or medical examiner) to obtain a biological (rather than DNA) sample from an individual whose remains are not identifiable, and modifies how the sample may be analyzed and labeled. Makes other changes.

Urges the Illinois Supreme Court and relevant authorities to require, as a consistent part of continuing education, LGBTQ+ and HIV cultural competency education for all attorneys, judges, and courtroom staff in the State of Illinois.

Maddy summaryHB 56 is a technical amendment to the Farmer Equity Act that updates the short title of a specific section within the law. This change does not alter the actual rules or requirements for farmers but simply corrects the official name used to reference that part of the legislation. The bill affects the legal documentation of the Farmer Equity Act by ensuring the title is accurate. It is a procedural measure designed to clarify the bill's identity rather than introduce new agricultural policies.

Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Removes language providing for the compensation of Clerks of the Circuit Court. Provides instead that the salary of a clerk of the circuit court elected or appointed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be set as a percentage of the salary of Judges of the Circuit Court and shall be in the following amounts: in counties where the population is less than 14,000, 55%; in counties where the population is 14,001 to 30,000, 60%; in counties where the population is 30,001 to 60,000, 65%; in counties where the population is 60,001 to 100,000, 70%; in counties where the population is 100,001 to 200,000, 75%; in counties where the population is 200,001 to 300,000, 80%; in counties where the population is 300,001 to 3,000,000, 85%; and in counties where the population is over 3,000,000, 90%. Requires the State to furnish 66 2/3% of the total annual salary to be paid to a clerk of the circuit court, and the county to furnish 33 1/3% of the total annual salary. Provides that if, on the effective date of the amendatory Act, the salary of a clerk is greater than the percentage of the circuit judges salary in the provisions, that circuit clerk's salary shall not be reduced.

Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act. Makes changes concerning the powers and duties of the Illinois State Museum. Repeals a provision which specifies that the Board of the Illinois State Museum is the governing board for the State Museum. Replaces the Board of the Illinois State Museum with an advisory board. Describes the duties of the advisory board. Repeals a provision which states that the Department of Natural Resources may set, by administrative rule, an entrance fee for visitors to the Illinois State Museum. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, a person or entity shall not manufacture, sell, deliver, distribute, hold, or offer for sale a food product for human consumption that contains brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, or red dye 3. Provides that a person or entity that violates the prohibition shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation and not to exceed $10,000 for each subsequent violation. Makes a conforming change.