Sen. Bill Cunningham

Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Provides that applicants for a master sports wagering license shall pay an application fee of $250,000 and a license fee of $15,000,000. Removes provisions concerning the number of master sports wagering licenses to online sports wagering operators and public notice requirements. Provides that a master sports wagering licensee may conduct sports wagering over the Internet or through a mobile application. Removes provisions concerning eligibility requirements for a master sports wagering license, the duty of disclosure for an applicant, and outreach requirements for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Gaming Board. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act. Creates a New Opportunities for Vacation and Adventure Urban District or NOVA urban district. Sets forth the capital investment and job creation requirements to be certified as a NOVA urban district. Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates the Megaproject Assessment Freeze and Payment Law. Provides that property that receives a megaproject certificate from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is eligible for an assessment freeze. Contains provisions concerning megaproject incentive agreements.

Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that, if a municipality has adopted an enterprise zone pursuant to the Act and subsequently establishes a redevelopment project area pursuant to the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act, the municipality may provide for a partial abatement of taxes for property located within both the enterprise zone and the redevelopment project area. Provides that, if a municipality has established a redevelopment project area pursuant to Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act and subsequently adopts an enterprise zone that includes property within the redevelopment project area, the municipality may provide for a partial abatement of taxes for property located within both the enterprise zone and the redevelopment project area. Amends the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act. Provides that certain local hotel taxes are considered local taxes for purposes of the Act.

Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Allows a licensee to offer pool sports wagering to State patrons where State patrons compete against patrons located outside of the State. Allows the Illinois Gaming Board to issue master sports wagering licenses to persons to conduct sports wagering over the Internet or through a mobile application (rather than issue 3 master sports wagering licenses to online sports wagering operators for a nonrefundable license fee of $20,000,000 pursuant to an open and competitive selection process). Provides that the application fee for a master sports wagering license is $250,000 while the initial fee for a master sports wagering license issued to an online sports wagering operator is $15,000,000. Provides that a master sports wagering license is valid for 4 years and may be renewed for another 4 years by paying a specified renewal fee. Allows the Board to regulate the conduct of fantasy contest operators under the Act. Sets forth rulemaking authority, fees, surcharges, civil penalties, monthly taxes, Board powers, and cooperation with law enforcement investigations. Prohibits a person from offering fantasy contests in the State unless the person is licensed by the Board as a fantasy contest operator for an application fee of $500 for a fantasy contest operator that had 7,500 or fewer active patrons over the preceding 365-day period and $7,500 for a fantasy contest operator that had more than 7,500 patrons over the preceding 365-day period. Sets forth applicant requirements. Prohibits a person from participating in a fantasy contest if the person is not at least 21 years of age. Sets forth the duties of fantasy contest licensees. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, the State shall impose a privilege tax of 15% on the fantasy contest operator licensee's adjusted gross fantasy contest receipts. Makes other changes. Makes conforming changes in the Illinois Administrative Procedures Act and the Criminal Code of 2012. Effective immediately.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that each licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed veterans establishment at which video gaming terminals are available shall have a payout device approved by the Illinois Gaming Board. Provides that no cash award for the maximum wager on any individual hand shall exceed the W-2G reporting requirements set by the Internal Revenue Service (rather than $1,199). Provides that cash awards shall be awarded in denominations rounded to the nearest 5 cent credit, with rounding conducted upward or downward as applicable. Sets forth circumstances under which a sales agent or broker may not be compensated. Provides, with exceptions, that a terminal operator shall not enter into any contract or agreement for the sharing, splitting, or payment of net terminal income with any other person. Sets forth prohibitions for sales agents and brokers in relation to current or potential licensed establishments, licensed truck stop establishments, licensed large truck stop establishments, licensed fraternal establishments, and licensed veterans establishments. Provides that no current or potential licensed establishments, licensed truck stop establishments, licensed large truck stop establishments, licensed fraternal establishments, and licensed veterans establishments shall accept anything of value from a terminal operator or sales agent and broker, as any incentive or inducement to locate video gaming terminals in that establishment and licensed establishments, licensed truck stop establishments, licensed large truck stop establishments, licensed fraternal establishments, and licensed veterans establishments. Provides that no public officer may be granted a license under the Act. Sets forth investigation provisions. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Removes language providing that the Department of the Lottery shall publish each January in the Illinois Register a list of all game-specific rules, play instructions, directives, operations manuals, brochures, or other game-specific publications issued by the Department during the previous year and instructions concerning how the public may obtain copies of these materials from the Department. Removes language regarding the selection of a private manager for the total management of the Lottery. Removes language providing that moneys in the Department's account shall be deposited by the Department into the Public Treasurers' Investment Pool. Provides that the Department shall make an effort to more directly inform players of the odds of winning prizes by publishing the information for all games on the Department's public website (rather than by requiring all ticket agents to display a placard stating the odds of winning for each game offered by that agent). Requires the Department to make written play instructions available on the Department's public website or by the Department by request (rather than to all players through sales agents licensed to sell game tickets or shares). Allows the Department (rather than the State Treasurer) to contract with any person or corporation to perform financial functions. Allows the State Treasurer to act as an agent of the Department to perform the financial functions. Removes language providing that moneys in the Department's account for paying validated prizes shall be deposited in the Public Treasurer's Investment Pool. Repeals a provision related to a specialty retailers license. Makes other and conforming changes.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Makes changes to defined terms. Provides that each licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, and licensed veterans establishment at which video gaming terminals are available shall have a payout device approved by the Board. Removes provisions requiring a player to turn in the player's ticket to the appropriate person at those establishments. Provides that no cash award for the maximum wager on any individual hand shall exceed the W-2G reporting requirements set by the Internal Revenue Service (instead of $1,199). Requires cash awards to be awarded in denominations rounded to the nearest 5 cent credit.

Amends the Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Extends eligibility for State funded cash assistance and SNAP benefits to humanitarian immigrants, subject to available funding, if they are not eligible for such benefits solely due to citizenship or immigration status requirements but otherwise meet the financial and nonfinancial factors of eligibility. Lists the classes of humanitarian immigrants eligible for SNAP benefits under the Article. Provides that any individual residing in an institution or other setting that provides the majority of the individual's daily meals is not eligible for SNAP benefits. Exempts persons who do not have legal authorization to work from the statutory work requirements. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Commission to End Hunger Act. Creates the SNAP Response Working Group. Provides that the co-chairs of the Commission to End Hunger shall convene and appoint the co-chairs of the Working Group. Provides that the Working Group shall review and analyze federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), gather and analyze data regarding the potential impact of the federal changes to SNAP on Illinois residents, and gather relevant estimates and data about Illinois' SNAP payment error rate, including the monthly State-reported error rate. Requires the SNAP Response Working Group to make projections about the cost to the State to maintain SNAP in Illinois in federal Fiscal Year 2028. Directs the Working Group to submit a preliminary report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2027. Provides that the preliminary report shall outline the federal changes to SNAP and identify the number of State residents impacted by those changes. Further provides that the preliminary report shall include initial recommendations for State action to prevent or mitigate any harm to State residents caused by the federal changes and shall project the cost to maintain the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Illinois in federal Fiscal Year 2028. Provides that, no later than April 1, 2027, the Working Group shall issue a full report to the General Assembly that includes an analysis on the impact of federal changes to SNAP on Illinois, final recommendations for State action to prevent or mitigate harm resulting from those changes, updated projections of the cost to maintain the program in federal Fiscal Year 2028, and any other cost projections relating to the Working Group's recommendations. Requires the SNAP Response Working Group to provide any relevant additional updates to its recommendations or projections as appropriate. Specifies that all reports of the Working Group shall be published by the Department of Human Services on its website. Provides that the SNAP Working Group shall be dissolved on May 31, 2027. Effective immediately.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to, subject to available funding, establish a Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) Program to provide FRESH benefits to households subject to termination of the household's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or a reduction in the household's monthly SNAP benefit allotment, if the termination or reduction in SNAP benefits occurred as a result of one or more members of the household failing to meet federal SNAP work requirements. Provides that, for eligible households whose SNAP benefits were reduced or terminated, FRESH benefits shall be provided as a one-time lump sum payment distributed via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. Requires the Department to make FRESH program applications available online and at local Family and Community Resource Centers immediately upon the first of the month following the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that an application for FRESH benefits shall not be deemed an application for any other public aid provided under the Code. Requires the Department to provide within a specified time frame FRESH benefits to households' that experience a reduction or termination of SNAP benefits prior to or after the first month following the effective date of the amendatory Act, if certain application submission deadlines are met. Requires the Department to publish monthly data reports on the FRESH program and to include such data in the Department's annual report to the General Assembly. Prohibits the Department and local governmental units from considering a household's receipt of FRESH benefits when determining the household's eligibility for other assistance provided under the Code. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act are inoperative on and after January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.