Sen. Mike Hastings

Creates the Chemicals in Cosmetic Products Act. Prohibits the manufacture, sale, delivery, holding, or offering for sale of a cosmetic product that contains specific intentionally added chemical ingredients. Exempts cosmetic products that were manufactured with an intent to comply with the Act and contain a technically unavoidable trace quantity of a prohibited chemical ingredient due to certain reasons. Defines terms.

Maddy summaryHB 4438 designates the Black-and-Gold Bumblebee (*Bombus auricomus*) as Illinois' official state bee under the State Designations Act. This symbolic bill directly affects all Illinois residents by adding a new state symbol, similar to existing designations like the state flower or bird. The key provision simply amends the State Designations Act to include this specific bumblebee species in official state references. The bill has no regulatory or financial impact, as it is purely a ceremonial designation. It was introduced in January 2026 and referred to the Rules Committee.

Encourages the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, acting through the Illinois Judicial College, to develop, approve, and offer a continuing legal education program for GALs serving in family law and juvenile matters that includes, at a minimum, instruction regarding chronic medical conditions affecting children, training addressing the distinction between medical advocacy and parental conflict, guidance on appropriate consultation with treating medical professionals, education concerning treatment adherence and risk assessment, and instruction regarding the ethical limits of a GAL's medical opinions. Encourages the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts to promote participation in such training to GALs statewide and to communicate this recommendation to the Chief Judge of each judicial circuit for consideration in appointment and continued service determinations.

Amends the Automatic Contract Renewal Act. Provides that any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation that sells or offers to sell any products or services to a consumer pursuant to a contract, where such contract automatically renews, shall provide the consumer with the option to cancel the contract, at any time, using a simple cancellation mechanism in the same medium that the consumer used to consent to the contract. Provides that an entity shall provide a clear and conspicuous notice, in a manner that may be retained by the consumer, of any material change to the terms of a contract containing an automatic renewal offer at least 3 days prior to the change to the terms. Sets forth additional requirements concerning the cancellation of automatic renewal offers, continuous service offers, and free trial or promotional period offers entered into online, including requiring an entity to provide a one-step online cancellation link. Makes other changes.

Amends the Attorney General Act. Provides that, prior to initiating an action, the Attorney General shall conduct an investigation and, in addition to other powers, may: (1) issue subpoenas for documents; (2) require written answers under oath to written interrogatories; (3) inspect the premises of an employer and inspect and make copies of employment-related records kept at the premises; and (4) conduct interviews with workers at an employer's premises during normal business or working hours. Sets forth additional provisions concerning investigations; interviews; subpoenas; obstruction; and search warrants.

Amends the Fire Sprinkler Contractor Licensing Act. Provides that the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall prepare a report evaluating the effectiveness and industry impacts of the continuing education requirements established under the Act. Requires the report to include recommendations for statutory or rule changes and to be delivered to the General Assembly by December 31, 2026. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $300,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Public Health for grants to the Les Turner ALS Foundation for research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and for care of those persons affected by the disease. Effective July 1, 2026.

Appropriates $10,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Public Health for local health protection grants for health protection programs. Effective July 1, 2026.

Creates the Junk Fee Ban Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for a person to: (1) offer, display, or advertise an amount a consumer may pay for merchandise without clearly and conspicuously disclosing the total price; (2) fail, in any offer, display, or advertisement that contains an amount a consumer may pay, to display the total price more prominently than any other pricing information; (3) misrepresent the nature and purpose of any amount a consumer may pay, including the ability to refund the fees and the identity of any merchandise for which fees are charged; (4) fail to disclose clearly and conspicuously before the consumer consents to pay, the nature and purpose of any amount a consumer may pay that is excluded from the total price, including the ability to refund the fees and the identity of any merchandise for which fees are charged; or (5) offer, display, or advertise, including through direct offerings, third-party distribution, or metasearch referrals, a total price for a place of short-term lodging that does not include all required fees. Requires total price disclosures for retail mercantile establishments and food service establishments; and the disclosure of delivery fees. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce violations of the Act as an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Preempts home rule powers.

Creates the Academic Freedom of Expression Act. Prohibits a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education from making or enforcing a rule subjecting a student to disciplinary sanctions solely on the basis of conduct that is speech or other communication that, when engaged in outside the campus or facility of the institution, is protected from governmental restriction by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Allows a student enrolled in a private postsecondary institution at the time that the institution has made or enforced any rule violating the Act to commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by the court. Sets forth exceptions. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Grants the following powers to the Board of Higher Education: the power to adopt policies protecting academic freedom of speech; the power to support the Illinois Community College Board in developing its academic freedom of speech policies; and the power to establish and enforce rules requiring private institutions of higher education to develop and implement plans related to academic freedom of speech within a reasonable deadline. Amends the Public Community College Act. Grants the following power to the Illinois Community College Board: the power to create and enforce rules which ensure that all faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject where such freedom shall be extended within the confines of the course outcomes, degree or program requirements, and accreditation requirements; and the power to create and enforce rules which ensure that faculty members and students are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results.