Sen. Laura Murphy

Amends the Department of Public Health Act. Provides that the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Program Advisory Council created by Public Act 103-8 is continued within the Department of Public Health, with modifications to its duties and composition. Amends the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois by repealing provisions regarding the Council.

Creates the Servicemember Education Rights Veneration Act. Requires institutions of higher education (institution) to accommodate service member student's academic military leave and grant prompt readmission when the service member student has not exceeded a cumulative academic military leave period beyond 5 years, provides advance notice of academic military leave to the institution, and provides notice of intent to return to the institution. Requires the institution to readmit a service member student on academic military leave into the next class, classes, or academic year division following the receipt of the notice of intent to return in accordance with the terms of the accommodation. Contains provisions on exemptions to readmission and related reporting requirements on service member students; investigations by the Attorney General's appointed ISERRA Advocate on whether a readmission exemption exists; and other matters. Requires service member students to provide advance notice of pending military service and prohibits institutions from imposing conditions for academic military leave not otherwise imposed under the Act. Contains provisions on military accommodation; academic obligations of service member students; reimbursement for school expenses; academic withdrawal due to military service; rejection of accommodation and the institution's burden of proof; a 5-year military service limitation; records documentation; advance notice requirements on service member students; notice of intent to return; anti-discrimination protections; academic leave for the spouses of servicemembers; Attorney General enforcement authority; remedies; rulemaking authority; and other matters.

Amends the Military Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Military Affairs has the authority to make grants from the Military Affairs Trust Fund for the purpose of incentivizing recruitment into the Illinois National Guard. Provides that the Joint Enlistment Enhancement Program (JEEP) is established for the purpose of increasing recruitment through peer-to-peer referrals, fostering esprit de corps, and promoting cross-component cooperation between the Illinois Army National Guard and the Illinois Air National Guard. Permits the Department to provide grants under the JEEP program to current members of the Illinois National Guard who are not assigned as recruiters, are in good standing, and serve as JEEP lead generators by supporting or facilitating the enlistment or accession of soldiers or airmen into the Illinois National Guard. Requires the State Treasurer to accept and deposit into the Military Affairs Trust Fund all gifts, grants, transfers, appropriations, and other funds from any lawful public or private source that are designated for deposit into the Fund. Requires the Department to establish eligibility criteria, grant conditions, and administrative requirements for the JEEP program by rule.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Safeguards to Ensure Continuity and Uphold Rights and Equity (SECURE) Act. Sets forth several legislative findings, including that (i) Illinois retains a non-delegable duty to safeguard the safety, health, dignity, and well-being of all youth in the care or custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, and (ii) the Department must respect and meaningfully consider a youth's expressed preferences in placement options while conducting transparent, individualized risk assessments. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Adds provisions concerning case plans for youth in care and the specific tasks and responsibilities a caregiver must complete to ensure each youth is provided with safe, proper, and supportive care based on the youth's needs and best interests, including, but not limited to, the youth's protected characteristics as defined under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Contains provisions concerning requirements for interstate placements of youth age 8 or older, including, but not limited to: protecting a youth's access to lawful health care and civil immunities for Department employees who protect a youth's access to lawful health care; individualized assessments on the suitability and risks of the proposed interstate placement; ongoing Illinois-based case worker contact and monitoring; and a prohibition on consent to conversion therapy. Contains provisions on youth requested in-state or out-of-state placement and other related matters; annual Department reports on out-of-state placements; performance audits; private right of action; and other matters. Amends the Child Care Act of 1969 by adding provisions on supportive care for youth in care; youth-directed placement rights; licensure and contractual compliance. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Adds provisions on the appointment of an attorney for a youth in care with special needs; required Department attestations on caregiver conduct when a youth is placed in an out-of-state residential treatment center; assessments and monitoring for minors in out-of-state placements; and other matters. Effective July 1, 2027.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that an owner or operator of a community water supply may, by an additional method approved by the State, give written notice of the existence of lead service lines that are connected to buildings. Provides that an owner or operator of a community water supply that performs at least 4,000 lead service line replacements per year or exceeds a statutorily prescribed lead service line replacement rate is exempt from a provision that prohibits partial lead service line replacements. Provides that, in a municipality with a population of more than 1,000,000 inhabitants, the owner of a private property upon which there is located a renter-occupied building, a building that is used as a day care, or a multi-dwelling building must allow the community water supply access to replace the lead service line on the private side of the property.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Provides that the State Treasurer may establish and administer a non-profit investment pool and an electronic payment processing program to supplement and enhance investment opportunities and secure electronic payment options 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. Provides that the Treasurer shall adopt rules for the efficient administration of the pool.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that, if a physician determines that an adult patient is so disabled as to be unable to consent to discharge or placement in a facility or a physician reasonably believes an adult patient is a person with a disability in need of a guardian in accordance with the Probate Act of 1975 and there is no family, surrogate decision maker, agent under a power of attorney, trustee, or other close friend who is ready willing and able to assist that adult patient, then the hospital shall notify the Office of State Guardian and the public guardian of the county where the patient resides. Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Requires a facility to notify the Office of State Guardian and the public guardian in the county where the patient resides before executing a contract in specified circumstances where the patient has diminished capacity. Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Includes private professional guardians as individuals who may act as guardians. Establishes standards for private professional guardians before appointment. Requires a private professional guardian who serves as guardian for 15 or more persons with disabilities to be certified as a National Master Guardian by the Center for Guardianship Certification and imposes other requirements, including background checks. Sets forth provisions concerning private professional guardians as successor guardians and the removal of private professional guardians who fail to comply with the specified requirements.

Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. In provisions requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a public education program regarding gambling disorders, requires the program to (i) promote public awareness regarding the impact of gambling disorders on individuals, families, and communities and the stigma that surrounds gambling disorders and (ii) use screening, crisis intervention, treatment, public awareness, prevention, in-service training, and other innovative means to decrease the incidence of suicide attempts related to gambling disorders or gambling issues. Requires the Department to select the statement regarding obtaining assistance with a gambling disorder, which each licensed gambling establishment owner shall post, and each master sports wagering licensee shall include, on the master sports wagering licensee's portal, Internet website, or computer or mobile application. Permits the Department to provide advice to State and local officials on gambling disorders; to support gambling disorder prevention, recognition, treatment, and recovery projects; to collaborate with other community-based organizations, substance use disorder treatment centers, or other health care providers engaged in treating individuals who are experiencing gambling disorders; and to perform other actions. Allows the Department to award grants to create or support local gambling prevention, recognition, and response projects. Makes other changes.

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.

Appropriates $7,500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for the purpose of making a grant to the Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living to administer and implement the Home Modification Program. Effective July 1, 2026.