Sen. Laura Murphy

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires, beginning January 1, 2027, each designated seating position in any newly purchased or leased school bus to be equipped with a combination pelvic and upper torso seat safety belt system in good operating condition and meeting all applicable federal standards. Provides that the provisions do not apply to a school bus that is legally registered in another state and displaying valid registration plates of that state if the bus is not operated in Illinois on a regular basis and the bus is operated in Illinois in connection with a cultural, tourist, athletic, or other similar activity for students enrolled in a school located outside of Illinois. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Act. Defines "water treatment residuals". Deletes provisions regarding generator and broker registration. Adds new provisions regarding generator and broker registration requiring registration with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security within 60 days after the commencement of generating or taking possession of low-level radioactive waste. Provides an exemption for a generator that stores waste containing or composed of radioactive material with a physical half-life of less than 120 days. Provides an exemption for a generator of water treatment residuals. Makes technical changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person shall affix tape to any registration plate, temporary registration plate, digital registration plate, registration sticker, or other evidence of registration issued by the Secretary of State. Makes a conforming change. Provides that it is unlawful to operate any vehicle that is equipped with a manual, electronic, or mechanical device that hides or obscures a registration plate.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if a vehicle is displayed for sale or for transfer of ownership with a vehicle identification number that has been destroyed, removed, covered, altered, or defaced, its removal by a towing service may be authorized by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. Prohibits a motor vehicle dealer or person acting as a motor vehicle dealer from parking a motor vehicle for the primary purpose of displaying the vehicle for sale or for transfer of ownership on: (1) a public street or highway; (2) a public parking lot; (3) any other public property; or (4) any private property if the public may lawfully drive a motor vehicle on the property. Creates the Unlicensed Motor Vehicle Dealer Enforcement Task Force to: (1) meet at least quarterly to review unlicensed motor vehicle dealer enforcement activities in the State; and (2) submit a report to the Secretary of State at least quarterly that contains the status of the Task Force's findings and provide a copy of the report to the General Assembly. Allows the license of a person to be denied, revoked, or suspended if the licensee has offered for private sale a motor vehicle in the licensee's or exhibitor's inventory. Increases the administrative penalties for violation of certain provisions from $50 per violation to not less than $1,000 and no more than $3,000 per violation. Provides that if the Secretary of State has reasonable cause to believe from information furnished to the Secretary or from an investigation made by a Secretary of State Police that a person is engaged in a regulated business without being licensed as required by law, the Secretary shall immediately issue and serve on the person a cease and desist order requiring the person to immediately cease and desist from further engaging in the business and shall notify the person that the person has the right to contest the cease and desist order in proceedings before the Secretary of State's Department of Administrative Hearings and that penalties may be imposed.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or a municipality may use a utility pole that is owned by the State or a unit of local government or a public right-of-way that is owned by the State or a unit of local government for public safety purposes, including, but not limited to, the placement of equipment associated with public safety. Provides that any fee charged by the owner of a utility pole for use by a county or municipality shall be at the lowest rate charged by the owner and shall not exceed the owner's costs.

Creates the Safe Gun Storage Act. Provides that a firearm owner shall not store or keep any firearm in any premises where the firearm owner knows or reasonably should know a minor without the lawful permission of the minor's parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person is likely to gain access to the firearm unless the firearm is secured in a locked container, properly engaged so as to render the firearm inaccessible or unusable to any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user. Provides that if the firearm is carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user, then the firearm is deemed lawfully stored or kept. Provides that a violation of the Act is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500, except (i) if any person knows or reasonably should know that a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person is likely to gain access to a firearm belonging to or under the control of that person, and a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains the firearm, the civil penalty shall not exceed $1,000 and (ii) if a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains a firearm and uses it to injure or cause the death of a person or uses the firearm in connection with a crime, the civil penalty shall not exceed $10,000. Provides that the court may order a person who is found in violation of the Act to perform community service or pay restitution in lieu of the civil penalties imposed under this Section if good cause is shown. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to preclude civil liabilities for violations of the Act. Provides that a violation of the Act is prima facie evidence of negligence per se in any civil proceeding if a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains a firearm and causes personal injury to the death of oneself or another or uses the firearm in the commission of a crime. Provides that an action to collect a civil penalty under the Act may be brought by the Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in which the violation occurred. Provides that any money received from the collection of a civil penalty under the Act shall be deposited in the Mental Health Fund. Defines terms. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryBill AM 1040143 proposes the appointment of Khama A. Sharp. If confirmed, Ms. Sharp would serve as the Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Amends the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015. Provides that the court shall apply Illinois law, including the rules on choice of law, to adjudicate the parent-child relationship, and that such applicable law may (rather than does not) depend on the place of birth of the child or the past or present residence of the child. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits a charter from being granted to an organization that operates a private, parochial, or non-public school or child care facility. Provides that a charter school shall spend no less than 90% of its budget on direct-service costs for students. Removes provisions regarding the closure of charter schools, the use of unspent public funds, and the procedures for disposition of property and assets. Requires the governing body of a charter school that is the subject of a school action to work collaboratively with local school educators and families of students attending the charter school to ensure successful integration of affected students into new learning environments. Requires, for a charter school closure, the governing body of the charter school to ensure that all students of the charter school at the time of the closure will be guaranteed a seat at a receiving school and that all teachers of the charter school at the time of the closure will be guaranteed a job at a receiving school. Sets forth requirements for school transition plans. Requires the governing body of the charter school to designate at least 3 opportunities for public comment at a hearing or meeting on the proposed school action.

Maddy summarySB 702 makes a technical amendment to the Illinois Banking Act. This bill updates a specific section concerning the short title of the Act.