Sen. Mattie Hunter

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Provides that, if a missing person remains missing for 30 days after the date of the police report (rather than 60 days after the date of the police report and missing for 60 days after the date of the police report in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)), then the missing person's dental record shall be added to the missing person entry in the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). Provides that, if a missing person remains missing for 60 days after the date of the police report, then the missing person's dental record shall be entered in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

Amends the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act. Requires a licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational therapy assistant who intends to provide services for individuals, groups, and populations concerning occupational therapy needs without a referral to do so within the licensee's scope of practice. Provides that a referral is not required for the purpose of providing consultations, habilitation services, screenings, education, wellness services, preventions services, environmental assessments, and work-related ergonomic services. Provides that, except for occupational therapy services within the licensee's scope of practice at the time of evaluation and services provided pursuant to provisions concerning when referrals are not required, an occupational therapist shall refer a patient to the patient's treating health care professional of record, or to a health care professional of the patient's choosing if there is no health care professional of record, if the patient meets certain criteria. Provides that an occupational therapist shall refer a patient to the patient's treating health care professional of record, or to a health care professional of the patient's choosing if there is no health care professional of record if the patient does not demonstrate measurable or function improvement after 10 visits (rather than after 10 visits or 15 business days, whichever occurs first).

Amends the School Code. Provides that if the provider of the micro-credential or digital badge determines and can demonstrate that a student meets all of the criteria required to earn State Global Scholar Certification, then the school district or nonpublic school shall designate that the student has earned State Global Scholar Certification on the student's diploma and transcript.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that every insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews a group or individual policy or certificate of disability insurance or disability income insurance shall ensure parity for the payment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Changes the definition of "treatment limitation" to include benefit payments under disability insurance or disability income insurance.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Sets forth certain protections that must be provided to the parent or guardian of a child at the center of an abuse or neglect investigation whenever the Department of Children and Family Services refers a child to a medical professional. Defines "medical professional". Provides that the medical professional must explain to the parent or guardian of the child, whenever the medical professional has direct contact with the child or the family of the child, that the medical professional is involved for the purpose of providing an opinion to the Department regarding whether the child's injury or condition is suspicious for child maltreatment. Provides that, in any investigation where a medical professional is providing a medical opinion to the Department, the Department shall inform the parent or guardian of the child at the center of an investigation: (i) of the right to request and receive a copy of the medical professional's opinion, including the basis for the opinion, and a copy of any written report the medical professional has provided to the Department; (ii) of the right to obtain, at the parent's or guardian's own expense, and submit to the Department a second medical opinion for consideration in the investigation at any time prior to the conclusion of the investigation; (iii) that any second medical opinion submitted to the Department prior to the Department rendering a final determination in the investigation will be considered as inculpatory or exculpatory evidence; and (iv) of the Department's time frames for the investigative process. Requires the Department to annually prepare and make available on the Department's Reports and Statistics webpage a report on the number of children or families referred by the Department to a medical professional as part of an investigation of abuse or neglect by the Department. Sets forth the information that must be contained in the annual reports. Provides that the first report must be posted within 9 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Designates July 25 of each year as Emmett Till Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day to honor and remember Emmett Till.

Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires a school district maintaining any of grades 9 through 12 to provide all eligible students graduating from high school with the opportunity to register to vote. Effective immediately.

Amends the Cook County Sheriff's Merit Board Division of the Counties Code. Provides that all deputy sheriffs shall be not less than 19 years of age at the time of their appointment (rather than 21 years of age or 20 years of age and have successfully completed 2 years of law enforcement studies at an accredited college or university). Increases the probationary period for deputy sheriff appointees to 15 months (rather than 12 months).

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.

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that the Court of Claims has exclusive jurisdiction to hear all claims against the State for time unjustly served in State prisons, in county jails, in county juvenile detention facilities, or in Illinois Youth Centers, on parole or probation, or registered as a sex offender if the person was unjustly convicted or adjudicated a delinquent and received a pardon from the Governor on the ground of innocence of the crime for which the person was convicted or adjudicated a delinquent or the person received a certificate of innocence. Removes language providing the amount of the award the court may give for a successful claim. Provides instead that the court shall make an award of $50,000 per year during which the person was wrongfully incarcerated and $25,000 for each year during which the person was wrongfully on parole or probation or required to register as a sex offender. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to claims pending or filed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Allows any person who is convicted or adjudicated a delinquent and then serves any part of a sentence of incarceration in a State prison, in a county jail, in a county juvenile detention facility, or in a Illinois Youth Center, on parole or probation, or registered as a sex offender (rather than convicted and subsequently imprisoned) for one or more felonies by the State that the person did not commit may file a petition for certificate of innocence. Requires the court to make an award of reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and expenses after awarding a certificate of innocence. Provides that any person seeking a certificate of innocence based on the dismissal of a juvenile delinquency petition or an acquittal that occurred before the effective date of the amendatory Act shall file a petition within 4 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, and any person seeking a certificate of innocence based on the dismissal of a juvenile delinquency petition or an acquittal that occurred on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall file a petition within 2 years after the dismissal or acquittal. Effective immediately.